Ling's mum [another update] and music lessons

[Guest guest]

Hi Aisha darling! <cheeky smile> Hi to Nerys and everyone else too!

<<Hows bun bun??!! lol>>

mmmmmm.... still as vain as ever, now sleeping on my lap as I type this message. later, she will migrate to sleeping on my pillow when I go the bed.

Feel very bad for her as she is often alone at home these days, as the rest of us are either working or keeping my mum company at the hospital. Hope this arrangement will end soon!!!"The nurses are using Daktarin powder for the wound. "<<Its a herbal/homeopathic cream, however if her wound is open it will sting so prolly not the best idea?? >>

The thing is, this wound has started to bleed. She was given "Praxyfarin" [sp?] for the ischemic fingers. However, this caused her to bleed badly from the anus. Her blood pressure has dropped [doc said may not be due to the bleeding], and she is now transferred to high dependency unit. The "Praxyfarin" is also stopped, and my mum is given platelet and blood transfusions. She got 4 packets of platelets and one packet of blood today. Because of that low blood pressure, my mum also cannot have her dialysis treatment today.

The stopping of the medication is not helping the fingers, and we now realise that her fingers are getting darker. It is really heartbreaking to see the fingers changing colour everyday and nothing can be done to save them.

We have actually consulted another cardiothoracic & vascular surgeon to see what he says. He happens to head the heart transplant unit in Singapore, and is also in private practice. Hope he can come up with something.

What is even more depressing now is that 3 doctors and 2 nursing officers have given us a very dark picture of the future. They said that my mum is in a unstable condition,and is in the "Dangerously ill list". They told us to be prepared. If she collaspes, are we going to let the docs, during resuscitation, to put her in intensive care, under life support????

One thing I realised, though, is that the people who told me this are all from the surgery specialty. NO ONE from the medical specialty, including the endo which we trusts most, have told us this. Are people from surgery always so pessimistic???

<<Is she likely to lose her hand also? Oh my :-(>>

touch wood, but I am really afraid of that. How can a person take it ---

left leg amputated twice, to above knee now;

blood circulation in right leg not that good too;

left arm is okay, but cannot exert too much force as the fistula for dialysis is located here;

fingers in right arm darkening, may lose fingers;

poor healing bed sores;

bleeding from anus from anal fissure due to chronic constipation;

subdural haemotoma that is causing episodes of problems in speech, muscle control

All these are on top of the problems she has been having:

diabetes;

end stage renal failure on dialysis;

liver cirrhosis;

liver tumour, suspected HCC;

hypothyroidism [after radioactive treatment for hyperthyroidism];

weak heart;

gout [though now attacks prevented with Allopurinol]

thromocytopenia [sp?] - low platelets, actually due to liver failure

If this happens to me, I am better off dead.

<<Your poor mum.>>

Life is so unfair sometimes. Why must so many things happen on one person? <<Can you post the hospital address so we can send her cards? Might cheer her up a bit?>>

I will be glad to, but her room is not fixed as she has been changing rooms, being transferred to ICUs, intermediate care, high dependency, the normal ward and now back to high dependency. Thanks so much for your kind thoughts, but I think please do not bother to send anything. Your posts mean a lot already.

<<You must be a blessing to her dear one!>>

The only thing I can do now is to keep her company and make her happy, and prays that she gets better very soon. I cannot cure her, and neither do I have any magical powers to make that happen.----------------------------------------------------------<<Damn I dont have a current AMEB syllabus that would list the requirements for your scales. Do you have a complete list of scales you have to do? Are there not arpeggios listed?>>

I don't thing we have arpeggios. I will check again.<<An arpeggio is the first, third, fifth and last note of the scale. (the chord) So for C major youd play C-E-G-C-E-G-C>>

Ahem, sounds new to me.What I have here in my list of technical work is the scales, chromatic scales, chord progressions, contrary motion, and diatonics. I guess that is quite different from the woodwind instruments?

<<I'm really not sure about piano/keyboard as I taught woodwind. But if you get your teacher to write the list of all the scales you are supposed to know for your exams I'll happily go over then with you, on the best ways to prepare etc.>>

This is what I have got:

Scales:

A, Eb, E, Ab major

F#, C, C#,F minor [har and melodic minor]

Contrary motion:

D, A, Eb major

B, F#, C harmonic minor

Chromatic starting on D, A, E, B and Bb

Any idea how to make them easy the remember to recall?

<<You know the difference with harmonic and melodic minors etc?>>

I guess so,my teacher told me this:

harmonic: follow key signatures of relative major and raise 7th note semitone

melodic ascending; follow key signature, raise 6th and 7th notes semitones

melodic descending: follow key signatures<<And remember to have fun. You've got so much going on just now, try to enjoy what you do without it being a chore.>>

Thanks!

Got to go, it is 5am......

take care,

Ling

[Guest guest]

Hello Ling Svheetie Darrrrrrhlink!!

"Hi Aisha darling! <cheeky smile>"

That makeith me most suspecious..... ???

"The thing is, this wound has started to bleed."

Definately dont use the calendula then hon. Be way to painful for her :-(

"We have actually consulted another cardiothoracic & vascular surgeon to see what he says. He happens to head the heart transplant unit in Singapore, and is also in private practice. Hope he can come up with something."

Has he seen your mum yet?

"That is even more depressing now is that 3 doctors and 2 nursing officers have given us a very dark picture of the future. They said that my mum is in a unstable condition,and is in the "Dangerously ill list". They told us to be prepared. If she collaspes, are we going to let the docs, during resuscitation, to put her in intensive care, under life support????"

Just remember that no one can know really - some are given weeks and live a long life. It must be so scary for you though. To watch all of this and hear such talk from the Dr's. Perhaps talking to the Dr's you trust would be a good idea? You might get a better picture from them. It still sounds terrifying for you, watching your mum. Not knowing :-(

You are doing everything you can though hon. You are loving her and spending as much time as you have with her. This is the greatest gift you can give her sweetie. Wish neither of you had to go through it though :-(

"Life is so unfair sometimes. Why must so many things happen on one person?" Wish I could wave my magic wand and make it all better for everyone *gentle hugs* Would she like us to send her letters of support through your email address? (just a thought?)

"What I have here in my list of technical work is the scales, chromatic scales, chord progressions, contrary motion, and diatonics. I guess that is quite different from the woodwind instruments?"

Yeah it is different from woodwind. I studied piano though :-) So know all of that ..

This is what I have got:

Scales:

A, Eb, E, Ab major

F#, C, C#,F minor [har and melodic minor]

Contrary motion:

D, A, Eb major

B, F#, C harmonic minor

Chromatic starting on D, A, E, B and Bb

"Any idea how to make them easy the remember to recall?"

The key signatures of the scales? Like how to know what has what sharps etc? Oh yeah tonnes of simple tricks. I will find some manuscript paper and draw up some notes for you. Little tricks, and scan it for you - easier then trying to explain that way then via email.

"I guess so,my teacher told me this:

harmonic: follow key signatures of relative major and raise 7th note semitone

melodic ascending; follow key signature, raise 6th and 7th notes semitones

melodic descending: follow key signatures"

Thats correct, do you know how to remember their key signatures though? (by knowing which major key its related to?)

Also for piano its easier to practice the scales with one hand at a time, and then when you have both hands perfected on their own, play the scales with both hands. Hmmmmm..... will write down notes to remind me to explain key signature tricks :-)

Hope that helps

*hugs*

Love Aisha

[Guest guest]

Hi Aisha DARLINKKKKKKK and all.....

"We have actually consulted another cardiothoracic & vascular surgeon to see what he says. He happens to head the heart transplant unit in Singapore, and is also in private practice. Hope he can come up with something."<has he seen your mum yet? >

Yep. He said my mum's low bp is due to infection. Since she has been having low bp, blood circulation to her arms and other leg is afftected. Now 2 of her fingers and her big toe is BLACK.

"That is even more depressing now is that 3 doctors and 2 nursing officers have given us a very dark picture of the future. They said that my mum is in a unstable condition,and is in the "Dangerously ill list". They told us to be prepared. If she collaspes, are we going to let the docs, during resuscitation, to put her in intensive care, under life support????"<just remember that no one can know really - some are given weeks and live a long life. It must be so scary for you though. To watch all of this and hear such talk from the Dr's. Perhaps talking to the Dr's you trust would be a good idea? You might get a better picture from them. It still sounds terrifying for you, watching your mum. Not knowing :-(>w even my mum's[and ours] most trusted doc, the endo, has told us the same thing. So we have decided not to have any intubation [touch wood], and had now brought her back to the general ward. She is not on constant dopamine drip to keep the bp up.

<Wish I could wave my magic wand and make it all better for everyone *gentle hugs* Would she like us to send her letters of support through your email address? (just a thought?) >

Thanks so much for that kind thought, but I think it is not necessary. She still sometimes get pretty confused. She is now having tube feeding as she is not eating much.

<< key signatures of the scales? Like how to know what has what sharps etc? Oh yeah tonnes of simple tricks. I will find some manuscript paper and draw up some notes for you. Little tricks, and scan it for you - easier then trying to explain that way then via email.>>

Thanks so much! But can you send them to me via my personal email add, tulips3@... ? I am on daily digest mode for .

Ling

[Guest guest]

Hi Aisha DARLINKKKKKKK and all.....

"We have actually consulted another cardiothoracic & vascular surgeon to see what he says. He happens to head the heart transplant unit in Singapore, and is also in private practice. Hope he can come up with something."<has he seen your mum yet? >

Yep. He said my mum's low bp is due to infection. Since she has been having low bp, blood circulation to her arms and other leg is afftected. Now 2 of her fingers and her big toe is BLACK.

"That is even more depressing now is that 3 doctors and 2 nursing officers have given us a very dark picture of the future. They said that my mum is in a unstable condition,and is in the "Dangerously ill list". They told us to be prepared. If she collaspes, are we going to let the docs, during resuscitation, to put her in intensive care, under life support????"<just remember that no one can know really - some are given weeks and live a long life. It must be so scary for you though. To watch all of this and hear such talk from the Dr's. Perhaps talking to the Dr's you trust would be a good idea? You might get a better picture from them. It still sounds terrifying for you, watching your mum. Not knowing :-(>w even my mum's[and ours] most trusted doc, the endo, has told us the same thing. So we have decided not to have any intubation [touch wood], and had now brought her back to the general ward. She is not on constant dopamine drip to keep the bp up.

<Wish I could wave my magic wand and make it all better for everyone *gentle hugs* Would she like us to send her letters of support through your email address? (just a thought?) >

Thanks so much for that kind thought, but I think it is not necessary. She still sometimes get pretty confused. She is now having tube feeding as she is not eating much.

<< key signatures of the scales? Like how to know what has what sharps etc? Oh yeah tonnes of simple tricks. I will find some manuscript paper and draw up some notes for you. Little tricks, and scan it for you - easier then trying to explain that way then via email.>>

Thanks so much! But can you send them to me via my personal email add, tulips3@... ? I am on daily digest mode for .

Ling