December 18

Today we went to the water therapist in the morning. We were very impressed. She asked Mom all kinds of questions relating to symptoms and her legs and pain levels etc. Then she tested her legs for strength and mobility and pain points. She did the same with her back. She said Mom probably has a bone spur on her spine, showed me where the curvature is, tested the musculature around the curvature and determined that she could help Mom with massage, onland exercise and water therapy. She massaged muscle notes in her hips and in her spine and Mom was painfree while walking for quite a while. Mom felt she had a great improvement in just one session. We will see the therapist again next Monday and Wednesday.

We then went to see Dr. Ryan Cantwell regarding Mom's feet. They are swollen like sausages. Last Thursday she began to take the diuretic that Dr. Cohen prescribed a week or two after her pacemaker when Mom felt so horribley fatigued and breathless. After the pneumonia went away she wasn't breathless anymore so we all agreed that Mom might not need the diuretic. Anyhow, I advised Cohen that Mom was taking the diuretic and that her feet were swollen and he said the Cantwell could do an equally good job on this subject and we didn't need him. Naturally, when we got there today the swelling was 50% down which could be a result of the diuretic, the massage and relief in the back and hips. He said it could be the daily Advil that causes this but is still waiting for the reports from the neurologist and the spine man. We filled out new forms requesting this data to be sent which they faxed. Otherwise, he is recommending nothing until he gets the reports.

Mom also had low bloodpressure which might account for her lack of pizzaz. We forgot to ask Cantwell what you do about this but left him a message in this regard. It was 92 over something.