Retroexposure

The Battle: The Beginning Of The End

Friday 24th April 2009

Mum got her hospital bed yesterday morning. I can remember last week the DN saying that it would take a couple of days for the bed to be available. By a strange coincidence, as the Red Cross van pulled up, both my neighbour, Val and myself stood at our open doors waiting for them. Turns out that as well as dropping off Mum's bed, they were collecting Terry's bed. Terry was Val's husband and he only got the hospital bed last week. Terry had been very ill for a long time and on Monday, he passed away.
The men assembled the bed and just a few minutes after they'd been, the DN arrived, saying that she'd arranged to meet the nurse from LOROS here at home. The DN was pleased to see that the bed was here and promptly made it up for Mum. She then called the ambulance headquarters, which is based in Nottingham, telling me that if they were able to come and help Mum downstairs, it wouldn't be till the afternoon, or possibly today (Friday). Well, they said that a crew would be with us within half an hour! So things really have been moving quickly!
By the time the ambulance crew had arrived, we had the DN; the Macmillan/LOROS nurse, the two carers, and me in the house. As well as Mum, of course! So while the carers did their duties with Mum's personal care, and then helped the ambulance crew down the stairs with Mum by carrying Mum's saline drip.
Once they got Mum comfortable, everybody left more or less at the same time. The LOROS nurse had left me a prescription for Mum, The ambulance crew went on to their next job, and the carers just helped Mum to the loo. Actually, despite wearing incontinent pads (not nappies, I learned), Mum may not have been wearing them properly, as she's accidentally spotted on the carpet as she transferred from the bed to the commode.
Mum rested for a while, then in the afternoon, Anne and Peter swung by, and I thanked them for dropping off a plug extension lead. At the same time Mum's long time friends, Di and her daughter, Pam, came to visit. I'd completely forgotten they were coming round! We let Mum carry on sleeping but she did rouse, and although she didn't talk much, I think she was glad for the visit. Different faces and all that!
Hopefully today is when the care package will increase. When the DN returned yesterday afternoon to write up the notes, she said that she would get the new package in place. Last night Mum said that she wants a night sitter. Not sure when she'll want that in place, I must ask her later!
　
　
Saturday 25th April 2009
Sue continues on Subcut fluids, and is prescribed one more 1000mls bag, which Intermediate Care will set up this evening. Sue states that she feels tired but ok

Sunday 26th April 2009
Support visit today, discussed with James increasing care package to include evening call. Also discussed with Susan being nauseous most of the time. Discussed putting anti-emetics through a syringe driver, which James was ok with. Susan was asleep whilst I was here. Therefore will discuss with her tomorrow.

Tuesday 28th April 2009
Mum's had a busy weekend. She's been on a constant drip since Thursday, and as I understand it, she's got the drip till Friday. Who puts up the new litres between now and then, I'm not sure. It's been the Intermediate nursing team up to now, and the DN is going to take over tomorrow – so she said. However, her boss, who visited Mum today, thinks otherwise! I guess we'll find out tomorrow who won the toss! Mum's also been put on the syringe driver today. Her nausea has been really bad over the weekend. It still is now. The Haloperidol in her system is supposed to quell her nausea, but from what I can tell, it hasn't made a blind bit of difference!
The care package has been increased as of today. The Care Team is due to come in three times a day. 11:30am, 2:30pm and 8:30pm. I think the 2:30 one is a bit out of place – it's too close to the 11:30 one. Unless, we make that earlier, we'll see how it goes. Also there is a likely chance of having night sitters too (someone to watch over Mum while I sleep), to give me a chance of having a full night's sleep! Three day's in a row I've been woken by Mum, via a baby monitor, at 4:30 in the morning!! Once I'm up, I can't get back to sleep – especially as the morning's are getting lighter! Long days, for no purpose, are shattering!!
Mum's friend Marie visited yesterday, and was able to keep Mum in a relative conversation for the afternoon. Saying that, we were constantly interrupted by nursing staff and the doctor! When Marie was going home, I walked her to the door, where she broke down in tears. How she kept her emotions in check for the whole afternoon, I don't know! This has been having a devastating effect on all of Mum's friends, so why can't I cry about it? Does that make me cold?

Friday 1st May 2009
Oh my God!! Where do they find these people? Mum had a care night sitter for two nights in a row - the same person, so at least there was continuity there. But this morning, after the night sitter had gone, I asked Mum what she thought of the sitter. "Gormless," came the reply!
Then today, the care team wasn't our regular two as it was their day off. And these pair came an hour and a half early for one thing, so I was still here when they arrived. The plan was that I would head into town knowing that soon after I left, the carers would be in to look after Mum. Turns out that the rota has changed. The carers will see mum at 10am, 2pm and 6:30pm. I can live with that. But what I am not happy about is that the two carers were greener than a lush field! The rookies had only started less than a month ago – both of them. It should be protocol to have a newbie with an oldie! They weren't who I was told to expect. Ooh, they've really got my back up today. They didn't seem to have a clue as to what they were doing. Didn't know how to take the brakes off the bed. Didn't know how to make a bed while a patient was lying in it. And one of them didn't understand directions!! Admittedly they weren't English, neither was the night sitter, but that's not my gripe – the usual twosome includes an Afro Caribbean carer. She's cool by me. But today's choice? I don't want them again, if that is at all possible!