About six weeks ago the mid-north coast of NSW had what was called an extreme weather event, a very large amount of rain leading to one in 500 year flooding.
I had many requests to go and help but of course, there were other things taking my time and attention.
Nine days after dad's funeral, I headed off to Taree on a volunteer deployment. The following day I had a phone call to say Mum had been unable to get off the toilet all night (9pm-11am)
I regularly call to check on her but her phone answering can be hit and miss so it might have taken several more hours before I realised there was a real problem. As it happened, a nurse going to shower her found her and insisted she was transported to hospital, where she is still.
Mum is 82 with heart failure, disability, frailty of age, a cancer history and some cognitive impairment so it becomes complicated.
In hospital her meds were changed and that caused her to retain fluid, her heart was really struggling and a UTI caused delirium.
I was away up the coast thinking she was just getting checked over and held in hospital while an aged care bed was organised. Despite several calls to the hospital and many messages to my siblings, I didn't know how bad it was and got rather a shock to get home to a frail and confused mum on oxygen.
The one good part of all this is that she will not be allowed to return home and the system will ensure that she has no choice but to go into care, something the family and her care team have all wanted for some time.
Fourteen hours of attempting to get off the toilet hurt mums elbows so that she is unable to feed herself. Tonight I was at the hospital to make sure she had help with her dinner and in a room of four patients, there were three middle aged daughters there to make sure their confused parents were fed.
After losing your father, you seem to be on a downhill slide for your mother. I know you will ensure her care is adequate.
ReplyDeleteMum has been going down hill for quite a while and i understand her issues better.
DeleteI'll be surprised if we have her here for Christmas
Being a recent widow must be truly horrid. Thank goodness a nurse happened to be going to shower mum, finding her and getting her to hospital for medication and care. Your mum should have the chance to greatly thank the nurse herself.
ReplyDeleteI hear so many stories about elderlies falling over in the street and noone stopping to help :(