Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Hello:
I apologize for raising this issue in this community--I am at my wits' end trying to solve the problem I have. If this sort of post is not permitted, I would of course be happy to delete it.
I live in Pittsburgh. My 85-year-old mother lives with me. She has
Alzheimer's and agoraphobia among other problems. She doesn't leave her room except to use the bathroom. She hasn't been outside the house in years. She is marginally mobile, able to ambulate using a walker, but not far.
About four months ago, she began developing a skin rash over her arms, back, face, neck, chest, and other parts of her body (blisters on the palms). Long story short, no one has yet been able to diagnose it, except to say that it's not scabies. I have had nurses come in and look at it, and I also found the only primary care physician in Pittsburgh who makes house calls (and hired on retainer), but no one knows what it is.
My mom won't leave the house for any reason, but she's miserable. She
will refuse transport if I call an ambulance and anyway, with her
mental condition, the trauma of being moved might be worse than the
pain of the rash.
I have been in contact with two dermatologists who diagnose via the internet. I provided them with photos of the condition, the mechanics of which worked out well. I am grateful to these two doctors for trying to help.
Long, LONG story short, although they were willing to provide a few suggestions as to what the problem might be, and we even got some doxepin prescribed (unfortunately doesn't help), the bottom line is that in order to treat the rash, they say that a biopsy must be done, and in order for that to happen, I have to transport my mom to their office.
Ain't gonna happen. I've talked to my mom about leaving the house, and of the 100 times I talked to her about it, 99 times she said "no." The one time she said "yes," she quickly forgot about our discussion immediately after because of the Alzheimer's. And so I had to start persuading all over again.
I can't seem to find a dermatologist, or a dermatologist nurse practitioner if such exists, who is willing to do a house visit--for any amount of money. If they're out there, I haven't found one yet.
Again I want to emphasize that what would be simply nothing for you or me--getting down a flight of stairs, walking out to a car, taking a short drive, being seen by a doctor in an office--is something that is, in my mother's mind, impossible. She has chosen to experience moment-by-moment pain and itching rather than take that option, and will remain this way until she dies unless I can come up with some sort of creative solution.
As I drive to work every day, feeling beaten by this problem (having worked on it for months with no success), it makes me wonder how it is that in one of the wealthiest countries with the best health systems yadda yadda yadda I can't find someone who can help me with this issue. I hope I don't sound like I'm whining or complaining here, because that's not my intent--I'm just genuinely perplexed. Aren't there thousands of others like me taking care of their elderly, housebound parents? How do they get by?
And again, we are willing to pay consulting fees to get this worked out--we're not relying on Medicaid or insurance in general. It makes me pause and scratch my head (no joke intended).
I would be very interested in hearing of possible solutions to my problem here--I would be very grateful. And if anyone has any like meta-level background information on why I'm at such an impasse, I would appreciate hearing that too.
I guess I understand if biopsies are something that can only be done in the sterile environment of a doctor's office, but . . . I would guess that's not the case?
Thank you for reading.
I apologize for raising this issue in this community--I am at my wits' end trying to solve the problem I have. If this sort of post is not permitted, I would of course be happy to delete it.
I live in Pittsburgh. My 85-year-old mother lives with me. She has
Alzheimer's and agoraphobia among other problems. She doesn't leave her room except to use the bathroom. She hasn't been outside the house in years. She is marginally mobile, able to ambulate using a walker, but not far.
About four months ago, she began developing a skin rash over her arms, back, face, neck, chest, and other parts of her body (blisters on the palms). Long story short, no one has yet been able to diagnose it, except to say that it's not scabies. I have had nurses come in and look at it, and I also found the only primary care physician in Pittsburgh who makes house calls (and hired on retainer), but no one knows what it is.
My mom won't leave the house for any reason, but she's miserable. She
will refuse transport if I call an ambulance and anyway, with her
mental condition, the trauma of being moved might be worse than the
pain of the rash.
I have been in contact with two dermatologists who diagnose via the internet. I provided them with photos of the condition, the mechanics of which worked out well. I am grateful to these two doctors for trying to help.
Long, LONG story short, although they were willing to provide a few suggestions as to what the problem might be, and we even got some doxepin prescribed (unfortunately doesn't help), the bottom line is that in order to treat the rash, they say that a biopsy must be done, and in order for that to happen, I have to transport my mom to their office.
Ain't gonna happen. I've talked to my mom about leaving the house, and of the 100 times I talked to her about it, 99 times she said "no." The one time she said "yes," she quickly forgot about our discussion immediately after because of the Alzheimer's. And so I had to start persuading all over again.
I can't seem to find a dermatologist, or a dermatologist nurse practitioner if such exists, who is willing to do a house visit--for any amount of money. If they're out there, I haven't found one yet.
Again I want to emphasize that what would be simply nothing for you or me--getting down a flight of stairs, walking out to a car, taking a short drive, being seen by a doctor in an office--is something that is, in my mother's mind, impossible. She has chosen to experience moment-by-moment pain and itching rather than take that option, and will remain this way until she dies unless I can come up with some sort of creative solution.
As I drive to work every day, feeling beaten by this problem (having worked on it for months with no success), it makes me wonder how it is that in one of the wealthiest countries with the best health systems yadda yadda yadda I can't find someone who can help me with this issue. I hope I don't sound like I'm whining or complaining here, because that's not my intent--I'm just genuinely perplexed. Aren't there thousands of others like me taking care of their elderly, housebound parents? How do they get by?
And again, we are willing to pay consulting fees to get this worked out--we're not relying on Medicaid or insurance in general. It makes me pause and scratch my head (no joke intended).
I would be very interested in hearing of possible solutions to my problem here--I would be very grateful. And if anyone has any like meta-level background information on why I'm at such an impasse, I would appreciate hearing that too.
I guess I understand if biopsies are something that can only be done in the sterile environment of a doctor's office, but . . . I would guess that's not the case?
Thank you for reading.
Last edited:
