Awwwww XXXTaipan wrote: ↑Tue Jan 25, 2022 12:31 am It's been a very long 7 days! My Step-Mother hasn't been well, completely constipated for 5 days, leg pains etc blah. I've been dealing with her Carers and the futility of trying to organise house calls from the out-of-hours district Nurse, talking to 111 and the CommunityTreatment Team and culminating this evening with dealing with Paramedics.
Tonight the Paramedic I spoke with tells me she thinks Step-Mother is moving into the end of life stage. I thought that was a pretty bold statement to make and asked her to elaborate. She said she could be wrong, but the signs are there with a loss of appetite and thirst, constipation, general lethargy, diminishing communication and various pains and discomfort! Sounds like she maybe right with that list!
The response team will attend asap and run further tests, take bloods etc, then look at pain management. So I guess we're moving into palliative care? Six months ago Step-Mother was shuffling about her place using her walking frame, now she is bedridden. Sadly, as many will know, it's awful to see dementia take someone down like this, and I think for her, well all of us, it'll be a welcome release and for her sake, I hope it isn't drawn out.
This has all been very draining, yet I can't sleep!I'd normally do some online shopping and buy something for my new bike, but the previous owner beat me to it!
I'm going through all of this. My Mum is dying of heart failure and even though you know a loved one is ill, it's not until someone says "end of life plan" that it becomes very real - we chose for her to die at home and the emergency services have been informed so if we call an ambulance, they will not take her to hospital. I moved in with my her instinctively without thinking about everything else, like my job. I'm working from (her) home, but finding it hard because of all the medical professionals that visit. Unless I'm in a meeting, I can't help but help the carers and the district nurses who come round three times a week are great for getting information, so I watch and talk to them while they're here. A nurse is coming round today to talk to us more about palliative care and a nurse from the heart failure team is also due.
I've had a lot of nervous energy, which is great because the place is looking cleaner and my Mum is well cared for - I'm exhausted at the end of each day. Sleep has been on and off. I sometimes pass out for seven hours and wake up relieved when I can hear her and some nights I get an hour here and there. I scroll through shopping websites at night but can't think of anything I need.
My brother is visiting at the weekend - he'll be here lunchtime Saturday to lunchtime Sunday and I can't decide whether to run home and get 24 hours me time or stay here for a bit and talk to him
Thinking of you and yours Taipan and anyone else who is looking after a loved one.
