Hiya
I've come over from Middle Stage as things have developed since my original post and I'd like to see if anyone can relate to what we're experiencing.
Recap is that Mum is in hospital following a nasty fall. She's nearly 3 weeks in and recovering from various fractures. She's not eating or drinking much at all, which is no surprise to us because Mum has a history of disordered eating and is very unsettled by different environments.
The doctor shocked us on Thursday by saying Mum is End of Life, pretty much based on her not eating as far as I gather. We expected Mum to have deteriorated when we visited yesterday but in fact she seems loads better than she had been on Sunday. Much more herself, better colour, engaging in conversation, making jokes. She asked for water and a hot drink while we were there, had a few slurps of each, sometimes by herself. The carer said she had managed a banana before we arrived and she let me feed her a few small mouthfuls of cake.
The Dementia Support Nurse popped by and agreed that she usually sees patients much, much more poorly than Mum when deemed to be End of Life. She doesn't think Mum will meet the criteria for the fast tracked discharge the hospital want to action.
Could the doctors be wrong? How ambiguous is End of Life?
I've come over from Middle Stage as things have developed since my original post and I'd like to see if anyone can relate to what we're experiencing.
Recap is that Mum is in hospital following a nasty fall. She's nearly 3 weeks in and recovering from various fractures. She's not eating or drinking much at all, which is no surprise to us because Mum has a history of disordered eating and is very unsettled by different environments.
The doctor shocked us on Thursday by saying Mum is End of Life, pretty much based on her not eating as far as I gather. We expected Mum to have deteriorated when we visited yesterday but in fact she seems loads better than she had been on Sunday. Much more herself, better colour, engaging in conversation, making jokes. She asked for water and a hot drink while we were there, had a few slurps of each, sometimes by herself. The carer said she had managed a banana before we arrived and she let me feed her a few small mouthfuls of cake.
The Dementia Support Nurse popped by and agreed that she usually sees patients much, much more poorly than Mum when deemed to be End of Life. She doesn't think Mum will meet the criteria for the fast tracked discharge the hospital want to action.
Could the doctors be wrong? How ambiguous is End of Life?