Dies anyone one care for someone with dementia who has to self catheterise?
My OH has had a lot of tests and has discovered that the neuropathy that is in in his arms and legs has extended to his autonomic nervous system and he is getting urine retention as he cannot empty his bladder.
He has been given the choice of either self catheterisation or having a supra-pubic catheter fitted under general aneasthetic. I have several fears here.The first one is that although he is very aware and has not lost his short term memory, the ability to do tasks is one of the things that has been severely affected. He also has severe hand tremor which means that he cannot tie shoe laces, do up buttons and has trouble with cutlery. This means that I am wondering how well he will be able to perform the self catheterisation.
The alternative of a supra-pubic catheter has its own problems. There is, of course, the problem of the general aneasthetic and whether this will progress his cognitive problems. Also, the catheter would need to be changed every 6 weeks and I think from the literature that they will expect him to be able to do this himself, once he has been shown!
OH and I have to talk about it and decide which we want to go for and I am lost in a sea of fear and doubt. All advice welcome.
My OH has had a lot of tests and has discovered that the neuropathy that is in in his arms and legs has extended to his autonomic nervous system and he is getting urine retention as he cannot empty his bladder.
He has been given the choice of either self catheterisation or having a supra-pubic catheter fitted under general aneasthetic. I have several fears here.The first one is that although he is very aware and has not lost his short term memory, the ability to do tasks is one of the things that has been severely affected. He also has severe hand tremor which means that he cannot tie shoe laces, do up buttons and has trouble with cutlery. This means that I am wondering how well he will be able to perform the self catheterisation.
The alternative of a supra-pubic catheter has its own problems. There is, of course, the problem of the general aneasthetic and whether this will progress his cognitive problems. Also, the catheter would need to be changed every 6 weeks and I think from the literature that they will expect him to be able to do this himself, once he has been shown!
OH and I have to talk about it and decide which we want to go for and I am lost in a sea of fear and doubt. All advice welcome.