pneumonia?

[Nell]

Dear Diane,

I am so, so sorry to hear about your poor Mum. What a dreadful thing to happen on a holiday. I'm confident she will be receiving good care in ourr hospital system - altho' it is vastly underfunded (as it is everywhere it seems) the hospital staff do seem to be able to achieve miracles on the little money they get.

As for your dear MIL, I think a Care home is EXACTLY the right decision. Never easy to make, but in many cases, it becomes inevitable.

Thinking of you and sending "get well" wishes to your Mum.

 

[Margaret W]

No help at all

Well, Diane,

I am a newbie to all this, but if your MIL can't breathe properly, I wouldn't bother waiting for the results of x-rays, I'd take her to A&E. It's a bind, but they do look into things faster than going through a GP. If she has pneumonia or bronchitis (I have no medical knowledge but I think they are the same in effect), the lungs fill up and the person doesn't breathe properly. I don't know how physically active she is, but if not, either illness could settle on her lungs and be really serious.

For a doctor to diagnose pneumonia in an elderly person and do nothing about it PRONTO is serious to me.

Sounds as if your GP is more on the ball. It is important to get a medic that you trust. I would trust my mum's GP to the ends of the earth above anyone else. Hope you have that relationship with yours.

I've been through this once tonight with another thread, and I must say I am a newcomer to all this, but it seems to me that when a long-standing carer starts to say "I can't cope any more" then the time has come to consider alternatives. Do consider them. They will take a time to put in place anyway, so start considering now.

What a difficult time for you. Take a deep breath, and remind yourself that you can only do your best.

General point to everyone. Why does it take so long for the results of x-rays etc. to come through? I was hospitalised 4 years ago, had x-rays and a CT scan on the brain, and the results were with the medics within hours. Why do we have to wait 3 weeks for them to get to the GP? In my mother's case, I was told 8 weeks. Why?

Diane, do your best, you can't do any more than that. You are obviously a caring person, you will do what is right.

Much love

Margaret

 

[88alli]

update

Hello everyone and thanks for all your advice and replies.
Mum has been flown home from Austria. In hospital she lost her speech, but two days later she got a word out and said it over and over to my dad. 'Home' she said. The doctors in Austria didn't recommend her flying, but she was getting so distressed, dad hired medics to bring her home. She is improving a little day by day and I have kindly been given time off work to be with her. She has been started on a different drug that was prescribed in Austria, along with all the others she has to take. I just hope she continues to improve and her blood pressure will drop more. Thank you for all your good wishes.
Mil is in just the same state with her Alzeihmers, today she told me 'a man' came into her house, she didn't know who it was. After listening to her for about half an hour, I finally found out 'the man' was Richard, my husband (her Son). It is so sad. She tells me over and over that no-one calls to see her, but I know for a fact the carers are in three/four times a day, and the same for Richard and myself and also two of her sisters. She has absolutely no comprehension of anything anymore. Her chest cough seems to be worsening even with antibiotics. It will still be another week before any results of the x-ray comes back. Weird isn't it how long it takes. The xray machine is in the hospital only just across the road from the doctors surgery. Yet my Mam in hospital in Austria in the space of one day had four different types of brain scans done on her, one having to be done 60 miles away in a different City hospital. Her results were read to her that evening. Says a lot for our health service doesn't it?
Oh dear I am having a good old winge aren't I? Well I can't sleep, it's nearly three in the morning and I feel I have aged ten years in the past week or so!!
I hope everyone else on TP is bearing up, thinking of you all and your loved ones.
Thanks again for all you do!! Much apreciated!!
Love Diane XX

 

[Grannie G]

Dear Diane,

I hope you got to sleep finally.

You poor mum, she sounds in a sad state, and so do you. It`s all so distressing. I hope the new medication works.

With regard to your MIL, I had t wait 10 days for an Xray result on my hip. yet when my husband broke his arm, a couple of years ago, the radiologist showed me the break on the computer.
I don`t understand the delay, unless it`s for diagnostic purposes.

You certainly have your hands full and I hope you are able to get as much help and support as you need.

Please keep us updated. I hope things improve for all of you.

Love xx