Monday, June 6, 2011

Total Confusion!

That seems to be the way today is going. Mum is starting sentences and ending them with a different subject, getting muddled about little things, and most worryingly, seems to be confused about what she has been told about exercise, and how they administer medication.

Starting with the exercise thing. On speaking to mum a few days ago she mentioned that she had been taken to the toilet by a nurse during the day, she had walked her to the loo using her frame. On talking to the nurse, mum is sure the nurse congratulated her on how well she had done, and said she would practise this with her, however mum was not to walk with ANYONE else, and that the same nurse would walk with her again in one weeks time! Very strange, and hard to believe, however mum is sure thats what she was told. The physio on the other hand has been encouraging mum to practise walking, but NOT on her own. Which is slightly more believable to me.
So to laugh in the face of this idea, on returning from the gardens this morning, I took mum for a walk up the hallway and back again. To give an example of her pace, the trip to get a wheelchair and return takes me about 40 seconds. The walk with mum took exactly ten minutes. So when she said her problem was trying to go slower, I chuckled to myself (in a loving way). But it was a very worthwhile exercise, and one she seemed to enjoy greatly, so I have said we will repeat it whenever possible. Its also nice for her to get out and about and see the other people on the ward.

When we were downstairs this morning getting tea, she proved how popular she has become there, and how social she is becoming, waving to people, speaking to staff etc, so she really is coming out of her shell a bit. Which is nice to see.

So then we get to the nurses and medication. Once again mum is starting to show doubt towards some of the staff, and build up a black book of whos who. Starting from a few days back she started commenting on the way some of the nurses work. The way meds are administered, how they speak etc. Examples being, a nurse asked mum if her visitors could please return the wheelchairs after use. Seems fair enough but mum took offence to this and felt the nurse was being awkward, so she has a mark against her now.
And another nurse 'apparently' forgot to administer her eye drops, so is now useless.
Other than that, they are all still lovely in there.

A member of staff she does like is the physio. Other than complaining that she doesnt come around frequently enough, apparently she should work a seven day week, she is a lovely woman. This lovely womman happened to be on the ward this morning when mum was having a walk, and was also there right at the very moment mum rose from a rest on a low seat. Having taken mum to the end of the hallway, I got her to sit for a minute to get herself together before the return trip, but the only chairs were low. Expecting her to need a hand to get up, I told her to get ready to go, and prepared myself to help her up. To my surprise, and the physio's delight, mum got up with very little effort and was ready to go. The physio exclaimed "very good, I dont need to come and see you today do I"

As a whole she is doing well, perky, full of energy, but just needs to get moving now. So I will make a point of that each visit now, and hopefully my sister will too.
Speaking of my sister, mum is growing increasingly worried about her health. Being ill the other day from what she thinks was lack of eating. Always on the go, and clearly stressed. Mum is now trying to avoid Paula doing too much for her, feeling guilty about how ill it seems to be making her. Mum seems to think that she is making Paula ill. I dont know where mum is getting this from, if Paula is telling mum things that she is misunderstanding or what, but mum really doesnt need this sort of worry right now.

So thats me for the morning, I shall report back on her condition this afternoon.

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