A bad day

[Cliff]

Dee wouldn't get off the toilet, "I'm in pain - its the baby" Dee is 81. A neighbour, a nurse, helped me and the afternoon passed OK. Then this evening the same happened but this time it was just pain. A kind neighbour helped me.

Thankfully, I have Careline, and despite being Saturday. spoke to a nurse then a doctor came. Simple constipation.

Dee won't drink water or take Fybogel.

Three points, drinking water is so important, friendly neighbours are so valuable, and Careline is worth so much - Cliff

 

[fearful fiona]

Dear Cliff,

So sorry you've had such a tough day. Can't persuade my parents to drink water either, I know it's not interesting, but it's so important. Glad neighbours etc. came to the rescue.

Hope tomorrow is better for you.

 

[Margarita]

No the feeling about constipation, not drinking

Just like my mother use to do , now I just give her lots of soft fruit does the trick .

Hope tomorrow better , sounds like a really good neighbor

 

[connie]

liff, feel for you. It is such a shame that they cannot just explain how they feel.
Constipation to you amd me is just that, to our loved ones it is a different world entirely.

What to suggest, Movical has to be disolved in water, so that can present problems. What about Lactulose? taken as spoonfuls, would Dee accept that?

Take care Cliff.

 

[Margarita]

I was not sure what Fybogel was .

but from Connie posting I see it's as a laxative , Senoko tablets use to help my mother, I would give it the night before

 

[Cliff]

Thank you ladies all,

Neighbours are brilliant, Dee loves lactulose - it's sweet, but she is not interested in fruit and will only eat canned fruit with sugar.

Bless you, am having a quiet single malt whisky, and then to start the "going to bed routine" - Marigolds at the ready.

Goodnight and bless you all - Cliff

 

[Skye]

Dear Cliff,

Sorry you've had such a bad day. You certainly learn who your friends are, don't you? Your neighbour sounds a gem.

Hope you have a better day tomorrow.

Love,

 

[Cliff]

Thank you Hazel, why aren't you packing for Scotland.

Have a wonderful break - Cliff

 

[Skye]

I'm just off to bed, Cliff. Busy morning ahead -- shower & dress John, dog to kennels, pack car, drive up to Loch Lomond -- straight into hot tub -- stay there for five days!

 

[fearful fiona]

Don't turn into a prune, all that sitting in the hot tub!!!

 

[Cliff]

Why not - it's what hot tubs are for - Cliff

 

[Margaret W]

Constipation

Canned fruit is better than no fruit, and it does have liquid. Would she notice if it was in juice rather than sugar? Does it matter? Prunes are great. I had a sudden, one-off and hopefully never-to-be-repeated migraine 4 years ago, it lasted 2 months (on and off, more on than off) and was totally bed bound for the entire period. Constipation? You ain't ever experienced it like me. I screamed. I was sick. The pain was indescribable, and what solved it? - tinned prunes. Rather more than the recommended 4 prunes per meal, with me it was an entire can. A couple of days on that, and problem solved - thank God.

Canned pears, peaches, apricots, a bit of cream or Elmlea. But prunes are the greatest. You can get dried prunes for her to chew on if she will, and dried most other fruits, handy for a snack.

Good luck

Love

Margaret

 

[Cliff]

Thank you Margaret,

Haven't gone to bed yet - sounds like marvellous advice - what a terrible time you must have had - will try everything you say - goodnight - bless you, Cliff

 

[Taffy]

Hi Cliff, I'm pleased to read that you have neighbours willing to help. Margarets suggestion with the prunes, is one that I followed for my mum when she was at home. I brought the can prunes in syrup gave her 10 prunes with ice cream or custard or creamed rice four times a week and it was effective.Not everyone likes prunes, me included(Hope Dee does) Keep Safe. Taffy.

 

[Amy]

Yep we went down the prune line as well - 6 every morning with mixed in to breakfast cereal - seemed to work most of the time!
Helen

 

[Lynne]

Thank you Margaret, ...
- sounds like marvellous advice - will try everything you say - goodnight - bless you, Cliff

Er, Cliff - perhaps not all at once! Otherwise you will need more than 1 pr Marigolds!

Read all your posts, am full of admiration (& envy) for how well you cope.

Best wishes

 

[Cliff]

Good Morning,

It's Marigold time, life certainly gets interesting.

Dee really liked the Doctor who came last night and seems to be taking more sips this morning, thanks to his advice.

Won't give everything at once, promise.

Next problem is the bath. Dee can't climb into the bath now and won't use the shower room. She's only tiny but worse than holding an eel. Want to have a walk-in bath fitted but have been advised to wait for advice from an expert person but can't wait much longer.

Thanks for all your advice and encouragement everyone - Cliff

 

[Lynne]

Cliff, re. using bath ...

My Mum also tiny (5st 6lb) & frightened of falling when getting in & out of bath since she broke her arm last year (not in bathroom).

Occupational Therapy Dept. have provided us with seat which fits across bath (like plank with rubber pads which grip to inside of bath, so doesn't slip) and I find that works.

I put a folded tea towel on the seat at end nearest Mum, she sits on this with her back to the bath, legs & feet still outside bath. With her holding onto me (like a limpet!!) and me holding on to her, I help her swing her legs over side of bath 1 at a time so that feet are now in water. We slide her over along the seat until she is central & with R arm can get hold of grab-rail (also OT) on inside edge above bath. (The tea towel is quite important part, as this enables the swivelling & sliding to be done comfortably, but is no big deal if it ends up in bath) I give her a minute to get used to position (with warm towel round upper body), then help her lower into water. Once she's landed, she's quite happy & relaxed in there. For convenience I lift off the seat from bath behind her whilst she's washing.

(Phew! It's actually easier to do all this than put it into words)
Like most things, the main thing is to have everything ready beforehand, so that Mum is never left alone & nervous while you fetch something which has been forgotten.

Getting out is pretty much a reversal of the above. Hope this may help.

Regards

 

[Cliff]

Thank you Lynne,

That is really worth following up, It's a fairly high sided bath but will think how I can simulate it to see if Dee could manage.

Whenever I do this bathing, I always think of a Cartoon character who grabs hold of something and then it slides through his fingers- splapppp !

Am grateful for the suggestion - Cliff

 

[Margarita]

I found my mother loved M&S prune , Must say my Daughter and I love them also

Works wonders on all of us