I wish it would, I've tried everything, a straw seems to be the best, but then she starts coughing. What I have been doing is watering everything down as much as I can. For lunch today she had a baked potato with some mushed veggies, by the time I had added the water it was the same consistency as a thick soup. For dessert it was jelly and custard, again water added. For tea she has just had a scrambled egg made with milk. Then I have the problem of continue bowel activity.
Oh brother
- Thread starter Tin
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I wish it would, I've tried everything, a straw seems to be the best, but then she starts coughing. What I have been doing is watering everything down as much as I can. For lunch today she had a baked potato with some mushed veggies, by the time I had added the water it was the same consistency as a thick soup. For dessert it was jelly and custard, again water added. For tea she has just had a scrambled egg made with milk. Then I have the problem of continue bowel activity.
When people at mums care home started coughing when trying to drink, the staff made up the drink with thickener.
I believe that the SALT team came out to assess people who were having trouble drinking.
I believe that the SALT team came out to assess people who were having trouble drinking.
The community nurse has said that she will bring some thickener tomorrow, then hopefully gp will refer mum to SALT team. I made her some chocolate flavoured custard with water and she is drinking that at moment, with my help.
Oh, Tin, it must be awful. I'm so sorry.
When my mother had recurrent C diff infections last year, they did wipe her out, absolutely sapped her energy, so I wouldn't be surprised if this is your mum's reaction to the infection.
I hope the SALT team can come soon and provide some help and useful advice.
Sending some (((hugs))) your way!
When my mother had recurrent C diff infections last year, they did wipe her out, absolutely sapped her energy, so I wouldn't be surprised if this is your mum's reaction to the infection.
I hope the SALT team can come soon and provide some help and useful advice.
Sending some (((hugs))) your way!
Thank you and I am really hoping that this lack of mobility is down to the infection. Because she cannot really stand, I am having great problems changing the pads and so I think that I may have to put her in bed earlier than usual as it is easier to deal with pad change when she is laying down. I can't really see any difference in her sitting slumped in the arm chair to laying in bed.
Ok I have put mum to bed, although light still on and she is chattering away and as usual the Can Can has started, certainly exercising her legs. The geography of my cottage makes it easy to hear and keep an eye on her. Small hallway leading from sitting to bedrooms. On the bed I am finding it a lot easier to change her pad and there will be one more change plus anti biotics before I turn lights off. Hope to see some improvement tomorrow.
Bless you, what a horrid time for you both, you must be absolutely shattered.
Ice lollies, flavoured ice cubes, go down a treat with my Mum, yet a glass of water is a no. Must be a lolly on a stick those in packets tubes are too much of a challenge. Hot chocolate, with added cream - thinking about it hot choc not the best idea for a dodgy tum.
Take care, I’m thinking of you, wishes for improvement tomorrow. X
Ice lollies, flavoured ice cubes, go down a treat with my Mum, yet a glass of water is a no. Must be a lolly on a stick those in packets tubes are too much of a challenge. Hot chocolate, with added cream - thinking about it hot choc not the best idea for a dodgy tum.
Take care, I’m thinking of you, wishes for improvement tomorrow. X
This sounds like too much for one person to deal with.Think of yourself,where are you going to end up if this continues?Is it time for residential care?I hope I haven't offended you.
Not really tired. I am sleeping well. Got the wheel chair up and running through the house now. My mum does not like ice lollies, but she does like the sorbet I make. I have done ok today with liquids. Looks like I have managed to get close to 2 pints into her, not the daily required amount I know. making the custard with water helped, I mixed a teaspoon with water in her cup and placed into microwave, seemed to give it the right thickness for her to drink without it going down the wrong way and causing her to cough. If I had to pinpoint the problem area then that would be transferring her to the commode, she hates it. Most of the time I have to change her pads while she stands at the sink, but standing not possible at moment. Laying on the bed is working. For the next few days I will do it this way and use the wraparounds that I have, also the adult nappy I bought a few weeks ago is really helping. The dodgy tum is due to the anti biotics, this happened with the last course she took last year. We have 3 more days left.
Hopefully can report some improvement tomorrow.
A tiny bit of improvement today, was difficult getting her up and out of bed, so did not force this. Left her sitting up had a small cup of tea and then I was able to transfer her on to commode. At least today she is awake and able to hold her cup and drink. Also seems to be able to stand with help of zimmer frame so I can change pad. Have been transferring her from chair to chair in a hope that she will be able to stand and walk with my help, still relying on me to keep her up though. Having late lunch today so going to try and get her into the dining room. Expecting a call from community nurses today, will talk to them about urine sample I managed to get yesterday.
Sorry to hear about your new difficulties Tin. Transferring someone whose mobility is failing is really hard. I've left mum in bed today as the strain on my lower back is really worrying me these days. I hope that it's just the infection and/or antibiotics causing the issues for you and that the phase will pass. I think in some ways it's easier if they are mobile OR bedbound, in mum's case she can still stand, so I feel bad leaving her in bed, but after a day of transfers to and from bed, wheelchair, commode and recliner I'm shattered and my back starts to hurt, so I really have to avoid doing this all the time. But, I feel bad leaving her in bed!
I'm finding the small incontinence sheet wrapped around mum's her left side at night time is really helping the leaking issues, but I now have mum leaning to the left in bed, and sometimes in the morning her head is at quite an angle, so from tonight there will be another pillow under her left side, hopefully this will stop her moving to the left.
I've been SO tired with it all recently, and close to giving up, but haven't yet. I think leaving her in bed some days will help ease things for me, I hope!
I'm finding the small incontinence sheet wrapped around mum's her left side at night time is really helping the leaking issues, but I now have mum leaning to the left in bed, and sometimes in the morning her head is at quite an angle, so from tonight there will be another pillow under her left side, hopefully this will stop her moving to the left.
I've been SO tired with it all recently, and close to giving up, but haven't yet. I think leaving her in bed some days will help ease things for me, I hope!
Thoughts very much appreciated. I managed to walk mum into dining room, zimmer frame in front and me and she ate all her lunch by herself.
Hi Marnie, Have been thinking of you the last few days. Community nurse came at lunch time and she has set the ball rolling for Intermediate care team to call and gp tomorrow to assess mum. There has definitely been some improvement today, but she still has problem supporting herself, legs just give way, even though her legs are active when in bed or sitting in arm chair!? If there is a urine infection as well, been difficult to get a sample, the community nurse could not understand why mum was not prescribed a broad spectrum anti biotic, hopefully gp will solve this one tomorrow and I will still try to get a fresh urine sample for him to take away
Not looking good for mum, still cannot get her to stand and I am trying. At night time when in bed her legs are all over the place, climbing the wall and she still has strength to move them around and push them against me, but just will not stand. Immediate care team will be here today and other medical professionals to follow. Just got to hope that they can all help me to get her upright, or this could be the quick route to being bedbound and I will have to think again about how I am going to cope with that, already decided that if this requires equipment then I am moving mum into the bigger bedroom, just do not want her in a double bed again.
She is laying on top of her bed, so going to try again and see if I can get her to stand, here goes.
She is laying on top of her bed, so going to try again and see if I can get her to stand, here goes.
I haven't had the chance to read through all of your thread but see that your Mum had a fall in early July and you commented that you thought she had hurt her back. Has pain been ruled out as causing the mobility problems? When my Mum was in hospital earlier this year - having been fully mobile when she went in - I was advised that she had lost her mobility due to 'dementia' and needed a nursing home. Long story short but it turned out that back pain had affected her mobility and once the right pain relief was given she could walk again. Might be worth considering this if you haven't already as my Mum had some similar symptoms to yours such as inability to sit in a chair for long and rapidly moving her legs about in bed.
Tin - watch your back! Mine is suffering as a result of moving mum around. Now it's one day in bed and one day out. Yesterday was horrendous, I was back and forth, on and off the commode with her, all day. She had one wee all day. Miraculously the overnight pad didn't leak!
I would suggest a hospital bed Tin, at least it gives you the option of lifting legs up and down and you can raise her up to eat if she's in bed, or to get her out, if she still can. Maybe a stand aid like I have? I have a Return 7500 patient turner and it has proved to be very helpful. Also, if you need to do things in bed, like dress or change her, then the bed goes up and down, which helps your back a bit too. I would take all the equipment you can. I have some things I haven't used much, but will not send them back as you never know when something will come in handy.
I hope all your visitors are able to give you some good advice and help.
I would suggest a hospital bed Tin, at least it gives you the option of lifting legs up and down and you can raise her up to eat if she's in bed, or to get her out, if she still can. Maybe a stand aid like I have? I have a Return 7500 patient turner and it has proved to be very helpful. Also, if you need to do things in bed, like dress or change her, then the bed goes up and down, which helps your back a bit too. I would take all the equipment you can. I have some things I haven't used much, but will not send them back as you never know when something will come in handy.
I hope all your visitors are able to give you some good advice and help.
