Hospital

dogdayafternoon

Registered User
Dec 30, 2017
185
0
Not a good day, She is still in an isolation room, when I arrived she was agitated but took the juice I had brought and drank the whole 250ml. I also noticed her speech was a little odd as if she had a sweet or something in her mouth but she did not, I mentioned this to a nurse but they had not noticed.
She started saying she needed the toilet and wanted me to take her and not tell the nurse, I tried to explain she is in bed with a catheta and a drip so I called a nurse and left the room, when they called me back I sat down and she said she wanted to go to the toilet, I said she had just been and she replied so I need to go again, I tried to settle her but she kept wanting the toilet so I called the nurse again, they were not happy to come as she had been obstructive the previous time and even hit one nurse but in the end they came and I left the room.
They called me back when she was ready and I sat down onley for her to say she needed the toilet, I told her she had just been twice which she did not believe, she kept trying to get me to help her out of bed to go to the toilet, in the end i was worried she would try to get out of bed and hurt herself so I talked to the nurses, they said she had been agitated all day and she was still on antibiotics and the infection was still confusing her she just had the idea of the toilet in her head. I stayed another thirty minutes but it was all help me to the toilet, in the end I left at 3:45pm.
 

Sparx

Registered User
Mar 22, 2020
23
0
My 89 year old Mother with Vascular Dementia spent 3 months in Hospital with a UTI and waiting for placement in a CH.
Whilst in Hospital it was explained to me by one of the Doctors treating Mum a possible side effect of a UTI is Delirium.
I was advised that to be patient and to keep reassuring her by talking and acting in a calm manner.
After gaining a placement in a CH Mum settled down quite well and was more of her old self.
I hope things improve for you soon.
 

dogdayafternoon

Registered User
Dec 30, 2017
185
0
Still in the isolation room but sitting in the chair, her speech better but still a little slured to my ear, drank the juice as usual but again asking to go to the toilet, spoke to the nurse who said she had just been a short while ago, then she said there will be a meeting about her on Wednesday when all the people involved will decide what next as she is not trying to help herself recover, not wearing her arm sling, not doing excerise with the physios, not letting bloods be taken so they are coming to the end of what help they can give her.
The doctor came to get blood so I left, when I returned I mentioned about her speech, he did some checks for a stroke but said all was ok, I asked about her eating only to be told they cannot force her to eat, they had some protein drink and asked if I could get her to take some which I did.
She was still talking about wanting the toilet and asking things that when I asked what did she want to know she did not or could not specify.
She began pulling down the top of her gown, in the end i fastened the cords at the top, in the end it got too stressful and I left early again at 3:30pm
 

dogdayafternoon

Registered User
Dec 30, 2017
185
0
I had a phone call this morning from her ward saying she was ok but all visits were cancelled, I asked about the meeting tomorrow but they said they did not know and would call later but no call yet.
Going on what they said yesterday that they could not do much more for her I fear they will want to send her home with no support as they will need the bed for the corona virus.
As one of the other posters on this forum have posted he managed to get his wife home and settled ok so hope for the best but plan for the worst.
 

dogdayafternoon

Registered User
Dec 30, 2017
185
0
Writing this in a state of shock, just had a call from the consultant after their meeting, first they did a chest x ray and discovered her infection was pneumonia so they have sent off a corvid-19 test just to check, second as she is not responding with physios or taking food her muscles are wasting and if she stays in bed much longer she will not be able to get up. She is refusing medication some times and even removing drips.
If there is no improvement by next week they will look at moving her to a nursing home, he then asked about recussitation if she died would she want it, they would usually ask the patient but in her state of mind it could upset her more. I said she is a great spiritualist and has allways known there is a better place for her.
I am quite emotional at the moment, I had not expected a phone call like that
 

Woo2

Registered User
Apr 30, 2019
3,652
0
South East
I can imagine the shock you feel @dogdayafternoon , it is something they have to ask and there is no easy way . Hopefully with some nursing care they can get your wife mobile again , they have more time and staff and seem much better at getting people on the move again . Take care of yourself .
 

Sarasa

Volunteer Host
Apr 13, 2018
7,195
0
Nottinghamshire
Oh @dogdayafternoon , what a worry and a shock. I hope they get to the bottom of everything and manage to get her to a nursing home. Somewhere with experienced staff may well get her moving again. The whole thing seems to be like one of those lines of dominoes, one small push and everything starts falling over. Remember to take care of yourself as well.
 

canary

Registered User
Feb 25, 2014
25,018
0
South coast
FWIW, I think you made the right decision about the DNR. I know it is a shock when the doctors talk about it (I was asked recently about a DNR for my OH), but resuscitating someone is quite a brutal process (not at all like you see on TV), often resulting in broken bones and you have to think about the quality of life afterwards too.

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((hugs)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
 

dogdayafternoon

Registered User
Dec 30, 2017
185
0
Just a quick update, I phoned today to check on condition, she had eaten two spoons of ice cream and not walked but was cheerful. No word about the test or if the antibiotics are completed.
Still can not believe she may be getting so low when a month ago she could get showered, dressed and go out in the car.
 

dogdayafternoon

Registered User
Dec 30, 2017
185
0
Another update, nurse said she had eaten a little and had taken medication and let them dress her sores for the first time, she thought she was just too tired to fight them, she was on a drip as potassium level still low and no exercise.
 

dogdayafternoon

Registered User
Dec 30, 2017
185
0
Feeling lost, realised for thr last few years all my time I have spent trying to cheer her up, look after her even when she did not want to be helped, then when she went into hospital visiting as much as possible, now all stopped, at least I can write aboutmy feelings on here.
I have cleaned all the places she did not want me to touch and now stuck as what to do next, could be a long time on my own. You can only watch so much tv, read, surf the net, and walk for exercise. Because of giving all attention to my wife I have lost contact with a lot of friends plus some are abroad where I used to work so see them via facebook.
Sure there are a lot of people in the same boat at present plus all those who post on here who are sole carers and who are always in lock down so they have no chance of respite at present.
 

dogdayafternoon

Registered User
Dec 30, 2017
185
0
Better today, nurses said she had been eating a little and drinking and even laughing and singing with the nurses, hope this means she has turned a corner.
 

dogdayafternoon

Registered User
Dec 30, 2017
185
0
Just had a call from the consultant who is dealing with her, this is a new one and has only seen her twice so he wanted more history about her. She is still not eating solid food which is a concern but they are not giving up, also not walking is a concern he is trying her on a drug Rivastigmine by way of a patch as she will not take tablets.
The infection has cleared but the after effects could still be making her delusional, as for eating they are tring to find a protein drink that she will drink, they think if they try a feeding tube she would pull it out but if she does not eat life expectancy will be reduced and if they are unable to help her they will need to consider a nursing home.