Hi Everyone, I have not posted for some time. Why? well reading so many of others I'm reminded of all the same problems I've been through over the first 7 years of my wife's Alz. Then came the Fall like so many others, once she walked into hospital it was all down hill. Then the NH, by the time one complains the damage is done. The best move I made in the 12 years was removing her just in time to take full control 24/7.
Why do people make a blank statment 'no one can care 24/7 alone.' On the 1st April God willing it'll be 4 years I'll have been caring for her. The first year was the hardest as she was a bag of bones and had pressure sores all over, even on her heel, where now there's a scar. By the end of 2003 she had recovered enough for me to dress her and start using a hoist (prior to then she was light enough to lift) to put her in a w/chair and take her out. In spite of being told, at least three times she was dying, she is healthy now, though stiff and unable to speak.
Now to the question, why would the Mental Health Dep ring me on Fri 16th asking if it would be OK to visit us? Other than a Nursing Asst who was meant to visit once a month, we saw her in Sep and again not till Jan this year, no one has been interested. An appointment was made for the Fri 23rd @ 14.30, the person asked if it was OK for a Nurse to come with her, I asked "A real Nurse?" I was happy to agree. When I asked why the visit I was told she understood I was doing a brilliant job caring for my wife!
Friday morn the 23rd I got Jean ready for our twice weekly shopping trips to town. Using the hoist I moved her from the bed to the w/chair. As I was undoing the hooks she had a fit the fourth one. First in April then Sept, Nov and now Feb. I moved her back to the bed and for the first time administered Diazepam. I had been advised to wait fine minuets and if she failed to recover to phone for an ambulance, which I did after 10 min. Whenever some thing like this happens I phone our daughter, she is good support. This time I had to go it alone at the hospital as our daughter was spending the weekend with her son and family, before he ships out to Afghanistan this week.
We arrived at the hospital 40min after the start of the fit ie 09.30hrs and returned home at 15.30hrs. I had last eaten my breakfast at 05.00hrs and Jean's at 06.00hrs. This post is too long, there's so much more to this. I'll come back later, suffice to say Jean is well and I'm over the moon with her. God bless. Padraig.
Why do people make a blank statment 'no one can care 24/7 alone.' On the 1st April God willing it'll be 4 years I'll have been caring for her. The first year was the hardest as she was a bag of bones and had pressure sores all over, even on her heel, where now there's a scar. By the end of 2003 she had recovered enough for me to dress her and start using a hoist (prior to then she was light enough to lift) to put her in a w/chair and take her out. In spite of being told, at least three times she was dying, she is healthy now, though stiff and unable to speak.
Now to the question, why would the Mental Health Dep ring me on Fri 16th asking if it would be OK to visit us? Other than a Nursing Asst who was meant to visit once a month, we saw her in Sep and again not till Jan this year, no one has been interested. An appointment was made for the Fri 23rd @ 14.30, the person asked if it was OK for a Nurse to come with her, I asked "A real Nurse?" I was happy to agree. When I asked why the visit I was told she understood I was doing a brilliant job caring for my wife!
Friday morn the 23rd I got Jean ready for our twice weekly shopping trips to town. Using the hoist I moved her from the bed to the w/chair. As I was undoing the hooks she had a fit the fourth one. First in April then Sept, Nov and now Feb. I moved her back to the bed and for the first time administered Diazepam. I had been advised to wait fine minuets and if she failed to recover to phone for an ambulance, which I did after 10 min. Whenever some thing like this happens I phone our daughter, she is good support. This time I had to go it alone at the hospital as our daughter was spending the weekend with her son and family, before he ships out to Afghanistan this week.
We arrived at the hospital 40min after the start of the fit ie 09.30hrs and returned home at 15.30hrs. I had last eaten my breakfast at 05.00hrs and Jean's at 06.00hrs. This post is too long, there's so much more to this. I'll come back later, suffice to say Jean is well and I'm over the moon with her. God bless. Padraig.