Just got back from the hospital. This morning I have been to Fosters to pay her rent, pick uo her crochet stuff and a few more clothes. I also retrieved some mince pies from the freezer that have been there since last year.She likes mince pies and I am hoping she will eat them. Then I called in at West Heath for the 11-12 visiting slot
When I arrived I was asked if I could push her to the day room as they were still getting patients up. She objected at first but then when it was explained WHY she needed to be moved she agreed.
Before we got to the day room she showed me (and anyone else watching!) her catheter bag which I am happy to say was clear. But her legs are still very swollen.
Down in the day room it became obvious she had forgotten what we discussed yesterday becasue she was surprised (but very pleased) when I produced her crochet bag. And the mince pies seemed to be a hit as well. I have told one of the rehab assistants that they are from the freezer and not to panic about the expiry date (Dec 2008)
She had a drink while we were in the day room and after yesterdays accident (and the domestic implied other similar events) I was asked to watch her carefully. Which I dd and noticed she has a tremor in her hands. I mentiomed it to Mary and Sonia. When I suggeted to Mary it could be linked to the dementia, she reminded me that Salbutamol can cause a tremor. We discussed how much she is having and how log she has been having it. I pinted out she has been prescribed it for a long time - but it is a moot point how much she has actually had. But whatever the cause I have mentioned it and they will keep an eye on it.
I was very much remined of the phrase Carolyn used when she did psychometry on Edna's ring' Torrent of words'. She never really stopped talking. And some of what she was saying was actually rather critical of other people in the room - and she has a loud voice. There were some familiar themes in her chatter. Going to to the shops, relatives being able to eat on the ward if they pay, but most of the time she was talking about the people on the ward (or the people she imagines are on the ward?) Basically she was lost - but happy - on Planet Edna.
It was not a happy visit for me .
Sunday, 27 September 2009
Saturday, 26 September 2009
Tea and laundry
I got a call from the hospital today telling me Edna had managed to spill a cup of tea over her. Although it was really hot they had to complete an incident report form so they rang me to let me know. She wasn't hurt at all - but had to have a complete change of clothes. When I got to the ward she was fine from the accident but clearly generally down.
Her bottom is hurting, her legs are very swollen, and the contents of her catheter bag look very dark to me. I'm guessing the catheter is causing some irritation and there is some blood in her urine. The staff will be aware of it as they have to empty her bag . They have told her to drink lots and I suspect that could be why. She says she is..........but I doubt it
It will be another 3 weeks before she can start to weight bear. That feels like a long time. I am concerned about how she is going to cope.
She has asked me to take her crocheting in which is a good sign. But she is still talking about how she could decide to go home. Although when I pointed out she couldn't go home in wheelchair she had to agree.
She struggled to do up the top two buttons on her blouse today. She did one - then asked me to do the other. It is rare for her to ask me to help.
Her bottom is hurting, her legs are very swollen, and the contents of her catheter bag look very dark to me. I'm guessing the catheter is causing some irritation and there is some blood in her urine. The staff will be aware of it as they have to empty her bag . They have told her to drink lots and I suspect that could be why. She says she is..........but I doubt it
It will be another 3 weeks before she can start to weight bear. That feels like a long time. I am concerned about how she is going to cope.
She has asked me to take her crocheting in which is a good sign. But she is still talking about how she could decide to go home. Although when I pointed out she couldn't go home in wheelchair she had to agree.
She struggled to do up the top two buttons on her blouse today. She did one - then asked me to do the other. It is rare for her to ask me to help.
Thursday, 24 September 2009
Planet Edna
I discovered today other people have been introduced to planet Edna. Pat was telling me about some of the things Edna was talking about in the day room. Its re-assuring to know the staff know how much she imagines.
Today she was giving me contradictory information about food. Pat said she is eating OK. Not brilliant but OK. And they are hoping to start to get her weightbearing in about a couple of weeks. It has to be at least 6 weeks after surgery which was on 5th September. I am sure Edna has no idea how tricky it is going to be for her to get mobile again. Rather worryingly she was talking abut making her own soup when she is back on her feet. I dont for a moment think she accepts she isnt going back to Fosters.
What worries me is her dementia means she doesn't remember what the staff have told her. She is convinced one of the doctors told her she didn't have to use all the nebuliser fluid if she didnt want to. I had quite a battle with her to make sure she got the majority of it tonight. If she confused what se has been told about mobilising when the time comes who knows what she may try to do. She may try to do more than she should OR she may be so tired that she will not as mch as is needed - and will swear the doctor told her she could/didnt have to - delete as appropriate.
One other thing Pat told me is that her bottom is red. Not broken but red. Problem is she has no padding - so although her waterlow score is officially too low to need a special bed - she has been given one. If her dementia means she doesn't remember to mobilise/ imagines she has been told she doesn't NEED to mobilise as much as she should that coudl be disastrous.
She is more tied than I have ever lnown her to be. They were putting her to bed went I got to the ward at 6.00 tonight. Normally she complains about getting into bed too early
Today she was giving me contradictory information about food. Pat said she is eating OK. Not brilliant but OK. And they are hoping to start to get her weightbearing in about a couple of weeks. It has to be at least 6 weeks after surgery which was on 5th September. I am sure Edna has no idea how tricky it is going to be for her to get mobile again. Rather worryingly she was talking abut making her own soup when she is back on her feet. I dont for a moment think she accepts she isnt going back to Fosters.
What worries me is her dementia means she doesn't remember what the staff have told her. She is convinced one of the doctors told her she didn't have to use all the nebuliser fluid if she didnt want to. I had quite a battle with her to make sure she got the majority of it tonight. If she confused what se has been told about mobilising when the time comes who knows what she may try to do. She may try to do more than she should OR she may be so tired that she will not as mch as is needed - and will swear the doctor told her she could/didnt have to - delete as appropriate.
One other thing Pat told me is that her bottom is red. Not broken but red. Problem is she has no padding - so although her waterlow score is officially too low to need a special bed - she has been given one. If her dementia means she doesn't remember to mobilise/ imagines she has been told she doesn't NEED to mobilise as much as she should that coudl be disastrous.
She is more tied than I have ever lnown her to be. They were putting her to bed went I got to the ward at 6.00 tonight. Normally she complains about getting into bed too early
Tuesday, 22 September 2009
A short visit
Todays visit was short. I bumped into Steve as I was on my way to the hospital and he decided to come with me. His comment was 'I've got the time now and it gets it over with' He is finding this a real strain.
Edna was pleased to see him. The other day she mentioned she had heard someone saying she needed a new or better bed. Today she has an air mattress not an ordinary one.So I guess they are concerned about pressure sores. The good point is she had heard and remembered correctly about her bed. I will take all the good points I can get
She wanted her hair cut . This has been an issue for sometime. But at least today she let me talk to the nurses to arrange it. But what she wanted was for me to bring some money in for her so SHE could book it and pay for the hairdresser herself. She doesn;t understand (or want to understand) that the system is the nurses pay the hairdresser so the money has to go to them to keep in the safe. So she wasn't too happy about that.
She was panicking about running out of money in her main account. She has 30,000 plus in that account ffs.
I cut the visit shorter than I would have done because I could see Steve was anxious to leave. He does find it distressing visiting her. She is so obviously unwell both physically and mentally.
Yet again at one point she said she wasn't bothered about anything any more. She was also complaining about eating making her very breathless . This has been her excuse for not eating much for months - since way before Alan died IIRC. It has been some time since she has mentioned it though. Not sure what that means or why it is an issue again. It could be that she is looking for a new excuse not to eat or it could be she has been trying to eat a normal sized meal and it genuinely has made her breathless. That could actually be a good sign. I will just have to wait and see what happens.
Brenda (her old neighbour) rang this morning and said she would try and visit her now she is back in West Heath. When I told Edna she was very unimpressed. Its worrying that she doesn't want to see an old friend like her.
Edna was pleased to see him. The other day she mentioned she had heard someone saying she needed a new or better bed. Today she has an air mattress not an ordinary one.So I guess they are concerned about pressure sores. The good point is she had heard and remembered correctly about her bed. I will take all the good points I can get
She wanted her hair cut . This has been an issue for sometime. But at least today she let me talk to the nurses to arrange it. But what she wanted was for me to bring some money in for her so SHE could book it and pay for the hairdresser herself. She doesn;t understand (or want to understand) that the system is the nurses pay the hairdresser so the money has to go to them to keep in the safe. So she wasn't too happy about that.
She was panicking about running out of money in her main account. She has 30,000 plus in that account ffs.
I cut the visit shorter than I would have done because I could see Steve was anxious to leave. He does find it distressing visiting her. She is so obviously unwell both physically and mentally.
Yet again at one point she said she wasn't bothered about anything any more. She was also complaining about eating making her very breathless . This has been her excuse for not eating much for months - since way before Alan died IIRC. It has been some time since she has mentioned it though. Not sure what that means or why it is an issue again. It could be that she is looking for a new excuse not to eat or it could be she has been trying to eat a normal sized meal and it genuinely has made her breathless. That could actually be a good sign. I will just have to wait and see what happens.
Brenda (her old neighbour) rang this morning and said she would try and visit her now she is back in West Heath. When I told Edna she was very unimpressed. Its worrying that she doesn't want to see an old friend like her.
Sunday, 20 September 2009
A visit full of fantasy
Today's visit was very trying. The good news is she ate and enjoyed BOTH the cream slices. It was the first thing Sonia said when she saw me come down the ward. And Edna remembered she had eaten and enjoyed the cakes. Huzzah!
The rest of the visit was fairly naff. Almost everything she said was a fantasy from planet Edna. Other patients wnt out to the hairdrssers. A grocery shop is opening at the hospital (and Edna will use it) The hospital is something to do with nomads. She got woken last night by cows. The patient in the next bed knitted the bed socks Edna has (they actually came from Selly Oak)
These fantasies are harmless in themselves becasue she can't act on them. But I find it so distressing to know her brain is so scrambled she thinks these things. I know she is frightened by the fact that her memory plays huge tricks on her. I know that fear is probably at the root of all her nastiness to me .
Mrs Hyde never appeared thank goodness.
She did say one thing that caught my attention. I forget the exact wording but it was obvious she thinks she may not leave West Heath alive.
I left feeling pretty awful - with a suprsized chocolate craving.
The rest of the visit was fairly naff. Almost everything she said was a fantasy from planet Edna. Other patients wnt out to the hairdrssers. A grocery shop is opening at the hospital (and Edna will use it) The hospital is something to do with nomads. She got woken last night by cows. The patient in the next bed knitted the bed socks Edna has (they actually came from Selly Oak)
These fantasies are harmless in themselves becasue she can't act on them. But I find it so distressing to know her brain is so scrambled she thinks these things. I know she is frightened by the fact that her memory plays huge tricks on her. I know that fear is probably at the root of all her nastiness to me .
Mrs Hyde never appeared thank goodness.
She did say one thing that caught my attention. I forget the exact wording but it was obvious she thinks she may not leave West Heath alive.
I left feeling pretty awful - with a suprsized chocolate craving.
Saturday, 19 September 2009
A distressing visit
I went to see Edna this morning (visiting allowed from 11-12) She was in the day room. The first thing she did was complain about how long she had been in the day room - that it was 'too long' to force people to be away from their beds' Turns out she had been in the day room for all of 15 minutes.
I had taken her a couple of cream slices. She loves cream cakes and I reckon she needs the calories. She was pleased - but then said she would eat them with her afternoon tea. Eventually I suggested they should be put in the fridge to keep them fresh. She implied the nurses would steal them. Anyway I spoke to her nurse who wrote her name on the box and told me to tell the housekeepers to put them in the fridge. And one of the auxilaries is ging to make sure she is offered them with her afternoon cup of tea. I dont think she will eat those cakes at all.
At least in the day room a couple of other patients joined in the conversation which meant it was easier on me. Although Edna (or do I mean Mrs Hyde?) made a cuple of cutting remarks about other people cutting in on conversations.
It was quite weird- one moment she would be quite grump -a nd the next laughing at something or commenting about the cookery programme on the TV.
At one point she expressed some interest in being wheeled outside at some point, As it was really nice this morning I suggested I could take her outside then - but her immediate answer 'Oh no not at the moment'
It was one of those times when I felt I couldn't do right for doing wrong. Sonia (the auxilary who is going to make sure she gets her cake) had a chat with me as I was on the way out - and she said Edna is always telling people how good I am. I am trying to understand why she tells other people one thing - and yet gives me the opposite impression. The trouble is with dementia patients you never know what is real and what it fanatsy. Is she telling them the truth or is the face she shows me the real one?
I had taken her a couple of cream slices. She loves cream cakes and I reckon she needs the calories. She was pleased - but then said she would eat them with her afternoon tea. Eventually I suggested they should be put in the fridge to keep them fresh. She implied the nurses would steal them. Anyway I spoke to her nurse who wrote her name on the box and told me to tell the housekeepers to put them in the fridge. And one of the auxilaries is ging to make sure she is offered them with her afternoon cup of tea. I dont think she will eat those cakes at all.
At least in the day room a couple of other patients joined in the conversation which meant it was easier on me. Although Edna (or do I mean Mrs Hyde?) made a cuple of cutting remarks about other people cutting in on conversations.
It was quite weird- one moment she would be quite grump -a nd the next laughing at something or commenting about the cookery programme on the TV.
At one point she expressed some interest in being wheeled outside at some point, As it was really nice this morning I suggested I could take her outside then - but her immediate answer 'Oh no not at the moment'
It was one of those times when I felt I couldn't do right for doing wrong. Sonia (the auxilary who is going to make sure she gets her cake) had a chat with me as I was on the way out - and she said Edna is always telling people how good I am. I am trying to understand why she tells other people one thing - and yet gives me the opposite impression. The trouble is with dementia patients you never know what is real and what it fanatsy. Is she telling them the truth or is the face she shows me the real one?
Thursday, 17 September 2009
Groundhog day
Thats what it felt like when I went over to Moseley to collect Edna's clothes and take them into Ward 11 for her. When I got there she seemed OK but I realised she was quite confused. She told me her bed had been bloodstained when she woke up this morning (it hadn't) I got accused of being mean when I said I wouldn't take sandwiches in for her because 'everyone else has them' (they don't) . Also we had an argument about money. Edna wanted me to give her some money. She wanted 10.00 but Pat (the sister) said that was too much and 5.00 would be plenty. She wasn't happy about that but she does now have some money.
I had a chat with Pat before I left and to my relief I discovered she is DNR. It will be some time before she is up and weight bearing so she is going to be in hospital for several weeks.
I had a chat with Pat before I left and to my relief I discovered she is DNR. It will be some time before she is up and weight bearing so she is going to be in hospital for several weeks.
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