mum's in hospital

[Tarika]

Over the past fortnight mum had been getting increasingly agitated and her speech had become slurred. I went to see her on Sunday and she really wasn't there. The NH has been trying to get all her medication converted to liquid form and whilst waiting for her Quietiapine the GP put her on Haloperidol as an interim measure. On Monday the unit manager rang me to say she was very concerned about mum. She'd rung the GP who said he thought it might be an allergic reaction. She rang him again in the afternoon and he was insistent she didn't need to be seen.
Luckily she decided to call an ambulance. She rang me and explained and I agreed.
So, mum was admitted on Monday evening. She's been diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia after an X-ray and is on intravenous anti-biotics. Her swallowing reflex has deterirated even further and she's nil by mouth and on a drip until the SALT sees her. And.....they're giving her Halperidol to calm her down as she's so agitated.
I've read a lot about this drug and I'm not happy about it but as she can't take any solids I think they've prescribed it because it can be administered in liquid form.
I'm going over tomorrow now she's on a medical ward to speak to the doctors and see if I can arrange for her liquid Quietiapine to be brought over from the NH.
I saw mum yesterday and she seemed to rally a bit. I hope she can fight this but I'm sort of preparing myself as she's so much frailer now.
Don't know what else to say. It's such a rollercoaster.

Love Tarika

 

[Izzy]

What an awful time she's having, poor soul. I hope she improves soon. Izzy x

 

[nicoise]

At least it sounds as though the NH Unit Manager is more on the ball than the GP, and looking after your mum's best interests.

I hope she continues to rally, and that you have some better news.

Best wishes xxx

 

[Canadian Joanne]

I hope you can get the liquid quetiapine soon. The Haloperidol is an older drug and my mother had a lot of side effects on it. It didn't make her less agitated, it simply slowed her down like a zombie. So she still had all those emotions roiling around inside and no outlet.

 

[lin1]

I do hope your mom is better soon
seems like the staff at your mums home is on the ball


View attachment hugs 2 u.bmp

 

[Grannie G]

Best wishes for your mum Tarika. xx

 

[PostTenebrasLux]

Dear Tarika,

I hope you get all medications sorted for your dear mother.

For my cousin, for those medicines which are not available in liquid form, we crush them between two spoons until they are completely pulverised and mix them in a spoonful of yoghurt (or water). Now that she cannot eat by herself, or open her mouth very well, we feed her by using a feeding syringe. At least she gets the medicines that she needs, even though the coating is broken and in some cases this is not ideal from a medicine point of view.

Where there is a will... there is a way.

Best wishes in your endeavours.
Martina

 

[Tarika]

Thank you everybody. Martina- you have hit the nail on the head. 'Where there's a will there's a way' describes my mother perfectly.

At present she has been admitted onto the Care of the Elderly ward of a well known hospital in London C.........C......... She's been in here several times and they are lovely. I noticed today a poster in the ward saying that they are converting a side ward and 2 rooms into dementia friendly environments for admissions. At least I know that mum is seen as a person not an old lady who shouts and bangs.

She's very ill at the moment. She's being treated for aspiration pneumonia with intravenous antibiotics. She's on a drip as she's very dehydrated.

The big wory at the moment is that she seems to have lost her swallow reflex. The SALT saw her today and she only swallowed once after trying with water and thick yoghourt. She will be seen again tomorrow to be reassessed.
So now she's had a naso gastric tube inserted as they can't give her any medications orally. I don't know how long it will stay in place as she's very good at pulling them out!

They don't know yet what is causing this and are mainly focussed on keeping her hydrated and treating the pneumonia. Then they'll look at the rest.

Poor dear- she's lost her speech as well and we can't really understand her.

But- She is a very determined lady and I will support her however I can.

Love Tarika

 

[Izzy]

Thinking of you and your mum Tarika. Izzy x