Gonzo

[donna.killick]

Dad had a fall on the bus last week. Fractured his hip. Since the operation he doesn't recognise me and keeps talking about crazy things while sitting in the hospital bed folding his sheet.
Have problems with coping with the difference in him within a week.

 

[Saffie]

Hello and welcome to TP.
This deterioration could well be a result of the anaesthetic but also the pain relief.
Many people, even those who do not suffer from dementia, can have an adverse reaction from morphine or morphine derivatives. My husband did even before he had dementia and when he was quite young too. However, a major amputation operation did cause his dementia to deteriorate considerably.

You may well find that your father will improve but perhaps not to the level he was before. It is a great shock I know and I am sorry.
It is good that you have found TP. You will find help and support here from others who are travelling or have travelled a similar path. Best wishes.

 

[starryuk]

Hello Donna and welcome here on TP. Your poor dad and such a shock for you.

My mum never had to have an op, so I have no personal experience, but others will come along to help. It is early days though...you may find as your dad recuperates he will improve and begin to recognise you again. I do remember my mum in a complete muddle whenever she was in hospital, but once back home she was more oe less back to her old 'normal' so don't despair yet.

I am assuming, from the fact that your dad was on the bus, that he is in fairly early stages of this disease (apologies if I am wrong). It is such a difficult thing to realise that your big strong dad is suddenly so vulnerable and no longer there to 'protect'you, isn't it. I am not surprised that you are finding it difficult to cope with the changing relationship. It has happened so suddenly. For the moment, focus on making sure he is well looked after in hospital and take one day at a time. Tomorrow you may see signs of improvement. It is early days....

ETA Good. I see Saffie has now come on to help.

 

[Chemmy]

Welcome from me too.

My mother in law ended up in hospital after falling at home and when we visited her she was clearly suffering from delusions. She did recognise us but called me closer and whispered that the woman in the bed opposite was actually a giant.....pigeon, and she was convinced that the staff were running a betting shop behind the adjoining wall and the TV cameras had been in the ward to film the horse-racing from the windows, despite it overlooking the car park.

We never really got an answer to what that was all about, other than reassurances on here that it happens sometimes in hospital, but she was diagnosed with small vessel disease and probably early vascular dementia, so in her case, I feel it was probably stroke related. That might well be why she fell in the first place.

The delusions went, although the memory of them stayed with her for some time afterwards, but she never quite appreciated how irrational her stories sounded, so I guess in her mind they were true. She does come out with unlikely 'historical' stories now as she's getting more confused as her vas dementia progresses, but that seems different to the delusions in hospital, which seemed to taking place in the present.

Fingers crossed your dad will start to improve in due course and that what he is 'seeing' is not too upsetting for him.

 

[Bookworm28]

Dad in Hospital

We had similar with my Dad who when in hospital thought he was back in the War. Staff told me he was upsetting other patients but did recognise me. We found he was suffering from a urine infection - he was not taking in enough fluids which can cause these things. Now several years later my OH suffers similiar issues most due that he will not drink enough and gets worse. Has your Dad been checked for urine infection? Wishing you all the best and let us know how you get on.

Welcome from me too.

My mother in law ended up in hospital after falling at home and when we visited her she was clearly suffering from delusions. She did recognise us but called me closer and whispered that the woman in the bed opposite was actually a giant.....pigeon, and she was convinced that the staff were running a betting shop behind the adjoining wall and the TV cameras had been in the ward to film the horse-racing from the windows, despite it overlooking the car park.

We never really got an answer to what that was all about, other than reassurances on here that it happens sometimes in hospital, but she was diagnosed with small vessel disease and probably early vascular dementia, so in her case, I feel it was probably stroke related. That might well be why she fell in the first place.

The delusions went, although the memory of them stayed with her for some time afterwards, but she never quite appreciated how irrational her stories sounded, so I guess in her mind they were true. She does come out with unlikely 'historical' stories now as she's getting more confused as her vas dementia progresses, but that seems different to the delusions in hospital, which seemed to taking place in the present.

Fingers crossed your dad will start to improve in due course and that what he is 'seeing' is not too upsetting for him.

 

[Nellybell]

Hi
My dad spent 4 weeks in hospital after fracturing his femur, he has Vascular Dementia, I would say at the moderate stage then. After his operation he gradually got worse day by day over the following week on a 'mental basis' so to say. He was hallucinating massively, very delusional, some of the things he was talking about were truly out of this world. After 6 days of this he started to slowly improve, much less hallucinations, delusions not as bad, but still there. He was checked for UTI and other infections at time but was all clear. He is quite a bit worse now than before he went into hospital but not as bad as he was the week after his operation.

I know this is probably a mix of good and bad news. I hope your dad makes a full recovery but do make sure he is checked out for UTI,s or any other signs of infection also.

Nell x

 

[Pear trees]

My mum fractured her hip 4 years ago. She was extremely confused in hospital, was sundowning, and reverted to 1950's in her mind. We realised she had shown signs of mild dementia before her accident, but after the trauma, operation and subsequent stay in hospital she was diagnosed with moderate dementia. She did improve when back in her own home and settled back into her own routine.
If your dad is going home with a care plan I hope he improves once somewhere familiar. the hospital social worker should make sure he gets all allowances and care he is entitled to, and he will get occupational help at home as well.