It’s been about a week since my last post so I’ll do a little catch-up. This was a distracting week of mother-stuff, husband-stuff and butterfly stuff. (I have been very busy with that, briefly, we found 22 butterfly eggs on our parsley and dill. At this time, 9 of 12 pupae have hatched. Smaller guys are working their way up. One didn’t make it, 8 or 9 more are going to be hatching. Visual journals will be coming.)

Evan had a few puzzles published in USA Today, I lost track.

What I felt was important to share were the following articles on Covid-19 which my mother had, and how the virus might be the cause of some of her psychological issues which have been ongoing: the outbursts, the combativeness when the medication dose was due. The meds have been changed over and over, still there was a time or two last week when I had to call and take charge to get her to take the needed dose.

And then I couldn’t do it anymore: It had gotten to be too much and I needed a break. Things seem to have become quiet. Was the medication working, was her behavior manageable? Could it be that things were actually improving? Could this new med have kicked in?

In today’s The New York Times there were three very important articles about Covid-19 and its effects on the brain. They are a must read, so let me get you the links so you can add this info to your knowledge base.

 

 

1.

Paranoid hallucinations plague many coronavirus patients in I.C.U.s, an experience that can slow recovery and increase risk of depression and cognitive issues.

 

 

 

 

2.

“I tell the same stories repeatedly; I forget words I know.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. June 25, 2020

Severe COVID-19 Can Damage the Brain, Preliminary Study Finds

“…the findings were an important early step towards defining COVID-19’s effect on the brain. “We now need detailed studies to understand the possible biological mechanisms … so we can explore potential treatments…”

 

 

One day, early on, when Governor Andrew Cuomo was giving his daily Covid-19 update, he announced that his younger brother, Chris, had contracted the virus and was in self quarantine in the family basement for weeks. During this time Chris complained of hallucinations; hallucinations is the word that stuck in my mind. Everyone reacts differently to the virus due to genetics, age, and the like. But the idea that patients’ behavior can be reflective of mental illness, manifesting in schizophrenic-like paranoia ideations, was all too telling.

May we all be well and come through this with all of our organs … and our marbles.

 

 

The series starts here:
Part 1: And The Band Played On … a mother’s life, a daughter’s journey

The previous post is here

The next post is here