Struggling Now

sleepless

Registered User
Feb 19, 2010
3,223
0
The Sweet North
It's good to hear you enjoyed your break, Es. Such a lovely thing for your daughter to have arranged.
Hope you get sorted with the catheter, bags etc. So pleased the wetroom is making things easier. You will soon settle into a new routine. The district nurse should be a great help re the catheter, and any other issues, I have always found them very willing to help and advise.
Good luck with the rearranging for the hospital bed. I find it very helpful to raise the bed when getting hubby up, so he uses less effort to stand. Useful in many ways.
xx
 

esmeralda

Registered User
Nov 27, 2014
3,083
0
Devon
Thanks sleepless, I'm sure the district nurses would have been helpful if we'd seen one. Out of hours said over the weekend that they would ask for a visit today, nobody turned up. I have phoned and eventually got some ad hoc advice on managing the catheter over the phone from someone who wasn't a DN - receptionist? Cleaner? Someone who was in to repair the photocopier? Also got a Fed Ex parcel with supplies so at least I'm all tooled up.

I'm sure it's because the district nurses are underfunded and overworked, but really……

Hospital bed was delivered today so that will be a big help.
Hope all is well with you and your hubby.
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thebes

Registered User
Feb 10, 2014
163
0
London
I hope you are enjoying the new bed, we found it made a huge difference though 4 months on I think we are soon going to need the next step in helping managing in and out of bed, a hoist presumably.
Not just in your area that the district nurses are a rare sight. When my OH came out of hospital in the summer supposedly using a convene, we had no supplies and no training or support. I ended up watching Utube in Swedish for a demo of what I was supposed to be doing. My efforts and his cooperation would have made a funny, good if rather blue Utube item if they were not also rather painful. Eventually I got our local continence service to do a demo, which only proved that they worked while he was comatose in a hospital bed, they did not when he was more active and able to reach those parts easily, he assured me in his sleep, bless him :rolleyes:.
I am beginning to think that amongst the training carers are sometimes able to access should be basic nursing skills.
 

esmeralda

Registered User
Nov 27, 2014
3,083
0
Devon
Had to smile at your post thebes:)

Have you got a 'patient turner'? I find this invaluable for helping my husband to pull himself up to standing, and then transferring to a chair, bed etc.
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bemused1

Registered User
Mar 4, 2012
3,402
0
Hope the hospital bed is helpful Es. Even with a hoist we wouldn't manage without it.
Glad you got all the necessary kit at least. Training what's that then?
 

esmeralda

Registered User
Nov 27, 2014
3,083
0
Devon
oK now you have me foxed, what is a patient turner please. I thought that was me :) xx

It's this thebes. I couldn't manage without it. Maybe you could ask your OT.
 

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esmeralda

Registered User
Nov 27, 2014
3,083
0
Devon
Sorry about the untidiness - haven't quite recovered from having to reorganise two rooms. The actual name of it is the ReTurn 7500.
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esmeralda

Registered User
Nov 27, 2014
3,083
0
Devon
Hope the hospital bed is helpful Es. Even with a hoist we wouldn't manage without it.
Glad you got all the necessary kit at least. Training what's that then?

Sure it will be bemused. Hope you're all three ok.
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thebes

Registered User
Feb 10, 2014
163
0
London
Thanks for the photo, I think your suggestion of getting back to our OT is spot on. There are obviously many more aids around than I had ever imagined.
Not so good here today, yet another chest infection brewing so one very tired reluctant to eat or drink chap. Tucked up in bed early , with a dose of antibiotics. Thank goodness for our lovely surgery, phoned at 4.20, spoke to duty GP at 4.30. Carer stayed on so I could get to the chemist and collect medicine, home with it by 5.
How are things with you and yours? Which bit of Devon are you in, just curious as it is my home county. Xxx
 

LadyA

Registered User
Oct 19, 2009
13,730
0
Ireland
Aw, Es, sorry to hear that your husband's condition has deteriorated. It's frustrating trying to find out what's available, and get hold of the professionals when you need them. All adds so much to the stress. Just to give you an idea of what kind of stuff is out there, have a browse on the website of www.completecareshop.co.uk sometime. I used to get things from them for William. Found them really helpful.
 

esmeralda

Registered User
Nov 27, 2014
3,083
0
Devon
Hi thebes,very sorry to hear your husband isn't well again, but glad you have been able to get speedy treatment for him. Hope he picks up soon, it's so worrying when they're ill.

I phoned the districts nurses again earlier and was told they probably couldn't visit today. Said I understood that but perhaps they could ring to let me know when they could. Told them I had to go out later this afternoon (had to pick up things from the CH that they'd forgotten to pack) but asked them to leave a message.

Of course when I got home there was another packet of spare catheter bags on the doorstep and a note through the door to say the DN had called. Communication seems to be so difficult!!

We live in Plymouth, whereabouts did you grow up?
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esmeralda

Registered User
Nov 27, 2014
3,083
0
Devon
Aw, Es, sorry to hear that your husband's condition has deteriorated. It's frustrating trying to find out what's available, and get hold of the professionals when you need them. All adds so much to the stress. Just to give you an idea of what kind of stuff is out there, have a browse on the website of www.completecareshop.co.uk sometime. I used to get things from them for William. Found them really helpful.

Thanks LadyA, lovely to hear from you. I hope things are getting easier. The website looks really good, and their prices are very reasonable too. Often the right piece of equipment can solve a problem more easily than you think.

The hospital bed is great, even just sitting him up to have a drink is so much easier for us both. The OT came today and we had a play with the hoist. Not absolutely needed every day at the moment but good to have it in place for the less good days.
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bemused1

Registered User
Mar 4, 2012
3,402
0
You see Es, nothing to worry about. It's there when you need it, ignored when you don't. Hospital beds can make life so much easier as well.
Hope Nick is happier now he's home and hopefully the catheter saga will be sorted if the DNS can manage to be there at the same time as you one day.
 

LadyA

Registered User
Oct 19, 2009
13,730
0
Ireland
Thanks LadyA, lovely to hear from you. I hope things are getting easier. The website looks really good, and their prices are very reasonable too. Often the right piece of equipment can solve a problem more easily than you think.

The hospital bed is great, even just sitting him up to have a drink is so much easier for us both. The OT came today and we had a play with the hoist. Not absolutely needed every day at the moment but good to have it in place for the less good days.
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And don't forget, you don't have to pay VAT on any supplies/equipment bought for your husband because of his illness.
 

thebes

Registered User
Feb 10, 2014
163
0
London
We live in Plymouth, whereabouts did you grow up?
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I was born and brought up in Plymouth, went off for a few years then came back and spent another 10 years there and nearby with a young family, finally moved away in 1985. My Mum lived there all her life until she moved to be near me in 1997.

Have a good day, as they say! Xxxxxxxxx
 

esmeralda

Registered User
Nov 27, 2014
3,083
0
Devon
Oh, fancy that, thebes, we'll have to compare schools etc!

Thanks Verity. Hopefully it will be a quiet one although I'm going to have to engage with the District Nurse hotline again. Note said to contact the surgery but I'm sure they will tell me to ring DN direct. Thing is he really needs a leg bag because just having a loose bag is a bit tricky when you're using equipment to turn etc. I'm sure we'll get there eventually.

Hope you don't have to visit Fred today Verity, M5 isn't nice in the rain. Take care.
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chick1962

Registered User
Apr 3, 2014
11,282
0
near Folkestone
Hello Es , trying to catch up . Glad to hear Nick is home my lovely . Hopefully he will be better being in familiar surroundings. Sorry to hear about all the problems with the catheter . You are so brave Es ! Thinking of you both sending hugs and lots of love xxxxx


Sent from my iPhone using Talking Point
 

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