Bit of an update

[mel]

Well........I posted last week about mum going into respite in a lovely place. That still stands.....and they tell me she's been very happy and only thumped the staff a couple of times And she'll only take her medication when she feels like it

However....they phoned me on Sunday evening when I was staying with a friend to let me know that earlier they'd found her on the floor in her room(possibly fallen off the bed) and they were concerned that she wasn't "mobilising" because she had pain.....no bruising could be found but they said they'd like to call the GP.....I agreed and she was eventually taken to hospital at 1am for an xray.
The xrays showed nothing wrong and she was sent back to the care home.
The NH phoned me to let me know and said they would keep me updated.
Later they said although she was still unwilling to walk she was happy,cooperative and eating well.
yesterday NH phoned again to say the hospital had phoned again to say they'd had another look at the xray and weren't happy.I was due to pick mum up at tea time but they said they'd send a carer along with mum to the hospital and keep me informed.
5.30 NH phoned again.....said mum had been admitted with a broken hip.
It took about an hour to get through to the hospital.....either permanently engaged or just not answering. eventually spoke to a staff nurse who asked me if mum was normally confused and agitated The carer who accompanied mum will have told them she has dementia and that she has been staying at an EMI home.......I presume they can't be bothered to read the notes...
i decided not to visit her last night because I didn't want to unsettle her any more than she already has been......She will be totally confused.....having gone to the hospital twice in two days but I will be going over at lunch time today......
How on earth can a broken hip be missed!!!!!
I feel so sorry for mum.....its no wonder she didn't want to walk.....she must have been in agony.......
last night I felt very down
today I feel so blo*dy angry

 

[Grannie G]

So sorry Wendy. This experience is not uncommon where the elderly or confused are concerned.
In the first place, your mother must have been confused to have fallen out of bed. My mother did that often, in her care home. I wondered if it was because she was in a single bed, whereas she`d slept in a double bed for over 50 years.
In the second place there`s absolutely no excuse to misread an Xray. Can I suggest you put your anger to good use by writing a formal letter of complaint to the Hospital.
I did this on behalf of my mother when she was admitted and, in my opinion, neglected. The letter resulted in an investigation. Mountains weren`t moved as a result, but at least the neglect was recorded and monitiored.
I get really angry that every day we read items in the papers about stopping smoking, reducing obesity, doing more exercise and a hundred and one other ways to prolong life, and when these things work, and people live longer, they are disrespected and treated as a niusance.
What`s the point of prolonging life, if it isn`t valued. We might as well die young and save trouble.
Please write and complain. Love Sylvia x

 

[Tender Face]

Hi Wendy

So sorry for your mum - and so understand how you feel .... just a thought from my own experience of mum having X-rays could it be not that the film was misread but that your mum was given the wrong film? ... my experience of hospital X-ray depts is that it matters not whether someone is young, old, deaf, bed-bound etc ... films seem to be produced and given back to the patient, or porter, for them to return with it either to the ward or clinic (could have been it was grabbed by the first person to 'shout up' having misheard the name being called - seen it happen but fortunately get sorted - was mum accompanied at the time right through to X-ray .........?) ...

.... another side is that if this was the case then someone else had your mum's film originally and who knows what they have undergone for nothing if so.... in which case there will be another family raring to complain....

Either way, it's shambolic ....

Will be thinking of you .... you know we're behind you,

Love, Karen, x

 

[mel]

Hi Sylvia
I've no idea how long mum will be in hospital but I will be watching her very closely!! i will as you suggested make a formal complaint......I've just spoken to mums SW and he can't understand how this has been missed and he is certainly less than happy!!
Last time she was in hospital with a diabetic hypo they thought she lived on her own........because mum had told them that......despite me spending an hour giving them all the information they needed..

Poor mum.....I feel so sorry for her.....she must be so totally confused.....
I am absolutely seething at the moment!!!!
love xx

 

[mel]

Hi Karen
Never thought of that.......OMG.....someones probably having an op for a broken hip as we speak
Thanks......I knew I would get support here........

As you will probably understand , because I've had such a lovely relaxed long weekend..... the guilt monster is back.......If only she'd been at home this probably wouldn't have happened.....but then again.....it could just have easily happened here
love xx

 

[Amy]

Hi Wendy,
So sorry about mum. Let us know how you find her.
Love Helen

 

[Tender Face]

Wendy, I can understand the 'if only' - but try to look at it another way ... if you hadn't had that lovely long weekend you would be less able to cope with what you are faced with now... s*d fighting any guilt monster - save that strength for those who deserve a lashing out...!!!!

Love, Karen, x

 

[Margarita]

I have herd things like that happeing when mum went in to emergency respite, I do feel for you both xx.

No guilt for you in all this at all , the guilt lie within the care home , they should of put up the rails around your mother bed, to stop her falling out of the bed .

Beds should also be lower at night , in case she falls out , to break a hip , the bed must have been raised high also maybe no rails around bed .

 

[Kayla]

Dear Mel,
I was sorry to hear that your mother has broken her hip after a fall. It is bad that the hospital didn't spot the problem first of all, but my MIL fractured her hip bone, so there was a hairline crack which didn't need an operation, just bedrest so it could heal naturally. She stayed in hospital and a nursing home for a couple of months and then returned home able to walk again as before.
Maybe the doctors didn't see the break because it wasn't too serious. When my Mum broke her hip, there was no doubt about it at all, her leg stuck out at an awkward angle. She had actually broken the top of her thigh bone and needed a half hip replacement operation.
I hope your mother settles in the hospital and her treatment can be speedy so she able to return to the more familiar surroundings of the NH or to your home. Don't feel guilty. She could have fallen anyway or may have had a stroke and at least she was with trained people who responded promptly. Take care of yourself and don't overdo things at Christmas Time, try to delegate if possible.
Kayla

 

[Lila13]

When they put up rails people fall further climbing over them.

 

[jenniferpa]

Unfortunately, as Lila said, if they're at all mobile, rails can be worse - my mother fell when she was in hospital because she climbed over the raised rails - you would think they would know better than to put them up. Lower the bed, and padding on the floor though - that should have been considered

Xray reading can be as much as an art as a science, and at night, if the UK is anything like the US in this respect, it may not be read by a true expert. Last year, I fell and injured my ankle. Went to the local emercency room, was x-rayed and was told it was a bad sprain, but that it would be reviewed the next day. The following day, they called and said no - it was broken, so off I go to the othopedic doctor. He reads it and says no, it's not broken! I decided to go with the last opinion, because that meant I wouldn't have to have a cast. My point being, it's not uncommon for you to get more than one diagnosis from one x-ray.

As Karen said: thankfully having had a relaxing weekend, you're going to cope much better with all this.

Jennifer

 

[Skye]

Wendy,

So sorry about your mum. What a shame, after your lovely positive post last week. I hope all goes well with your mum.

 

[alex]

Hi Wend

Your bound to feel guilty, but don't you dare let it get to you!............remember Wendy..........stay focused.
Your mum will go through a bit of a rough time but she will get better and she'll be fine, so don't go punishing yourself.

Love Alex x

 

[cynron]

X Rays

My husband recently was x rayed for a possible break in the knee. The x ray was read as a small fracture but on returning to the fracture clinic 2 days later we were told there was no fracture. When they then atttempted to do an ultra sound on his leg re dvt,it was abandoned as he became distressed owing to a fall from a wheelchair as they tried to pull his trousers down. So he was sent away without a result. There is an investigation going on after my letter of complaint.

Cynron x x

 

[Lila13]

Rails or any form of restraint, you find that whatever you do turns out to be wrong.

 

[Kayla]

On my Mum's first night in the Nursing Home, she literally jumped over the bed rails onto the floor, despite having had a hip replacement operation. She also kept slipping down out of her chair or trying to get up and move away, resulting in several falls. Fortunately she wasn't seriously hurt, but it was almost a relief when she stopped trying to walk around. Sometimes she does forget that she is unable to walk though.
Kayla

 

[mel]

Hi
Thanks for your replies.....
Visited mum yesterday......oh she looked so frail.......almost lost in the hospital bed. She was asleep when I got there so I just stroked her head and was then greeted with a huge smile and she grabbed my hand and kissed it.......i asked her what she'd been up to this time and told her she'd had a fall (she couldn't remember of course)....told her i couldn't leave her for 5 minutes before she got into trouble......she smiled and said "no.....2 minutes!!!"
It has obviously knocked her for 6....she's very tired and kept drifting off to sleep...the nurse came to take her temperature and BP while she was dozing.....she got a slap for that!!!! I was pleased she was showing no signs of confusion or anxiety......just exhaustion....she also said she had no pain ....but that doesn't really mean that she isn't in pain....she just can't always express it but they are giving her strong pain killers.
Saw the occupational health person while i was there.....they'll order equipment for mum ie chair and bed raisers, toilet raiser and a wheelchair.

I'm happy with the ward mums now on.....had a talk with the staff nurse.....mums social worker has been brilliant and is keeping in touch with the hospital.

i collected mums things from the NH(where she'd been staying for respite) yesterday..and was greeted with open arms again.....they really are quite upset about the whole business. looked at the bed there....its quite low.....I'm wondering if she just fell.....full stop.....they're only assuming she fell out of bed......There are no rails but on mums last visit to hospital there were rails.......and she just climbed out the end So I suppose there are pros and cons.......It is a single bed.....and mum sleeps in a double here......

She's gone to theatre this morning......she'd dislocated and fractured her hip....so it will be pinned. I'll visit this evening when she's hopefully come round a bit more.

As I suspected its more or less certain she'll be in over christmas and definitely her birthday on Saturday.......But as my son is working til 5 on Xmas day we'll eat late anyway so that will give me chance to visit at lunch time on xmas day......and I'll spread a little christmas cheer!!!!

Interestingly there are several dementia sufferers on the ward at the moment which from a selfish point of view I find reassuring.......I'm pleased to know mum isn't "alone".....

 

[alex]

Nice one Wend............good luck to mum for today, i'll be thinking of both of you.

Love Alex x

 

[mel]

dear me.........it takes more than a broken hip to get my mum down!

i visited her yesterday.....a charming lovely young female doctor found me and asked me if I would try and persuade mum to have a canula put in so they could give her some fluids.......she'd tried before but mum had bitten and scratched her
Well its in now.......I told mum it was her turn first.....I'd have one put in later

A nurse then approached me and asked if I wouldn't mind trying to give mum her medication.......she'd tried earlier but mum spat them out
She took them from me.....I explained she must do as she's told otherwise she won't be allowed home

I've phoned this morning......mums ok.......but a nurse had porridge thrown at her and once again she spat out her tablets They've asked me to try and give her the medication when I visit this afternoon............

Oh mum..................

 

[Margarita]

My mother had one of those put in canula put in so they could give her some fluids.

If it was the same they have to get the needle right under the vain in her hand , and have to do it angina if they don’t hit the right stop as that what happen to my mother , the only way mum keep quite , was me telling her my daughter had it done, my daughter said it was very painful , and I could see it was for mum .

My mother been vomiting a lot lately a feeling dizzy , all because she has not been drinking a lot of water , fluids.I really did not know that could happen , she been put on Stemetil tablets to stop dizziness and sickness and it seem to be helping and I have to keep reminding mum to drink water , that she does not like doing as she keep complain that she has to go to the loo, Then I realize , its really hard keeping an eye on mum and balancing my life with children housework, I did not realize or believe how hard it was going to get with my mother, how this disease takes over her brain, all I thought was mum would not know me , but every thing alse would be ok with her looking after herself , that has not happen yet mum still know us all , I do get help so am not complaining just sharing. she getting to the stage that she does not know the right way to lay in bed with out my help , So have her single bed against the wall , I think Connie said that her husband use to do that , mum ends up laying down the wrong way from the pillow , then blames me, thanks to Connie and reading that her husband does/ did that I did not take it personally when mum had a go at me and siad I told her to do that , as she was finding it hard to get up and lay the right way , As she could feel the draft from the door laying the other way around

Just my sentiment also mel oh Mum