Hi there everyone. It's me again. I have been keeping an eye on the site, but I'm very busy at work now (they decided not to make me redundant after all). It's been manic with the zoo as well and one of our cats had another brain operation today. It sounds cruel, but she has a benign cyst which is drained using ultrasound and a fine needle when necessary. This time she lasted for nearly 7 months, which is really good. Tomorrow I have to do the 200 mile round trip again, only on top of half a day at work. At least it's for a happy reason.
I wish I could say something similar about my Mum, but she's only been in the care home for 5 weeks and she's going downhill fast. Her dementia isn't too bad - she was borderline on the test a few months ago. She does have a lot of medical problems though - angina, low blood pressure, near end stage kidney failure and now a thyroid problem. The home is fantastic and it's only two miles from where we live. I know my Mum doesn't have that long, but if she took care of herself we could still make some happy memories. The problem is that she was never good at socialising and she just won't join in. They managed to get her dressed and downstairs during the first 3 weeks, but now she's taken to her bed and won't get up. She's refusing to wash as well and... well, refusing everything basically. She's been difficult with food for at least the last 18 months, but now she won't eat or drink at all. I understand that you can feel sick with kidney failure, but when I ask she says that's not the case. She doesn't have heartburn or stomach pains either. The home have been great and serve up 2 meals when I'm there in the hope she will eat with me around, but that hasn't worked. I've tried logic - telling her we all need so many calories to function, but she won't listen. Today I'm afraid I got cross with her because she is just being so stubborn about this. The home have called the doctor again, but I can see she's going to end up in hospital very soon. Her kidneys won't tolerate this kind of treatment for much longer...
I wish I could say something similar about my Mum, but she's only been in the care home for 5 weeks and she's going downhill fast. Her dementia isn't too bad - she was borderline on the test a few months ago. She does have a lot of medical problems though - angina, low blood pressure, near end stage kidney failure and now a thyroid problem. The home is fantastic and it's only two miles from where we live. I know my Mum doesn't have that long, but if she took care of herself we could still make some happy memories. The problem is that she was never good at socialising and she just won't join in. They managed to get her dressed and downstairs during the first 3 weeks, but now she's taken to her bed and won't get up. She's refusing to wash as well and... well, refusing everything basically. She's been difficult with food for at least the last 18 months, but now she won't eat or drink at all. I understand that you can feel sick with kidney failure, but when I ask she says that's not the case. She doesn't have heartburn or stomach pains either. The home have been great and serve up 2 meals when I'm there in the hope she will eat with me around, but that hasn't worked. I've tried logic - telling her we all need so many calories to function, but she won't listen. Today I'm afraid I got cross with her because she is just being so stubborn about this. The home have called the doctor again, but I can see she's going to end up in hospital very soon. Her kidneys won't tolerate this kind of treatment for much longer...