Dressing down my mother
I heard from my younger brother about 9:30 last night that they were keeping my mother overnight, but they did not say what the problem was with her health for which they were keeping her. I had talked to the hospital psych eval individual, who I was transferred to when I called the ER, and gave her some background so that she could be evaluated properly.
This morning, my younger brother called me back to inform me that she had been sent to the 2nd floor, and that she told them that she had not fallen. He told me that he noticed that she's been lying lately - whether she does not know the truth or wants to hide it from the prying individuals, I don't know, but I've caught her a few times lately, as well.
So, I went up the the hospital, and she is in the "critical care unit" and they have her hooked up to the IV antibiotics because the UTI is back, again. I informed them that she did, indeed, fall - no matter what she tells them - and that the nursing home had refused to treat her for the UTI if the initial course of antibiotics did not cure it. They would not even test for it.
Because of the dementia, any illness or injury deepens her confusion and makes her unable to function. After I got home and she was returned to her wheelchair, she was unclear on whether or not she had put on the new underwear and could not remember how to stand up. It took me about 15 minutes and a lot of coaxing to get her to stand up so that I could arrange the undergarment properly.
They are keeping her tonight, as well, and I told them that she needed more care than I can give until the infection is Gone. She has no chance of recovery (of her whits) unless that infection is gone. I'm going to go back tomorrow, as well, in hopes that I can speak to the doctor and convince them to actually take care of her until she is able to come home.
Either they cure it or find a way to take care of her.
So I told my mother in no uncertain terms that should she come home she has to do what I tell her even if I'm not there. She has to stop trying to do these things by herself when she's not able to do them, risking injury or worse, and she really, really needs to stop messing with my stuff, because all the other things I can handle, but that I cannot.
This morning, my younger brother called me back to inform me that she had been sent to the 2nd floor, and that she told them that she had not fallen. He told me that he noticed that she's been lying lately - whether she does not know the truth or wants to hide it from the prying individuals, I don't know, but I've caught her a few times lately, as well.
So, I went up the the hospital, and she is in the "critical care unit" and they have her hooked up to the IV antibiotics because the UTI is back, again. I informed them that she did, indeed, fall - no matter what she tells them - and that the nursing home had refused to treat her for the UTI if the initial course of antibiotics did not cure it. They would not even test for it.
Because of the dementia, any illness or injury deepens her confusion and makes her unable to function. After I got home and she was returned to her wheelchair, she was unclear on whether or not she had put on the new underwear and could not remember how to stand up. It took me about 15 minutes and a lot of coaxing to get her to stand up so that I could arrange the undergarment properly.
They are keeping her tonight, as well, and I told them that she needed more care than I can give until the infection is Gone. She has no chance of recovery (of her whits) unless that infection is gone. I'm going to go back tomorrow, as well, in hopes that I can speak to the doctor and convince them to actually take care of her until she is able to come home.
Either they cure it or find a way to take care of her.
So I told my mother in no uncertain terms that should she come home she has to do what I tell her even if I'm not there. She has to stop trying to do these things by herself when she's not able to do them, risking injury or worse, and she really, really needs to stop messing with my stuff, because all the other things I can handle, but that I cannot.
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