Hi
Sorry but this is a long post but just feel I need to get it off my chest. Thanks to anyone who has the time/patience to read on.
I recently contributed to a post about respite arrangements, detailing my wife's planned 2 week stay at our local LA/NHS integrated care centre. She had stayed there last year for a week and this year, I was holidaying with our family in Turkey, so I took her in the day before our departure.
I rang from abroad after 2 days and the respite team leader said that a large blister had come up on my wife's heal. They couldn't determine what had caused this but had got a district nurse from their local GP practice to come in and she had applied a dressing.
My wife's sister visited a few times and they were happy with the progress but noted that they were pushing her around in a wheelcare and she was spending more time on the bed, rather than in the lounge area. The staff said that the DN had recommended keeping her off her feet to help the blister heal.
When I rang in on Sunday, they said the blister had burst but the DN was still treating and when her sister visited on Monday, she said my wife seemed more tired. She got a phone call later that day to say they'd taken her to A&E as they were concerned. After a very long wait, she was admitted to CDU and diagnosed with a bad UTI.
Her sister took the decision not to try contacting us abroad, as we were due to fly home on Tuesday (which in a way, I am grateful, as I couldn't have got back any quicker anyway). With delays, I got home at 3am yesterday (Wed) so she rang me around 8am.
When I arrived at the CDU, my wife looked absolutely dreadful and I just burst into tears. I had taken her into respite, with her walking in, with a little help from me (she tended to shuffle a bit but could walk more or less unaided) but hear she was 11 days later, unable to sit herself up, just laying there.
The ward staff said that the UTI seems to be responding to IV antibiotics (now on oral) and elevated blood sugar levels now reducing. However, they said that the doctor had said she was okay to be discharged back to the respite unit!! I argued that she was only booked in there until Friday so how would I cope after that (they were having to hoist her out of bed)? All I got was the usual " medically, she is okay to be discharged"!
They got an OT to come and do an assessment (with me present) and she was lovely. After trying to sit her up and stand up, it was obvious my wife could not weight bear and the OT said there is no way she could come home. She said she'd liaise with the SW based in the hospital, who would contact me - still waiting!
My daughter-in-law visited after work and they'd moved my wife to a ward near to the CDU. She manages 2 facilities providing residential special care needs care for young handicapped adults and is CQC registered. So she knows the ropes and was able to ask all the right questions, which she thinks the staff picked up on they were very attentive with my wife. (someone sat with her and fed her - as apposed to CDU, who just plonked a plate of cottage pie and veg down, and left me to it!)
They are apparently going to sort out an assessment bed in the area (not sure what the options are yet) until I get over there this morning and speak to the SW etc.
I just feel so upset and guilty how things have gone downhill so quickly, just so I could get some respite and go away. I am hoping that once the UTI has cleared, she may regain some of her mobility but it doesn't look promising.
Thanks again, if you made it though this long post.
Phil
Sorry but this is a long post but just feel I need to get it off my chest. Thanks to anyone who has the time/patience to read on.
I recently contributed to a post about respite arrangements, detailing my wife's planned 2 week stay at our local LA/NHS integrated care centre. She had stayed there last year for a week and this year, I was holidaying with our family in Turkey, so I took her in the day before our departure.
I rang from abroad after 2 days and the respite team leader said that a large blister had come up on my wife's heal. They couldn't determine what had caused this but had got a district nurse from their local GP practice to come in and she had applied a dressing.
My wife's sister visited a few times and they were happy with the progress but noted that they were pushing her around in a wheelcare and she was spending more time on the bed, rather than in the lounge area. The staff said that the DN had recommended keeping her off her feet to help the blister heal.
When I rang in on Sunday, they said the blister had burst but the DN was still treating and when her sister visited on Monday, she said my wife seemed more tired. She got a phone call later that day to say they'd taken her to A&E as they were concerned. After a very long wait, she was admitted to CDU and diagnosed with a bad UTI.
Her sister took the decision not to try contacting us abroad, as we were due to fly home on Tuesday (which in a way, I am grateful, as I couldn't have got back any quicker anyway). With delays, I got home at 3am yesterday (Wed) so she rang me around 8am.
When I arrived at the CDU, my wife looked absolutely dreadful and I just burst into tears. I had taken her into respite, with her walking in, with a little help from me (she tended to shuffle a bit but could walk more or less unaided) but hear she was 11 days later, unable to sit herself up, just laying there.
The ward staff said that the UTI seems to be responding to IV antibiotics (now on oral) and elevated blood sugar levels now reducing. However, they said that the doctor had said she was okay to be discharged back to the respite unit!! I argued that she was only booked in there until Friday so how would I cope after that (they were having to hoist her out of bed)? All I got was the usual " medically, she is okay to be discharged"!
They got an OT to come and do an assessment (with me present) and she was lovely. After trying to sit her up and stand up, it was obvious my wife could not weight bear and the OT said there is no way she could come home. She said she'd liaise with the SW based in the hospital, who would contact me - still waiting!
My daughter-in-law visited after work and they'd moved my wife to a ward near to the CDU. She manages 2 facilities providing residential special care needs care for young handicapped adults and is CQC registered. So she knows the ropes and was able to ask all the right questions, which she thinks the staff picked up on they were very attentive with my wife. (someone sat with her and fed her - as apposed to CDU, who just plonked a plate of cottage pie and veg down, and left me to it!)
They are apparently going to sort out an assessment bed in the area (not sure what the options are yet) until I get over there this morning and speak to the SW etc.
I just feel so upset and guilty how things have gone downhill so quickly, just so I could get some respite and go away. I am hoping that once the UTI has cleared, she may regain some of her mobility but it doesn't look promising.
Thanks again, if you made it though this long post.
Phil