I expect that while some sweat contains waste products that the body should get rid of, some sweat is ‘clean sweat’ – little more than water, which evaporates. Her clothes don’t smell. Am I vile if I give Mom shirts that she previously sweat into? Should two nights be my maximum, or can I go for 3 or 4?

By the way:

(a) she also goes through 4 towels per night, which I lay underneath her so we don’t have to change the sheets 7 times per night. (With the towel laid sideways, with half of it off the edge of the bed, I can switch it around and so use the same towel twice per night.)

(b) No it’s not a fever, and yes I’ve asked 3 doctors and 3 nurses what’s wrong. All say they can only guess the cause: the infection (see below), the pills, or something else.

The Story:

When Mom came home from the hospital after emergency surgery replaced her aorta, her medications caused more harm than good – as her doctors agreed. Bizarre sweating (hyperhydrosis; ‘night sweats’) was just one of the many complications. We took her off the medications and she was fine for 3 months. Then the sweats returned – and later that week I noticed Mom had a protrusion on her sternum – by the time we got an appointment 3 days later, it was 5″ long and 3/4″ tall. To the great surprise of the surgeon, she had developed an infection in her sternum 6 months after the surgery. He gave it a tiny slice, and out poured tons of puss (well, ounces). She went on antiobiotics, 4 pills per day, for 10 weeks. (That’s not good – antibiotics kill off good biota as well as bad.)

Finally, 10 days ago, there was no more discharge (puss). And no swelling. But still … the sweats. And still … the pills. (“Edward Nurse” (as he calls himself) says that Mom needs to keep taking the pills for a week after the infection appears clear.)

For the last 3 days, she’s had no more pills, but still … the sweats. (Does that mean the infection is still raging? I’m monitoring for swelling – with touch.)

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Categories: Caregiving, Questions
Tags » Caregiving | hygiene | laundry | Momma | Questions | sweating

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