TB Clinic

We spent three hours at the TB clinic this morning while Mama was tested, informed, prodded, and treated. She has an active case of TB. We won't know until Tuesday whether she is contagious or not. Until then, she'll have to wear a face mask in public to keep from spreading the disease (just as a precaution). She was given 3 different medications to take every day for the next 6 to 9 months. These are 6 HUGE horse pills that she has to swallow each day. I gagged just watching her swallow the gargantuan tablets and capsules. Thankfully, Mama doesn't have any difficulty swallowing pills. What's interesting, is that public health nurses will go to her condo every Monday through Friday to administer her meds and watch her take them for the entire 6 to 9 months. Apparently, this is the only way to ensure the complete course of medication is finished by each TB patient. I can only think, Wow!

I have to get a TB "scratch" test on Monday to see if I've gotten the disease from her. The test is more nuisance than anything else: I have to go in to take the test, wait two days and then go back to the clinic to have the test spot read. Hopefully, I'll be free and clear of any reaction.

Mama is being tested for liver functionality and HIV at the same time. It's just hard to fathom that she could possibly be HIV positive on top of everything else. We can't even imagine where she could have been infected.

I went to work after dropping Mama off and now I'm tired both physically and emotionally. This care-taking business is a wild roller coaster ride.

I'm headed to bed.

Pleasant dreams everyone.