My nana was in hospital for the first time about 3 years ago due to a bleed and they ran blood tests etc and found out she had kidney disease (she has 5% kidney function) but in Sep this year mum phoned for an ambulance, nana had signs of a heart attack (drs dealt with that) but she also had obvious signs to a stroke but after arrogant drs and people telling us she hasn't had a stroke (without sending her for a MRI I might add) until my mum lost it and put her foot down and insisted on a MRI, guess what, nana had a stroke. So all the TV ads etc telling you to act fast, well yeah, two head drs told us she hadn't. Anyway I could go on and on about the struggle to get hospitals, Drs, nurses (some good I know, we have a hard working nurse int he family) to listen or mirco managing them to give my nana the care she needs and deserves, I'm sure a lot can relate to the daily struggle. Nana was left for 4 days in an assessment ward before they listened and took action.
Anyway, nana came home (after being bed bound in hospital, before hospital nana could get about with an aid fine, warm up her food and simple tasks, we did all the rest) about 6 weeks after being in there unable to walk. Nana suffers from UTI's due to her kidneys but the only sign we get is when nana got confused, glazed eyes, mean, nasty, hallucinates badly and honestly it drains both me and mum even though it's not her fault. Anyway nana was seeing things in hospital so we always assume UTI and she did have one, took 3 courses of anti biotics to shift it. She was still seeing things and the Dr gave a UTI the all clear. So I asked her to help in some way to get to the bottom of what it is, she said it could be lack of calcium or something, she used to be on cal tablets but hospital stopped them (didn't say why, you're lucky to catch anyone when you go) and the Dr who is actually very nice at her GP's said that could cause confusion and hallucinations but that came back clear and that now she'll refer her to a memory clinic.
I've looked into these memory clinics on this forum and they seem useless from what I've read, are they the people who diagnose someone? sorry, I know I'm rambling but I have so much in my head and so much has happened my head is going to explode. Since being out of hospital nana has contunined to see things, she sees me or mum sleeping on her sofa and sees a black cat and it's different from the UTI hallucinations because they made her see monsters and horrible stuff and she was scared, she doesn't seem scared, just annoyed that she can't wake us up and a bit mad. She's undressed herself and sat naked or in a bra, which she's never done before and when why she got undressed she says she doesn't know. She thought it was Christmas day the other day and that no one came to see her so she was sad. We have a camera fitted so we know nana is safe (nana knows about it and the carers as they go in 4 times a day) and I've watched her shout at the sofa when no one is there, throw things at it and get mad. Also she didn't know how to put her cardigan on, she had one arm in one arm out. She lives in sheltered acc and me and mum take her to bingo every week there, I turned up earlier and she said '*my name* is not waking up, wake her up' I said 'Nana I am *my name* she said oh yes but looked back at the sofa confused so I just lied and said 'oh yes well I've very tired lately nana' as I learnt with the UTI to pretend I see what she sees otherwise she's become very angry at me if I doubted her. Nana also wears those incontinence pants and she's been ripping them off in the night and weeing in bed. All the above never happened before a stroke.
Is the memory clinic where they would say what's wrong with her? or do we ask the Dr for any other referrals or could it be something else? If any of the above sounds like one of your relatives then I would be grateful for any insight at all. The only other thing I can add is that the dr said or rather the receptionist said she has slightly high folic acid and iron (she doesn't take any vits apart from a vit B injection every 3 months) so not sure what they mean.
So sorry this has turned into a massive post, I just wanted to explain a little background on nana because before she was quick witted and feisty and now I'm sad when I see her which is a lot, same as my mum and sisters.
Anyway, nana came home (after being bed bound in hospital, before hospital nana could get about with an aid fine, warm up her food and simple tasks, we did all the rest) about 6 weeks after being in there unable to walk. Nana suffers from UTI's due to her kidneys but the only sign we get is when nana got confused, glazed eyes, mean, nasty, hallucinates badly and honestly it drains both me and mum even though it's not her fault. Anyway nana was seeing things in hospital so we always assume UTI and she did have one, took 3 courses of anti biotics to shift it. She was still seeing things and the Dr gave a UTI the all clear. So I asked her to help in some way to get to the bottom of what it is, she said it could be lack of calcium or something, she used to be on cal tablets but hospital stopped them (didn't say why, you're lucky to catch anyone when you go) and the Dr who is actually very nice at her GP's said that could cause confusion and hallucinations but that came back clear and that now she'll refer her to a memory clinic.
I've looked into these memory clinics on this forum and they seem useless from what I've read, are they the people who diagnose someone? sorry, I know I'm rambling but I have so much in my head and so much has happened my head is going to explode. Since being out of hospital nana has contunined to see things, she sees me or mum sleeping on her sofa and sees a black cat and it's different from the UTI hallucinations because they made her see monsters and horrible stuff and she was scared, she doesn't seem scared, just annoyed that she can't wake us up and a bit mad. She's undressed herself and sat naked or in a bra, which she's never done before and when why she got undressed she says she doesn't know. She thought it was Christmas day the other day and that no one came to see her so she was sad. We have a camera fitted so we know nana is safe (nana knows about it and the carers as they go in 4 times a day) and I've watched her shout at the sofa when no one is there, throw things at it and get mad. Also she didn't know how to put her cardigan on, she had one arm in one arm out. She lives in sheltered acc and me and mum take her to bingo every week there, I turned up earlier and she said '*my name* is not waking up, wake her up' I said 'Nana I am *my name* she said oh yes but looked back at the sofa confused so I just lied and said 'oh yes well I've very tired lately nana' as I learnt with the UTI to pretend I see what she sees otherwise she's become very angry at me if I doubted her. Nana also wears those incontinence pants and she's been ripping them off in the night and weeing in bed. All the above never happened before a stroke.
Is the memory clinic where they would say what's wrong with her? or do we ask the Dr for any other referrals or could it be something else? If any of the above sounds like one of your relatives then I would be grateful for any insight at all. The only other thing I can add is that the dr said or rather the receptionist said she has slightly high folic acid and iron (she doesn't take any vits apart from a vit B injection every 3 months) so not sure what they mean.
So sorry this has turned into a massive post, I just wanted to explain a little background on nana because before she was quick witted and feisty and now I'm sad when I see her which is a lot, same as my mum and sisters.
