I Am My Sisters Keeper, part four

I never thought that it was going to be this long of a story. don't worry, the end is getting nearer.



Even though we had another falling out, it was still my responsibility to take her to the doctor every month. I would pick her up on one side of town, then drive her across to the other side of town. We would see her doctor, discuss any changes in her life, any medical problems. Then she would take me out to lunch as payment for my coming to take her to her appointment. This was more of a way to get me to stay and visit longer. Regardless of if she as mad at me that day or not.

She never remembered what the doctor told her. If medication was changed, I had to write it down for her to put on the refrigerator until she could remember.

I thought it was just a bit odd, that no matter what she could not remember, once she learned her medication dose, she never forgot. She never forgot to take it either. If she were out at the time the medication was due, she would bother whoever she was with until they took her home and she could take that dose.

Her anti-seizure medication was Dilantin. Dilantin has a way of either building up in your system, or it does not absorb into your system properly after you have been on it for awhile. Or maybe even your body becomes immune to the dose being taken, so it is not enough.

I would receive phone calls anytime of the day or night, Daryl had another seizure. She would be in the emergency room, and I would have to drive there to be with her, as her son was a minor. Each seizure aggravated Daryl, because she had to be seizure free for a year to be able to drive again. Each seizure started the cycle all over again.

Her son knew Daryl was no longer strong, physically. He also knew that her mentality was not up to par. Brendan has ADD with some autism, and he would sometimes become violent with Daryl. When I found out he had been beating her with a broomstick, hitting her in the head, I came off the handle. He was about 12 years old at this time. I jumped down at him and informed him if he ever did such a thing to her again, I would come and pummel him myself. This boy thought the world of me, so I do not know if he listened to me more out of respect for me, or fear that I would beat him to pieces. Whatever, to my knowledge, he never beat on her again. He was still mean to her, and he was always out of hand, but there was nothing I could do about that.

Daryl had to have surgery on her neck due to some deterioration in the vertabrae there. That too, I took care of. When she had to see any doctor, I was there, remembering what they said to her. Finally she would go to her general doctor for simple things, like colds, on her own. She would call me as soon as she got home, and tell me what the doctor said. Then later she would call me and ask me what she was supposed to do.

Her memory was improving, her ability to handle her own finances came about well. She still could not work due to her child like impressions on life now. Though she lived as an adult, her brain was not at that anymore. Sometimes she giggled like a teenager. Other times, you would not know anything was wrong with her. It was a bit funny to watch her walk up to perfect strangers and tell them, "I had an anneeurrism, but I'm getting better." It made no matter where we were, or who was about. She told anyone who was there.

She would stop and stare at people like a little child would do. She would tell them if she thought they were doing something she didn't like, "that's not right", she would say in her little girl voice.

When the surgeon could do no more for Daryl, she was referred to a neurologist. Daryl hated new doctors and told me she was not going to see him. My only way of getting her to the new doctor was reminding her that she would never drive a car again if she didn't go. "Yes I will." she would always tell me. We were always having a war on wills. She was always trying to get me to let her have her way. Now remember, alot of times, she was more of a small child than an adult, so I had to have a stronger will than her, therefore, I won most times. Actually, when it came to something for her well being, I always won. There were times I allowed her to win, sometimes just to see that glitter in her eye and the smile of accomplishment. She would sometimes even do the little song, "I won, I won!" She could not do the dance. Her right leg was slightly flaccid and did not support her as it should. I tried to get her to use a cane, but her vanity prevented her from doing that. So she hung onto things to support herself as she walked. Walls, doors, whatever she could reach. When she was tired, she almost drug her leg behind her.

Daryl continued to have seizures. I continued to get up in the middle of the night, or leave work during the day, to go to the emergency room with her. The doctors would always say the same thing. She is not taking her medication, her Dilantin levels are too low. Then I would have to argue with them that she is taking her medications as ordered. We talked every night, so I knew that she was doing so. The would give her massive doses of Dilantin in her veins, to bring her level up so the seizures would stop. The would roll their eyes at me, and then send her home. They always said they contacted her doctor.

Then, at her next visit, the doctor would tell me that he was never contacted, and both of us would then be agitated at the hospital ER staff.

Because the seizures happened pretty much in a pattern, the neurologist decided to start her on a different medication. Keppra. Let me tell you, this is our miracle drug. He slowly increased the dose and removed all Dilantin from her regimen. After Daryl had been seizure free for more than a year, the doctor gave her the news she had been waiting for. You can drive. She had already bought a car. She would back it in and out of her driveway. When she received permission to drive, she would take her son to school and just go short distances, but that was all she needed. She got her freedom back. Her doctor appointments were no longer every month. She no longer wanted me to come to her visits. So I took advantage of MY freedom, and took up travel nursing.

Daryl did not like that idea at all, but she lived with it. Sometimes when she called me, she would tell me she had "little" seizures, but I knew she was doing ok. She would have told me if she was not. She could not help herself. It was the little kid in her that told on her every time. If anything did happen, I had family that could go to her.

She survived my time away. When I got back home, she was able to drive down to visit me one time. That was definitely a highlight of her life. She had new friends and new dogs. Her birds had flown out the door one day when a delivery person brought her a package. She dealt with the police and courts and school system when her son had problems. She was living a normal life almost. She was still so childlike, but moving on.

Then it happened. Daryl had a grand mal seizure one night. All the advancement, all her successes, pushed back. They tied her to the bed. She didn't know who any one was or where she was. They kept her in the hospital for a couple days, and when things seemed much better, they allowed her to go home. Daryl was now angry with me because she could not drive again. Her friend who supplied her car took it away at my insistance. She would call me and argue with me, and then say "I love you" and hang up.
It is so funny to me sometimes, no matter how angry she is with me now, before she hangs up she will tell me "I love you".
Enough time has passed, and Daryl is able to drive again. She does not call me often, because she is still mad at me. But she did call me to tell me she purchased a house. Being as she is on permanent disability, she gets a social security check. A fixed income. I guess that is enough to guarentee payment. I have not been there to see the house. She is angry I could not come help her to move, but she managed to get others to help her. Next time I go to Springfield, maybe she will not be so angry with me and let me visit her there?
Never know, but no matter how angry she is, and no matter how much she protests it, I will always be My Sisters Keeper.