A life in the day of.........................

[Skye]

Hi Sylvia

Glad Dhiren's op is safely over. He did well to wait an hour before threatening to leave.

Hope you don't have too much trouble with the dressing.

Love,

 

[TinaT]

Ken had to have a benign cancer removed from his face last summer at Christie's Hospital in Manchester. I explained to the consultant Ken's LBD condition. On the day of the op I was allowed to stay with him all the time, put his gown on, special socks etc., go to theatre with him, and sit in the recovery room with him until he woke up. He recovered well and later that night I was allowed to take him home. If he had not, I was told that I could stay with him overnight. The hospital was absolutely wonderful and I left feeling that we couldn't have had better treatment anywhere else in the world. xxTinaT

 

[Skye]

Ah, but then Christie's is the flagship cancer hospital.

Where are the hospitals specialising in dementia?

 

[connie]

Dear Sylvia,[

Once we were home, I put the kettle on and phoned Paul. When I came off the phone I found Dhiren, trousers round his ankles, examining the dressing.

Sometimes you must wonder whether to laugh or cry?

All this, and on your birthday too. Do hope you managed to enjoy, and that Dhiren is 'comfortable'.


Hazel,

Where are the hospitals specialising in dementia

you should know the answer to that. They are in the same place as the hospices for dementia sufferers.

 

[Grannie G]

I must say Dhiren was treated with respect in hospital today.

As soon as I said he had Alzheimers, it was acknowledged, he was spoken to, not down to, and then if he was unable to answer, I was asked.

If he continues to be treated the way he was today, I shall have no complaints.

 

[jenniferpa]

Hows Dhiren doing with the dressing today? How long does it have to stay on?

 

[Grannie G]

Thanks Jennifer.

He is fine thanks. Keeps forgetting he`s had the mole removed, feels a twinge and asks when he will have it done.

The district nurse came this morning to change the dressing. Dhiren wanted to see the wound so we took a photo of it.

A nurse will return in a week to change the dressing again, but we have been told if there`s any sign of infection to phone the out of hours GP immediately and someone will be round.

 

[gigi]

Hello Sylvia!

Good to hear that all went well yesterday..

Sounds like you've got a good team -always nice to hear!! Are there any stitches?

I chuckled at the thought of Dhiren having a photo of his wound!

Eric hasn't been out of the house since Saturday night when we went to Leicester..

Today he wants to go on a diet because his tummy is too big...and he thinks it's getting bigger..(it is)

He says I give him too much food..

His daily "deep sleeps" are established routine now..I think they're becoming deeper and longer..

Love Gigi xx

 

[kiytyn]

His diabetes is considered `poorly controlled` by the GP, but whenever we test his glucose levels they are fairly constant at around a reading of 10-11.

My mum has diabetes, her blood sugars are 'poorly controlled' too. Mums good average seems to be between 15 and 19, much higher than the 'specialists' want it to be. Lower and she is dispondant and depressed, becoming very weepy. Higher means that we can reliably expect bad temper and tantrums. In fact if Mum ever has experiences BM's of a healthy persons normal (about 5?) then we have a minor emergency, as if we don't bring BM's up from here she will slip very quickly into a diabetic coma.

Who can say what is normal, everyone is different.

ps - Happy Birthday for yesterday?

 

[Grannie G]

Thank you Gigi and Kiytin.

Gosh Kiytin, if my husband recorded glucose levels of 15,he`d think he was dying. It does show how the glucose levels vary. Just out of interest, pre AD, were your mother`s levels better controlled? My husband kept his levels to 7-8 prior tp diagnosis.

I am delighted to have good things about the NHS to report.
At 3.30pm Dhiren was uncomfortable. His dressing had moved, there was some staining and the dressing was loose.
I phoned the GP and the receptionist said she`d try to contact the district nursing service for me.
6pm. a phone call from the district nurse.
8.30pm. a visit from he district nurse, the dressing was replaced, a promise made of another visit on Tuesday, but instructions to call the GP`s out of hours number should the dressing become loose again or should I have any cause for concern.
Excellent!

 

[Skye]

That's brilliant, Sylvia. G;ad the NHS can get something right!

How is it looking now?

 

[Grannie G]

Hazel.......I didn`t look.

 

[gigi]

I didn`t look.

I'm itching to get down there and have a peek!!!

The good thing about dressing wounds is that you can watch them heal..it's always a miracle!!!

So pleased you have such a good service!!

Still don't know if there are stitches....

Love Gigi xx

 

[Skye]

I haven't seen John's heel recently either. They always dress it when they're putting him to bed at night, and I'm never there then. Not sure I really want to see it!

 

[Grannie G]

I dont think there are stitches. There is no discomfort. I think the wound is taped? Not sure of the technical term.

 

[jenniferpa]

Do they use those butterfly tapes? Personally I don't mind looking at my own wounds but get squeamish about other peoples. When my DD had staples in her head it was "eyes closed" time.

 

[Skye]

One of the residents fell backwards and hit the back of his head against the door frame this week, a really nasty gash.

He was taken to A&E, and the carer who accompanied him told me they glued the wound together!

 

[Grannie G]

The `glue` is wonderful.

Dhiren had it when he cut his head, when he fell and broke his arm. It`s like a film over the wound which sets hard. The skin underneath heals and the glue eventually peels off.

I have no problem looking at my own wounds either, but someone else`s makes me queasy. Mind you when there is no-one else there, I will do it, [and faint afterwards]

When Dhiren showed me the dressing had loosened, I concentrated on looking at the dressing, not the wound. I saw blood and didn`t want to know.

 

[Skye]

Oh, I'm exactly the same. When John gashed his head badly on a Nile cruise, he was stitched up, without anaesthetic, in a shower room that was being repaired, with workmen chipping away at the tiles all the time.

John was fine, not a murmur. I fainted!

How he didn't get an infection in that wound I'll never know.

 

[Margarita]

My mum has diabetes, her blood sugars are 'poorly controlled' too. Mums good average seems to be between 15 and 19, much higher than the 'specialists' want it to be. Lower and she is dispondant and depressed, becoming very weepy. Higher means that we can reliably expect bad temper and tantrums. In fact if Mum ever has experiences BM's of a healthy persons normal (about 5?) then we have a minor emergency, as if we don't bring BM's up from here she will slip very quickly into a diabetic coma.

In fact if Mum ever has experiences BM's of a healthy persons normal (about 5?) then we have a minor emergency, as if we don't bring BM's up from here she will slip very quickly into a diabetic coma

Its such a relief to read that , as when mum BM go 5 or under she now could collapse in to a coma state.

As that happen on a day trip I went with her & the day centre . while eating a meal she collapse side way her head falling on to my lap . she was given spoon fall of sugar that brought her around .

She had eaten at 8 am , by the time we got they 1PM because of being stuck in traffic . I done, did read her BM on the coach & it was 5 . something , so thought she would be OK .

Now I make sure she does not go without eating for more then 3 hours . if I go out with her to any appointment I make sure I take a banana with us , so she not left with out eating so long between meals .