Things just get better

[Elaine68]

Hi everyone just when I thought I had everything under control with my partner and his care needs on top of his memory loss I finish up in a&e this morning thought I had broken my right foot been in so much pain talk about the blind leading the blind it's not in it. The good news I guess is it's only a bad sprain which is going to take up to 4 weeks to get right could belonger so hobbling round trying to do my caring bit but been told to walk on it guess it will go right one day does not help the pain though.
The white board is still going well with my partner and easy tasks roll on next Wednesday when we go to the clinic hope we can get help.

 

[Grannie G]

Hello Elaine

Oh dear! I'm glad you haven't broken anything but even so four weeks to heal is a long time. I hope you will be able to get the rest you need for good healing but somehow doubt it. Please try.

Good luck at the clinic.

 

[Bunpoots]

I can't believe they've told you to walk on it! In my first aid course we were told the proper treatment for a sprain is RICE (Rest Ice Compression Elevation) not that we ever get the chance to put our feet up! And ibuprofen or aspirin is better than paracetamol as it is also an anti-inflammatory.

I hope it heals soon. I sprained my ankle last year and it was so painful I simply couldn't put my foot down for days

 

[Philbo]

I can't believe they've told you to walk on it! In my first aid course we were told the proper treatment for a sprain is RICE (Rest Ice Compression Elevation) not that we ever get the chance to put our feet up! And ibuprofen or aspirin is better than paracetamol as it is also an anti-inflammatory.

I hope it heals soon. I sprained my ankle last year and it was so painful I simply couldn't put my foot down for days

Around 18 months ago, when my wife (PWD) got up in the middle of the night (presumably to go to the loo), she must have fainted as I heard the thump and found her on the landing floor. Long story short, in A&E they found she'd broken 2 bones in her foot. As there was no way she would remember not to put weight on it, they agreed to a removable "boot".

A week later she had to see the fracture clinic consultant who said he was happy with xray and keep putting as much weight on it as possible. He said that a plaster cast or boot is only there to help reduce pain (or in the case that the fractured bones are displaced).. The fracture actually heals more quickly, the more load you put on it!

I'd been a first-aider for many years and did not know this.

 

[Elaine68]

Rest haha

I was told sit with it up and ice every 20 minutes for 2 to 3 hours when do I fit that in not sure but I can only take paracetamol others make me ill and I don't feel great with pain but I am supposed to walk on it to keep the ankle joint from going stiff no strapping it up what so ever just need to sort a plan out easy said than done.

 

[Amethyst59]

Oh, poor you...I was feeling sorry for myself...but at least I won't have to wait four weeks till I'm feeling better. You just get on top of things and then something else comes along. I guess the dementia would be easier to cope with, if that's ALL we had to do. Hope the paracetamol is doing the trick for you. Maybe you can put a nice film on or something to watch together...and rest your foot then?

 

[Elaine68]

Getting there

Hi everyone and thanks for your messages of encouragement my foot is feeling much easier today thanks thats while I keep taking the pills miss them then I know about it. We sat and watched 2 films had a good laugh together first being Mouse Hunt and then Mrs Doughtfire so up to now it's been a really good day and one I have enjoyed I don't get many days like this so i have make the most of it nothing else has got done but what the heck one day off will not hurt will it!! Hope you all have had a reasonable good day as well.

 

[Elaine68]

What next

What can i say things are going from bad to worse this is just not my year and i think what have i done wrong. My foot was feeling much better Monday morning i could just about walk on it with a little pain. My partner was due his INR and BT from the nurses as they visit him but he's also taken alot of fluid on board and his legs are weeping plus a build up on his tum which makes breathing a problem.
The district nurses have been coming to bandage his legs but because his breathing did not sound great they asked a doctor to visit so we sat and waited no doctor then a call from the surgery to say the doctor had booked an ambalance to admit him into hospital so put the phone down and a knock at the door there stood the ambalance i said we have just been told i need to get ready i need to get my partner ready gather everything up to take plus medication.
The driver said we can not wait and it's not your fault but we were told a good hour ago he just said when you are ready just ring the surgery again and ask the doctor to rebook which i did but the doctor could not book again because of a 4 hour slot which you are given.
I finished up taking him in a taxi myself bags and lot got him settled in this is now 6.30pm got back home by 11.45pm and thats my story me hobbling up and down to hospital which as now set my foot of again.
The good side of it i guess is he's in the right place to get better i get a bit of a rest from caring so had to rebook memory clinic appointment which was today.
Sorry for going on my feelings are all mixed up i want to sit and cry i feel lost but i know i have got to keep strong to visit him with a smile even if i don't want to smile i now wonder what else is coming my way!!!
Thanks for letting me rant.

 

[alex10helson]

Take care

It takes time to heal. I have gone through some minor injuries it takes around a year to come in normal condition.

 

[Elaine68]

Thanks

It takes time to heal. I have gone through some minor injuries it takes around a year to come in normal condition.

Hi don't be too nice to me you will make me cry think it's what I need to clear my head it will not help my foot any unless my brain is in my feet haha but thanks I know now I am in for a long stretch with it.

 

[Elaine68]

Good news

My partner is on the mend and I have a feeling he will be home from hospital early next week. I had a call from the hospital saying my partner wanted them to find me as I was in hospital but he did not know why but I had been aadmitted I said no I went to A&E I have sprained my ankle haha.
Anyway they said was I aware of his confusion I said yes he's under the memory clinic and we should have gone for the results but he's in hospital. Each ward he's been on I have said he's got a memory problem and he will not be able to answer some questions or remember what as been said so I am just wondering have they listened to what I have said but I have been offered some help with things around the house and they wanted to know what carer's he had I said me 24/7. It will be nice to have him back home even if it does my head in repeating everything.

 

[Elaine68]

Got my OH home from hospital Monday night it is so good to have him home things are not great with him been told his heart is in the last stages so that's like a time bomb just waiting to go off. Finally got to the memory clinic yesterday to be told he does have Alzheimer's and he's in the early stages of Parkinson's as well so guess I have my work cut out but I feel more positive about life and what I need to do to plan each day and where my priorities lie. It helps to get most housework done early morning before breakfast if possible then start with my OH works for now but I hope this medication he's on will help. He's not a well man anyway and things just keep getting added on so lots of things to deal with I have managed to build my strength up in the last two weeks while the hospital have had him also a lot of thinking about keeping him well and his brain active and not forgetting me I need to keep well and positive and have a bit of fun along the way I think I am allowed that.

 

[Elaine68]

Hi MIA56 thank you for your comments the encouragement keeps me going and lets me know help is at hand. I find it helps if I think I am on my own it gives me the motivation to get all jobs around the house done early then I have the time to spend with my OH and tend to his needs. Every other day I spend 2hrs in the garden while it's fine I break the outside work up into quarters that way it gets done and my OH is with me he likes to watch our fish in the pond so he gets fresh air and I can keep my eye on him.
It's just sorting things out in your head and putting them into practice I am not feeling stressed in anyway at the moment which is good as I was pulling my hair out before he went in hospital this way is working for now guess as time goes on I will need to sit and rethink things again.

 

[Elaine68]

Things are really not good my OH is back in hospital he was only home 10 days from when he was last in. Our GP sent him to A&E to have an ECG we went with a letter she wrote while visiting him then it was all emergency when we got there he was rushed straight in to resuscitation unit. Never seen so many doctors seeing to him they said his lungs, back and legs were full of fluid his heart had ballooned his heart rate was under 50 his pulse was even lower. The only change in them 10 days he was home was the medication from the memory clinic and on reading the leaflet it states it can lower the heart rate. I rang the clinic explained what had happened and straight away they rang the ward he's on and stopped the medication. He's on a fusimide machine to drain this fluid but once home the palliative care people are coming in plus the heart failure nurses so not looking good. I am not sure were my head is at the moment I am really struggling with it all I thought I was being positive about his memory problem but now I have his heart and lungs to worry about I just feel he's coming home to die because they can not do anything else to help him and I am not ready to say good bye yet so I am not in a very good place at the moment it's the not knowing.

 

[Oh Knickers]

Hi Elaine,

Sorry to hear your news. You sound as though you have been hit by a 10 ton truck - emotionally. Thing is, when all these big dramas happen it is as though the brain and emotions struggle to keep up with the speed at which everything happens.

Before your husband comes home find out what support you can get in for your husband and - just as importantly - for yourself. Please ring the organisations below who will help guide you. You are dealing with the shock and you need someone to help guide the reins at the moment.

Scroll down the page on the first two and put in your postcode. The local contact number will come up. Those local offices will have a huge amount of local knowledge and will be able to guide you. Admiral Nurses also have loads of idea to help you to cope. It also sounds as though you need somewhere to offload. Totally understandable. You need to have your brain catch up with all that has happened.

Alzheimer's Society
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/

Age UK
http://www.ageuk.org.uk/

Admiral Nurses.
https://www.dementiauk.org/

Thinking of you.

 

[Casbow]

Hello Elaine. So sorry you are having such an awful time. I hope you can get help at home and that it will take some of the pressure off of you. You need to be able to spend time with your partner without being totally wiped out. Oh knickers has given you good advice. Please post and let us know how things are going. I hope you get help very soon.xxxxx

 

[Elaine68]

Hello Casbow I went to church Sunday first time on my own I found it very hard to enter the church as my partner is always with me but I was warmly wecomed by all. I needed to be with people and found some peace the bad place I was in started to lift I needed to do this for myself.
I think things caught up with me Monday and I just spent the day crying but when I got to the hospital and things were explained in more details and I was able to ask questions and understand what was going on all though the out come is not great we still have some life together yet and the good news is he's coming home soon he's doing really well.
We will have palliative care set up and community nurses coming in so I am pleased I have some help with his caring.
I did find my local Alzheimers and when I get the chance I will contact them but tomorrow I am going to coffee morning at our church again first time on my own to that I am trying to find myself again and my feet and just try and face what ever comes my way with help.
Thank you for giving me your support.

 

[Elaine68]

Hi everyone he's coming home tomorrow the doctors are so pleased with him as for the palliative care it is not needed yet so that makes me think everything is not as bad as they thought. I will be so pleased not having to go to hospital every day even though I go by taxi and back I feel drained. Yes my faith does mean a lot to me and in Gods house I feel at peace and the warmth of people which we call family is unbelievable. Really enjoyed coffee morning it was someones birthday so cake and wine plus coffee even had a laugh just for a couple of hours I felt like me again the bad place as gone for now but seeing my GP next week for a chat and check up and see what help I will get from them.
Thank you for chatting with me its good to know there is some good people out there willing to help you I know the end is going to come to him but till then life is for living. X

 

[Elaine68]

Just to let you know my OH is still in hospital they decided to keep him a bit longer till they can get his warfarin right but hes doing well and looks well but they are worried about his metal values blocking if he comes home then we will be back in A&E so best to just sit it out and let them do their job.
At least I have my brain in gear now and feel I am back on track just want him home now.

 

[Amethyst59]

Bless you, Elaine...I have been reading your thread for a while and following your story. I am so pleased your lovely husband is coming home. This delay is hard for you...but make the most of your chance to rest and refresh yourself for when he is back with you.