Today was Edna\s appointment at the fracture clinic. I had ro meet her there so the ward didnt need to lose a member of staff to escort her. Almost the first thing that happened was that she said she was desperate for the loo and 'nearly wtting herself' So two nurses got her on to a bedpan and she did actually use it. They took off the plaster and s ent her for an X-ray. While we were waiting to go in, she said she needed the loo again. I pointed out she had onyl just been and suggeste she distrtact herself by talking to me. Whiel she was being positioned for the x-rays (whihc she found painful) she complained again that she was 'nearly wetting herself' By this time I had realised that she had a pad on, so I tried to calm her by saying it didnt matter and she wouldn't be in trouble if she set the trolley she was on.
When we got back to the clinic ,she had a knee brace put on becasue they have decided she did NOT have a fracture and the problem was OA) and just before the ambulance crew turned up to take her to West Heath she was 'desperate to have a wee' and got put on the bed pan again.
As I was waking back to my car I was thining about her bladder issues and found myself hoping they didnt try to put her on Oxybutinin or anything like that.
I popped into to West Heath briefly becasue I had soem clothes to return, and during my visit she medtioned she had ben given a blue pill. On checking with the nurse it turns out she HAS been put on Oxybutinin - but the nurse said she didnt think they would keep her on it. That explains the dry mouth she waa also complainig about today. I can't decide if I am pyschic - or just know too much about how doctors think.
But if we can't get on top of the bladder issue - even though she can mobilise now - it is going to be a major problem becasue she will hate it if she has to wear pads and she will either cut down on her drinks OR try to avoid taking her water tablets.
I have told the nurses how concerned I am about her mental deterioration. they have noticed the same thing -s o it is not just me. An example is we saw a poretr in X-ray - and immediatley Edna told me what a nice man he was, that he had 3 daughters who all worked in the hospital. I wish I could work out WHY she feels the need to look as if she knows about everyone? It obviosuly meets some need in her psyche .
I hope that now she is able to mobilise she will feel a little less helpless and dependant - and she may then improve a little.
But I ended up the bag bad wolf ,public enemny number 1 today when I didnt immediately give in to her toilet pleas.
I am very fearful about the future . I am worried she will be shipped out of West Heath without proper care plan or care package. I am worried about whether she will be able to mobilise properly.
She has to go back to the fracture clinci on August 14th. Will she be home by then or will she still be in West Heath?
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