Mum's had the skin condition psoriasis all her life. It's now (first time ever!) under control with medication. Last August, she developed a discolouration/rash on her lower legs, which she said was the psoriasis flaring up. At that stage, she was still more or less fully independent, so we didn't question her own diagnosis! However, as it turned out, it was the beginnings of sepsis, caused by a UTI, and she had several weeks in hospital. This year, in June, she had another severe UTI, more weeks in hospital, and while there her skin flared up again, with blisters and oozing lesions. They said it was an allergic reaction to an antibiotic. That cleared up too.
Saturday, mum said she had two little spots of psoriasis on her leg, but they weren't bad and should clear up. Now, she has a Care Assistant three mornings a week to help her with showering and more particularly, to help apply the heavy moisturising creams she needs and keep an eye on the area where mum's now had a pressure sore twice, and had not told anyone (it was found, both times, in hospital) , but mum gets up at the crack of dawn, to beat the care assistant! Then tells her that she's had a wash herself, and oh, yes, she did the creams.
This morning was the same. Up, dressed and breakfasted before the care assistant got there. I called in on my way to work, and so I was there when the care assistant arrived. I asked mum if she had done her moisturising, and she assured us that she had. So I said "and how is the spots you said you had on your leg?" and the care assistant was quick on the uptake, and asked immediately if she could check it.
I was actually horrified at mum's leg! It's not psoriasis. It looks very like cellulitis (which she had before, several years ago). Fiery red, angry looking patches. The care assistant gently cleaned the area and loaded on the moisturisers, and mum admitted it did feel better. (funny that, how it felt better when the CA applied the same creams which mum had insisted she had done herself!). I've phoned the gp, and the receptionist said she has put me in for a doctor to call me back. It will be Wednesday before they can, because they are so very busy. I explained the urgency, and she said she'll flag it as urgent, but will leave me down for the slot on Wednesday, in case nobody is free before then.
I do wish mum was more cooperative with the care assistants. She does like her regular one, but she's on holidays at the moment. She quickly took the measure of mum, and arranged her calls so that she goes to mum first, so she's usually there by 8 or 8.30. The relief carer doesn't have a car, and walks her rounds. She also has young children to be dropped at the minders. She doesn't get to mum until around 10.
Sigh!