Accessing medical records

[Linbrusco]

My mum 80yrs died in March, after 8 yrs since diagnosis and the last 2 yrs in end stage Alzheimers.
Despite having Chronic lymphocytic leukemia for10 yrs, and successful surgery for bowel cancer 8 yrs ago Mum developed pneumonia. Possibly aspiration pneumonia but we didnt want her being transferred to hospital for scans to determine.
We were there every day for the very last week until she passed away.

Dad 83 with mild/moderate mixed dementia since 2017, only went in to care last October.
He had prostate cancer, borderline diabetes, a lung disease, high BP and an aortic aneurysm.
With Dad, despite his health was still active, eating & drinking well, dancing until a day before his death..... A week ago I got that dreaded call at 4am to say they found him on the floor, clammy and with difficulty breathing. He had triggered the floor alarm getting out of bed.
They had to call an ambulance, but within the 7 mns it took them to get there, the Nursing staff had to do CPR, but unable to revive him.
Earlier in the evening he had complained of a sore back and his BP was high. They had given him paracetamol and checked his BP twice before bed which was back to normal.
Dads death is being attributed to a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm.

I just dont feel closure with Dads death as opposed to Mum.
Probably just because I didnt see him the week prior as I wasnt well.
My sister saw him 4 days before.
I have asked to see the Nursing notes and events leading up to Dads passing.
Not because I think anything sinister is afoot, but I just have a need to see for myself.

Can anyone else relate?

 

[Moggymad]

So sorry for your loss @Linbrusco. Yes I can relate to this although in my dads case a PM was done due to his unexpected death. I understand completely your need to confirm your dads cause of death. Perhaps if possible a chat with the medics involved might help? I don't know the system in New Zealand but are you able to follow up with the person who issued the death certificate?
We had a chat with dads GP after the event to ask about the cause of death on the certificate...nothing sinister, a heart attack, but dad wasn't found for a couple days & we felt the need to understand how /what happened & if he suffered etc.
It's important to you to get some clarification.

 

[Jaded'n'faded]

I can only speak for the system here. When mum died it was sort-of unexpected. She had very few medical conditions but was thought to have had an infection in the last couple of weeks though it wasn't anything definite.

During the process of getting the death registered, I received phone calls from 2 doctors who discussed where mum was in terms of dementia. They wanted to put dementia as the cause of death on her death certificate and spoke to me to confirm I was happy about that. I was somewhat surprised to be asked but I agreed with them and it provided closure.

Can you speak to the doctor who issued the death certificate?

 

[Linbrusco]

Thanks for the replies.
I had a meeting with one of the Care Home Managers.
All residents notes are kept electronically, and she took me through all of his medical records from the day before.
Up until the day before Dads death he had been on a van outing and dancing at Happy Hour.
The symptoms initially were vague, loss of appetite. Complaining of a bit of a sore back. This is not unusual for Dad.
Dad was always one to deny ill health or downplay symptoms.
Everything pointed his abdominal aortic aneurysm rupturing.
All very quick really, which is what Dad would have wanted. Although painless I doubt.
He also had a lung disease and prostate cancer which could have been a far more protracted and debilitating end.

 

[Shedrech]

I'm really glad you were able to go through the records with the manager @Linbrusco
it sounds as though your mind is more at ease now

 

[Linbrusco]

@Shedrech
it is thanks ?