Im sitting here trying to get my thoughts together. Ive posted a bit about what has been happening to OH on other treads, but I wanted to get it all together to try and get my head straight.
Just over 2 weeks ago OH suddenly lost mobility and kept falling. By the Saturday he could not even weight-bear, so I dialled 111 and he ended up in hospital where he was found to have a nasty UTI (he hadnt had any other symptoms of a UTI) and was put on IV antibiotics. A doctor put the wind up me asking me over the phone if I would consent to a DNR form - I said yes as I know what resuscitation can mean, but I was shocked that I was asked over the phone and thought he must have taken a turn for the worse. I was therefore surprised to find when I next visited that he was sitting up in bead reading!
Over the next few days he improved, but still had mobility problems, so was eventually discharged with a zimmer frame and a package of carers to assist with washing and dressing under the reablement scheme. He had to have an OT assessment of him showering and, unfortunately, Host Mode kicked in and he managed to convince the OT that he did not need any aids or assistance with showering at all
. The carers were then cancelled as he supposedly no longer needed them. I was particularly surprised as he had needed me to assist with showering even before he went into hospital!
I started to get the ball rolling to get carers in privately, but on Friday, out of the blue, he had 5 major tonic/clonic generalised seizures (the last one, fortunately in front of the doctor in A&E) and ended up in hospital again. He was completely unresponsive at this point and was found to have a UTI and sepsis. The doctor said that probably the previous UTI had not completely gone and had returned.
Yesterday I phoned the ward first thing in the morning and was told that he was sitting up in bed, but when I visited later I would have said that an accurate description was more that he was slumped in a reclining position. He was still mostly unconscious, but would open his eyes for a few seconds and he was responding to their tests, although he had not spoken and his face was completely flat and devoid of any emotion. It was definitely a "lights on, but no-ones home" situation. It was, nevertheless, an improvement.
Im going to go and see him again once visiting hours start and Ill keep you posted.
Just over 2 weeks ago OH suddenly lost mobility and kept falling. By the Saturday he could not even weight-bear, so I dialled 111 and he ended up in hospital where he was found to have a nasty UTI (he hadnt had any other symptoms of a UTI) and was put on IV antibiotics. A doctor put the wind up me asking me over the phone if I would consent to a DNR form - I said yes as I know what resuscitation can mean, but I was shocked that I was asked over the phone and thought he must have taken a turn for the worse. I was therefore surprised to find when I next visited that he was sitting up in bead reading!
Over the next few days he improved, but still had mobility problems, so was eventually discharged with a zimmer frame and a package of carers to assist with washing and dressing under the reablement scheme. He had to have an OT assessment of him showering and, unfortunately, Host Mode kicked in and he managed to convince the OT that he did not need any aids or assistance with showering at all
. The carers were then cancelled as he supposedly no longer needed them. I was particularly surprised as he had needed me to assist with showering even before he went into hospital!I started to get the ball rolling to get carers in privately, but on Friday, out of the blue, he had 5 major tonic/clonic generalised seizures (the last one, fortunately in front of the doctor in A&E) and ended up in hospital again. He was completely unresponsive at this point and was found to have a UTI and sepsis. The doctor said that probably the previous UTI had not completely gone and had returned.
Yesterday I phoned the ward first thing in the morning and was told that he was sitting up in bed, but when I visited later I would have said that an accurate description was more that he was slumped in a reclining position. He was still mostly unconscious, but would open his eyes for a few seconds and he was responding to their tests, although he had not spoken and his face was completely flat and devoid of any emotion. It was definitely a "lights on, but no-ones home" situation. It was, nevertheless, an improvement.
Im going to go and see him again once visiting hours start and Ill keep you posted.
