So, what’s my Pauline been up to today?

[Agzy]

I’m glad it’s all being followed up @Agzy …..I didn’t sound right that the diarrhoea was just seen as dementia …..be great if there Is some improvement on that front …would help the laundry load..

Would having in a cleaner take a little load from you???

We have a wonderful young, mother of 3, neighbour, whom I pay to come in once a week to do big clean and the bonus is she is fantastic with Pauline but I do daily (almost) laundry. I reckon most of my exhaustion is down to my breathing/lung issues for which scan results are still awaited.

 

[Agzy]

A small accident this morning but still wet and that might be explained by the phone call from the GP yesterday evening arising from Continence nurse intervention.
The lady GP was excellent and very thorough in her questioning and so there are two outcomes.
The first is that I am to take Pauline for an X ray on her back/spine to try and establish why she has so much pain and the other is an appointment for bowel investigation next Thursday. Basically she thinks it is constipation overflow as they call it and if so, then a PooStorm must be induced and we will be in for a stay-at-home time next weekend for sure.
Almost overlooked lately is the quickening decline in Paulines memory which is quite graphic and for her frustrating although she mentions it quite matter of factly. This was particularly noticeable this afternoon at our fortnightly DTW activities at Popseys cafe which, until we were actually inside, she was insisting was a place we had never been to before. Having said that she went on to play several brilliant games of domino’s and continues to amaze.

 

[Chizz]

Well @Agzy you just have to go with flow. The ride is ups and downs.

 

[Agzy]

So sad to witness the changes as they happen even though seemingly small they are in fact massive when compared to even the recent past. Take the TV remote, (Virgin) she has never been able to tell the pause button from play but as pressing pause can indeed get it to play from pause mode it worked well but now as she can’t fathom the FF or Rew buttons and certainly can’t delete, at least not if meant to but has managed otherwise. The other TV related one if the difference between Classic (old) coronation St and present ones. I have given up mentioning the who’s who as I am sure she sees them as totally unrelated programmes. As for repeats she watches series over again of course and yet a Bargain Hunt or Pointless (I watch) she keeps complaint that they were only on the other day and has seen them, so strange 😢

 

[Agzy]

Another day another ‘accident,’ and, considering the small amount of food she consumes, there was an awfully large amount of it and still very soft.
Went to GP at 11.20 for bowel exam and a consultation regarding a back X-ray and was shocked to be told that there is a fracture of Paulines hip on the right side, the side she has always complained about. She could find no impaction of bowel and so I am to gather a stool sample in the morning and they will send it off and in meanwhile a prescription was given for relief medication.
After that we went straight to the Light Cinema for ‘White Christmas,’ and were serenaded by a children's choir and all the Age UK staff dressed in Christmas attire and all was great fun although Pauline kept scavenging for cakes and crisps at the free buffet but as only salted ones available she insisted we get several packs of them from Morrisons on the way home.
Her memory decline continues of course and this morning she was fascinated by the washing up bowl as she is convinced it is a new one although far from it and this evening, just one hour after having a cup of tea, she was adamant I hadn’t made one and insisted on another; small things in themselves but her reality is changing for sure.
Yesterday was her ‘Companion’ day for just a hour and she does seem to enjoy them but very expensive considering our next door neighbour, Vicky, does it for nothing everytime she calls in 😝. I’m going to review it in the New Year as I am going to put her name down for day care and hopefully in The Cottage.

 

[jennifer1967]

Another day another ‘accident,’ and, considering the small amount of food she consumes, there was an awfully large amount of it and still very soft.
Went to GP at 11.20 for bowel exam and a consultation regarding a back X-ray and was shocked to be told that there is a fracture of Paulines hip on the right side, the side she has always complained about. She could find no impaction of bowel and so I am to gather a stool sample in the morning and they will send it off and in meanwhile a prescription was given for relief medication.
After that we went straight to the Light Cinema for ‘White Christmas,’ and were serenaded by a children's choir and all the Age UK staff dressed in Christmas attire and all was great fun although Pauline kept scavenging for cakes and crisps at the free buffet but as only salted ones available she insisted we get several packs of them from Morrisons on the way home.
Her memory decline continues of course and this morning she was fascinated by the washing up bowl as she is convinced it is a new one although far from it and this evening, just one hour after having a cup of tea, she was adamant I hadn’t made one and insisted on another; small things in themselves but her reality is changing for sure.
Yesterday was her ‘Companion’ day for just a hour and she does seem to enjoy them but very expensive considering our next door neighbour, Vicky, does it for nothing everytime she calls in 😝. I’m going to review it in the New Year as I am going to put her name down for day care and hopefully in The Cottage.

are they going to do anything for her hip?

 

[Knitandpurl]

Another day another ‘accident,’ and, considering the small amount of food she consumes, there was an awfully large amount of it and still very soft.
Went to GP at 11.20 for bowel exam and a consultation regarding a back X-ray and was shocked to be told that there is a fracture of Paulines hip on the right side, the side she has always complained about. She could find no impaction of bowel and so I am to gather a stool sample in the morning and they will send it off and in meanwhile a prescription was given for relief medication.
After that we went straight to the Light Cinema for ‘White Christmas,’ and were serenaded by a children's choir and all the Age UK staff dressed in Christmas attire and all was great fun although Pauline kept scavenging for cakes and crisps at the free buffet but as only salted ones available she insisted we get several packs of them from Morrisons on the way home.
Her memory decline continues of course and this morning she was fascinated by the washing up bowl as she is convinced it is a new one although far from it and this evening, just one hour after having a cup of tea, she was adamant I hadn’t made one and insisted on another; small things in themselves but her reality is changing for sure.
Yesterday was her ‘Companion’ day for just a hour and she does seem to enjoy them but very expensive considering our next door neighbour, Vicky, does it for nothing everytime she calls in 😝. I’m going to review it in the New Year as I am going to put her name down for day care and hopefully in The Cottage.

Does your local Age UK, or any other charities provide a befriending service?

 

[Agzy]

are they going to do anything for her hip?

GP is looking into history of past X-rays etc to try and establish how long it has been there. One of the reasons for this I suspect as it was only weeks ago I transfered her into my practice But no treatment mentioned.

 

[Knitandpurl]

Other than pain control might be for the best, very unlikely she would ever become mobile again if had replacement hip, or keptbed bound for weeks to see if the fracture healed.

 

[Agzy]

Still no news on fracture history etc but really sad to note progress of memory loss as, at our Tuesday group, she was asked if she enjoyed the Carol singing on Sunday and she had no idea what was being talked about and no recollection of being there. As well as this, when she asked me for the loo whilst there, she insisted it was outside which it isn’t and she got so confused when she realised she had got things wrong.
The good thing is that the pill the doctor gave her seems to have lessened the number of accidents and when she has them they are minor and so traumas are also reduced.
Today if her ‘Companion’ day and although she does like the lady who comes in she is insistent on it stopping as it is “silly,” she says to pay for just chatting and I think she is right and so will cancel in the new year and actively search for a day care facility she might accept instead.

 

[Sarasa]

Could the 'companion' take Pauline out for a coffee or shopping, something she could no longer do on her own, but something that seems special to the two of them?

 

[canary]

You might also want to play down on the fact that the companion has to be paid for and not mention this. If she specifically asks it might help to use a "love lie" that this lady is someone who is a bit lonely and likes to visit.

 

[Banjomansmate]

You still need the time off Agzy, so don’t cancel the visitor until you are sure Pauline will stay and be happy at the day centre. Even if she does accept going there it might not be for too long!

 

[sdmhred]

yes I agree it would be a shame to cancel it - why not try @Sarasa suggestion?

Would Pauline go for the ‘girlie time‘ option for shopping / coffee? You could use the time to visit day centres so u find one that might work for Pauline going forward.

I appreciate tho these things all cost …but I always compare everything now to care home fees and it always seems a bargain 🙈🙈

 

[nitram]

On a practical point, if you find a day centre and get a choice of day avoid Monday if centre closes on bank holidays, spring can become stressful.

 

[Agzy]

talk about turnaround day! As usual I went out before, Anne, the companion arrived and used the time to have a look at a local day centre but manageress was out and a festive event was taking place so I just left my number but the place looked the Bees Knees. As I now had spare time I went to the beach but the cold wind drove me away and did some shopping instead. When I arrived home she was happy with Annes visit except to complain she talks too much and then said we need to do a Christmas card for her For next week And no mention of stopping her although the rate is going up to £40 for the hour which when you see the monthly invoice seems a hell of a lot of dosh. The other turnaround were her haircut, booked for tomorrow and now want to grow it long and then just a few minutes ago having put a recording of Celebrity Catchphrase to watch she immediately stated she had seen it before. Given this I said that I didn’t think they were making new ones right now only to be contradicted as she then insisted it was new and had never seen it before 😜. Mind you if that is the worst it gets I am certainly not complaining .

 

[Agzy]

Could the 'companion' take Pauline out for a coffee or shopping, something she could no longer do on her own, but something that seems special to the two of them?

Apparently not as she is a ‘visitor’ who sits and chats!

 

[Agzy]

A week of heading out to dementia activity groups and Fayres while at home we sit in long silences other than relentless drone from the TV. Leafing through the past 3/4 months of my journal and her decline is so marked and yet no infections that I know of just ‘those’ falls that seem to have triggered this latest slide. Toileting is still n issues although she is now managing showering again. Last week after bowel examination by GP I was asked to send off a stool sample which I did and then yesterday we got a ‘FIT’ test pack which I will do on Monday morning. Not sure if this means something found in original sample but had to actually sign for this test kit as from NHS but to be returned to her GP, hmmmm.

 

[canary]

Dementia inevitably progresses and vascular dementia progresses in "steps" down. A fall can often trigger a big step down
Fingers crossed over the stool test
🤞

 

[Agzy]

Dementia inevitably progresses and vascular dementia progresses in "steps" down. A fall can often trigger a big step down
Fingers crossed over the stool test
🤞

Thank you @canary and wishing you well also during life’s tribulations x