Mum in CH diagnosed with Staph foot infection - is this how it goes?

[olivia1]

Hello,
I was on the site a few months ago but then things calmed down. My Mum was moved into a home inn April / May this year. It was a very traumatic time, but somehow things started to calm down and things were looking as if they might be manageable. I visit every two weeks for three days for 2/3 sometimes 5 hours. Mum was still quite chatty sometimes until 3 weeks ago. She was diagnosed with Staph infection in her foot, it swelled up and she was taken to hospital last week. They performed an angioplasty but it didn't help and in my opinion her foot is worse than ever and going to get worse. She is on strong pain killers because the pain she experiences if they run out is unbearable for her. I sat with her for a few hours on Saturday in the hospital and it seemed the most awful pain. She is back at the CH now and the staff are not happy with the level of pain she had yesterday. I asked her GP to visit and I hope they may give her something stronger for the pain. Now, I imagine she will decline. I feel devastated that this would happen. She was coping reasonably well until this.
Is this how dementia works? Is it the infections that come along afterwards while the immune system is low that is the eventual cause of decline? I have a feeling this is the case but I don't know for sure.
I know I will feel happier if she is given something stronger to help her cope with these waves of pain that are so awful. But I am also aware that Mum has never liked taking painkillers and drugs make her feel bad i think. I think her mental state has deteriorated as a result. I feel terrible for her. I wish i could be with her more but i will be living in another town (about an hour away) for about another 6 months.
I don't know how she is coping but she is somehow. Has anyone had any experience like this??

 

[Kerryblue]

Hello,
I was on the site a few months ago but then things calmed down. My Mum was moved into a home inn April / May this year. It was a very traumatic time, but somehow things started to calm down and things were looking as if they might be manageable. I visit every two weeks for three days for 2/3 sometimes 5 hours. Mum was still quite chatty sometimes until 3 weeks ago. She was diagnosed with Staph infection in her foot, it swelled up and she was taken to hospital last week. They performed an angioplasty but it didn't help and in my opinion her foot is worse than ever and going to get worse. She is on strong pain killers because the pain she experiences if they run out is unbearable for her. I sat with her for a few hours on Saturday in the hospital and it seemed the most awful pain. She is back at the CH now and the staff are not happy with the level of pain she had yesterday. I asked her GP to visit and I hope they may give her something stronger for the pain. Now, I imagine she will decline. I feel devastated that this would happen. She was coping reasonably well until this.
Is this how dementia works? Is it the infections that come along afterwards while the immune system is low that is the eventual cause of decline? I have a feeling this is the case but I don't know for sure.
I know I will feel happier if she is given something stronger to help her cope with these waves of pain that are so awful. But I am also aware that Mum has never liked taking painkillers and drugs make her feel bad i think. I think her mental state has deteriorated as a result. I feel terrible for her. I wish i could be with her more but i will be living in another town (about an hour away) for about another 6 months.
I don't know how she is coping but she is somehow. Has anyone had any experience like this??

 

[Kerryblue]

Hi you sound like you are already doing so much. I don't know the answer to you question but I can say that an infection in my mum's foot (caused by her dropping heavy glass on it) led to my mum being ambulanced to hospital and then straight from that stay into a care home.

I do wonder about the future for my mum. I fear for what I think could happen. I am trying to focus on each day and take it for what it is.

None of us know anything for sure so we may as well just learn to go with it. When I start to worry about how my mum will deteriorate I remind myself that a big tree could fall on me at anytime. I am trying to go with the "flow" and tell mum to as well. She remembers that for a few seconds. I feel for you. It's in our natures to want to know more. As I find the future for my mum so frightening I try to keep her (and me) in the minute, or the hour! Thinking of you. X

 

[canary]

I think it is true that as the dementia progresses the immune system is less and less able to deal with infection. Certainly in my mums case her final year had infection after infection - UTIs, pneumonia, oral thrush, although what finally finished her was a fall which led to a fractured hip.

 

[chickenlady]

It sounds as though her pain s being caused by lack of circulation as well as infection ad is likely to be due to immobility and general frailty. Get the GP to sort out extra strong pain killers and if they don't work ask for her o have an urgent referral to a pain specialist. If she doesn't has long to lie what tie se does have shouldn't be marred by pain.
You may have to b quite persistent.

 

[olivia1]

Thank you, Kerryblue - now I see - it can be something so small that can have such a dramatic consequence. I know it must be very confusing for your Mum to suddenly be in a home (CH). I agree, to be strong and encourage her and tell her how well she's doing in each moment is so important. Thank you for reminding me not to worry - it's so right, anything can happen any time.

Hello canary - that is what I was wondering, a catalogue of things start to happen and take over. I'm sorry for your loss, it is such a sad process. Oh Gosh - I feel my life slows when my Mum's life slows like this. I don't want to do as many things or enjoy some of the things I used to think were so great. It is such a grounding disease and really puts your feet on the ground, in life.

Hello chickenlady, thank you - what you have written is spot on - I talked with her GP and she was to visit Mum to prescribe something close to morphine to cover the painful times. I'm going to talk to the home tomorrow to find out if the extra painkillers are enough.

Thank you so very much for the advice about the pain specialist - I did not know about that. What you have written is key - and exactly what I was thinking, watching her in pain. I thought of myself and I would not choose to live in that pain for any length of time. All I can hope for - is that the GP (who is excellent) prescribed something business-like. I was surprised morphine was not given at the hospital last week.

Thank you for your comments, it means so much xxx

 

[malengwa]

Certainly the utis in mums case causedvher massive decline. Now in a home awaiting a permanent place she has yet another uti, the 4the in 2 months. I don't think having a catheter in helps but there doesn't seem to be any progress on removing it.
It certainly does seem to chip away at their health bit by bit.

 

[MaryH]

Disclaimer, I am in Canada so it may be different.

Dad was in hospital for a stroke which lead to his right side being paralyzed on the right side. He was also on NG feeding tube via his nose for 4 weeks. This is a teaching hospital and lots of residents running around on 1 month rotations.

Dad was 4th week on Sandoz version of mementine on a 4 week step up (25%, 50%, 75%, 100%) and 2nd day on full dose when he had the stroke. I had to push twice to get dad rolled off Mementine which has side effects. They were talking PEG tube via his side but with him pulling his NG tube frequently (lost count at about 10), I was concerned and they went as far as saying he may not be a candidate. After he was rolled off mementine of memetine by half for a couple of days, he started talking and when he was rolled off completely he was able to sit up 2x for 2-3 hours which was great.

Then he had a staph infections. I was told by someone who has medical training and also confirmed by a friend's mother who is a geriatrician that staph infections are not unusual if there are broken skins. He had some due to ng tube and ones also on his hand/arm due to IV site and later pick line. He fought the staph infection for close to a week and came through it but it was a regular staphylococcus aureus rather than one of the antibiotics resistant strains...

The staph laid dad low. It has taken 4 weeks for us to work back up to sitting up 3+ hours.

 

[olivia1]

Thank you Malengwa, I see yes her situation is like my Aunt's who had dementia and uti infections and they seemed to really take it out of her.
Thank you MaryH for your story about your Dad, it sounds positive that your Dad managed to fight off the staph infection, my Mum seemed to have less luck. I know that meds can be a bad idea from the point of view of moving and keeping activity going. I have just heard that Mum was found on the floor yesterday. But, I will go to her on Saturday. I feel she is having a very hard time. She now has Oramorph to take for the pain she has been experiencing. I can imagine this will not be good for her dementia since confusion can be a side effect of morphine but anything will be better than suffering in pain - as chickenlady pointed out. I know that staph foot is not a terminal condition but the antibiotics or something are causing high levels of pain. Yes, day by day is such an important way to think about this - it seems more difficult when you aren't together each day. I just hope she hangs on and i know she will .. but I have a very bad feeling now - I'm deeply concerned as many others are on this site. I will be moving back, closer to where she is, next year but not before. From the deepest part of my heart, I hope that the Oramorph improves her standard of life.

 

[Amy in the US]

Olivia, I hope something can be done to relieve your mum's pain and make her more comfortable. It must be very difficult right now.

My mother fell and broke her kneecap in February of this year. She needed surgery, and spent a week in hospital and several weeks in rehab before God back to her care home. She picked up a C diff infection somewhere, and we have only just gotten her clear about a month or so ago. Multiple courses of antibiotics and all that.

The infection did have a general, negative effect on her, no doubt. She was more tired, more easily tired, often had no appetite, and of course suffered from the GI effects of the infection. But she also just seemed to have some general malaise and was often sort of "off," if that makes sense. I'm only just recently seeing her back to more of herself.

So yes, I think infections can wreak a lot of havoc. Sending many good thoughts your way.

 

[olivia1]

Hello Amy, thank you for your reassuring message. I'm very glad your Mum got over the infection - what an operation to have to go through. I feel so sad for what is happening to our beloved parents All those things apply to Mum (85) too, lack of appetite, feeling a bit off - although she is quite smiley and able to laugh sometimes (!) I can always make her have a wee laugh. I would love to see her get back to herself a bit. I hope she does. She has another 6 days or so of antibiotics but i know this infection is staying. Thank you for your good thoughts Xxoxo