Just when it seemed there was light at the end of the tunnel...
- Thread starter CardiffGirlInEssex
- Start date
Sorry to hear your news @CardiffGirlInEssex . I hope your dad has a mild case, my mum caught covid in hospital in April and got off lightly with a high temperature. She is frail elderly too, so please have hope xx
Thank you, @anxious annie , that’s good to know. I am trying to think positive but it’s hard, especially a# mum is only going to see this from her point of view which is that she doesn’t want the hospital bed in the house if he isn’t coming home now. Hey ho, I anticipate many stroppy rambling calls in the week ahead.
Good luck with your mum, keep blaming things on the Dr etc , so she doesn't see you as "the baddie"
Dont tell her, then. Just say that hes coming home tomorrow - and say the same thing tomorrow.
xx
Update- symptoms are still mild, though he feels grim. No cough so far, and oxygen levels ok, so fingers crossed. I have been warned that things can change quickly, especially around the 5 to 7 days point, so not out of the woods yet.
Glad your dad is doing OK so far, @CardiffGirlInEssex At least being in hospital they can keep a close eye on his symptoms. Did you say anything to your mum as to why he wasn't coming home today?
I have everything crossed for your dad @CardiffGirlInEssex that it will continue to be a mild case. xx
Thanks @Sarasa, yes I did get a note to Mum yesterday, and dad’s cousin has been to her today. She is apparently quite calm about it, wants him to stay in hospital until he is better because she doesn’t want to catch it! I didn’t go into a lot of detail, just said he has caught the virus in hospital and it’s highly infectious so he has to stay put until it has gone. For the moment she seems to have stopped worrying about the changes in the house, but that doesn’t mean I won’t get a call tomorrow wanting me to get the bed and hoist removed. We shall see, if she is calm and contented for today that’s good.
So, dad is stable, not improving much but not worse yet either. Yesterday the ward doctor rang me and we had the conversation about what happens if things go the wrong way (which is still possible) and that really did upset me even though I’m usually quite rational about that sort of thing, and I do know he would refuse invasive care such as ventilation.
Today the staff nurse says his fever is down, but he still has the body aches and fatigue. On the plus side, no cough or breathing problems, and everything else seems to be working OK. So we just cross our fingers some more and wait.
Mum still seems quite calm about it, I will get an update to her tomorrow via the cousin.
Today the staff nurse says his fever is down, but he still has the body aches and fatigue. On the plus side, no cough or breathing problems, and everything else seems to be working OK. So we just cross our fingers some more and wait.
Mum still seems quite calm about it, I will get an update to her tomorrow via the cousin.
Thinking of you @CardiffGirlInEssex. Try to find time to ‘breathe’ through this very difficult time. Your dad will be well cared for.
Hoping these are positive signs @CardiffGirlInEssex , I think the talk with the Dr is standard procedure, and as his fever is down and no cough or breathing problems, it seems quite optimistic. I do hope so,
Dad seems to be recovering well now, if he has a negative test result on Saturday he will be discharged on Sunday. The hospital were keen to get him out before Christmas but the care company, quite rightly, are insisting they give it the two full weeks before the retest, as any less is likely to still show positive.
Just had a call from my mother wanting to know where Dad has gone with his new boyfriend. Aaargh! Thought we’d gone off that one. I’m pretty sure she will forget she has phoned me. Cousin will give her a note tomorrow to explain when he will be home. Let’s hope it goes ahead this time.
Just had a call from my mother wanting to know where Dad has gone with his new boyfriend. Aaargh! Thought we’d gone off that one. I’m pretty sure she will forget she has phoned me. Cousin will give her a note tomorrow to explain when he will be home. Let’s hope it goes ahead this time.
Good to hear dad is doing well, hope he gets home ok . Care company covering theirselves but seems wise in the circumstances .
Well, dad is home. He arrived at about 11.30am, first carer visit just after 12 noon. Panicky phone all at 2pm saying no carers had been, he needed help, could I get someone round urgently. His cousin went round, meantime I phoned the care company who couldn’t have been more helpful. Of course the carers had been, done all that they were meant to, he had forgotten.
Cousin got his TV working, spent a while explaining the care plan to him, went home. At one minute past 5pm I get another panic stricken call, the 5pm carers are not here, they are late!! Again checked with the care company, they were a few minutes late, no more. Kind lady there was very understanding, explained they allow 15 minutes either way to allow for over runs, traffic or shorter previous call etc. All perfectly reasonable. I sent dad an email explaining this again and that he needs to try to relax a bit and not panic, give it 15 minutes before chasing. I know he has read that because I have his email account on my iPad as well, so I can delete his junk mail for him.
Another call 10 minutes ago, he can’t get subtitles up on the TV. Talked him through the buttons on the remote, he now says the TV won’t turn off either, I wonder if he has forgotten how to use it after nearly 4 months in hospital. I said I’m really sorry dad but I can’t fix it from here (200 miles away) the carers are coming again later so ask them to help you. Clearly not the right answer!! Please god don’t let the next visit be late by even a minute, or i will be getting another call, I’m sure!
Cousin got his TV working, spent a while explaining the care plan to him, went home. At one minute past 5pm I get another panic stricken call, the 5pm carers are not here, they are late!! Again checked with the care company, they were a few minutes late, no more. Kind lady there was very understanding, explained they allow 15 minutes either way to allow for over runs, traffic or shorter previous call etc. All perfectly reasonable. I sent dad an email explaining this again and that he needs to try to relax a bit and not panic, give it 15 minutes before chasing. I know he has read that because I have his email account on my iPad as well, so I can delete his junk mail for him.
Another call 10 minutes ago, he can’t get subtitles up on the TV. Talked him through the buttons on the remote, he now says the TV won’t turn off either, I wonder if he has forgotten how to use it after nearly 4 months in hospital. I said I’m really sorry dad but I can’t fix it from here (200 miles away) the carers are coming again later so ask them to help you. Clearly not the right answer!! Please god don’t let the next visit be late by even a minute, or i will be getting another call, I’m sure!
Oh @CardiffGirlInEssex, trying to fix things from 200 miles isn't easy. It sounds like your father could really do with full-time care, and I hope the social worker sees that sooner rather than later.
How's your mum doing with it all?
How's your mum doing with it all?
Oh heck @CardiffGirlInEssex I hope things settle down with your dad soon. It must be worrying for him and you too, him going from hospital with people around all the time to being at home with carers coming in but not there permanently, being back in his home after months must be odd too so I imagine he is nervous and unsettled a bit too. I hope things work out so he is ok at home or SS soon decide his original wish to go to a CH is best. Hope you all get a quiet evening ? ?