I'm exhausted. Mum deteriorated over last weekend and I thought UTI. She lives at home with care visits and my support and was able to shuffle around house to the loo and back, eat her lunch, drink a cup of tea. By Monday she couldn't do any of those things and I called the GP who referred her to hospital. After 8 hours in A&E (I'm not complaining just painting the picture) admitted to a ward and seen by ward doctor 2 hours later. Next day discharged with antibiotics discharge notice saying probable UTI. She produced a large enough sample whilst in A&E so I don't understand 'probable'.
She then became severely agitated and hallucinating, couldn't stand or hold a spoon or a cup, carers couldn't cope, I couldn't cope so eventually GP called yesterday who thought she looked poorly and re admitted her to hospital. Not so busy this time. After bloods and another chest X-ray doc said it might just b progression of Alzheimer's (so quickly and such a dramatic change after only a few days??) and back onto the ward. Lovely caring nurses and mum came out of her delirium for a while and I left her settled.
No one told me she'd been moved and when I found her she was worse than on admission. Agitated crying clinging to me, frightened, no hearing aid in. Someone (not a nurse) asked if she'd like a cup of tea while she was thrashing about and sobbing (a great comedy moment if it wasn't so tragic) not getting a response she asked if she would like coffee instead, then said 'sorry I can't understand you' 'what did you say'.......... My mother grasping into thin air pulling at her sheets, writhing about in a pile of cotton blankets, incoherent, clutching my hand and still the questions kept coming....would you like some milk? Come on why are you like this you weren't like this earlier on? I nearly suggested an Alzheimer's awareness course but just said she will have a cup of tea please. 'Do you want milk and sugar?????????' You couldn't write the script.
A young patient opposite said she and her mum had been worried about my mum earlier as she had shuffled her legs over the edge of her bed - just as I found her really.
I gave her some tea she couldn't even see the cup, cuddled her like a baby and after 30 minutes went to ask questions. No-one about, they were all really busy.
I left to visit my daughter who probably needed me more today and I wasn't there for her.
Please, all of the lovely caring brilliant nurses don't take this rant the wrong way, it's the system that's so wrong I only hope that by tomorrow the system may have time to tell me what's happening to my confused, lonely frightened mother.
She then became severely agitated and hallucinating, couldn't stand or hold a spoon or a cup, carers couldn't cope, I couldn't cope so eventually GP called yesterday who thought she looked poorly and re admitted her to hospital. Not so busy this time. After bloods and another chest X-ray doc said it might just b progression of Alzheimer's (so quickly and such a dramatic change after only a few days??) and back onto the ward. Lovely caring nurses and mum came out of her delirium for a while and I left her settled.
No one told me she'd been moved and when I found her she was worse than on admission. Agitated crying clinging to me, frightened, no hearing aid in. Someone (not a nurse) asked if she'd like a cup of tea while she was thrashing about and sobbing (a great comedy moment if it wasn't so tragic) not getting a response she asked if she would like coffee instead, then said 'sorry I can't understand you' 'what did you say'.......... My mother grasping into thin air pulling at her sheets, writhing about in a pile of cotton blankets, incoherent, clutching my hand and still the questions kept coming....would you like some milk? Come on why are you like this you weren't like this earlier on? I nearly suggested an Alzheimer's awareness course but just said she will have a cup of tea please. 'Do you want milk and sugar?????????' You couldn't write the script.
A young patient opposite said she and her mum had been worried about my mum earlier as she had shuffled her legs over the edge of her bed - just as I found her really.
I gave her some tea she couldn't even see the cup, cuddled her like a baby and after 30 minutes went to ask questions. No-one about, they were all really busy.
I left to visit my daughter who probably needed me more today and I wasn't there for her.
Please, all of the lovely caring brilliant nurses don't take this rant the wrong way, it's the system that's so wrong I only hope that by tomorrow the system may have time to tell me what's happening to my confused, lonely frightened mother.