Things get Worse

When I visited Margaret yesterday afternoon she was a lot more comfortable and her pain control was working providing she didn't try and use her left arm.  I stayed for an hour or so before coming back to the resort for a rest before dinner.  Even so I was tucked up in bed and asleep by just after 9.00 pm.

This morning I got to the hospital just before official visiting at 11.00 am and Margaret was in a very lethargic and confused state.  She wanted to get out of bed to go to the loo and I called a passing nurse to help her.  I was told that she requires two people to assist her onto a special toilet chair to be wheeled to the loo and helped back in the same way.  Margaret had other ideas I heard her get off the chair and try and get out of the loo and back to bed.  I rang for her nurse why I tried to get Margaret to stay still.  She was actually using her broken arm to support herself.

I asked if she had had all her medications and the nurse said yes so I asked if they included her steroids (prednisone) and I was told no as these had not been written up.  I asked to see her doctor who, by luck, was on the ward.  A mistake had been made and Margaret had gone over 48 hours without steroids which are vital to keeping her functioning properly after the demise of her adrenal glands a few years ago.  She was given them immediately and she slowly she became more alert.

That was the  good news, the doctor said that her blood tests had shown that her kidney function had dropped significantly and the Creatine Level was over 300 and eGFR 13.  Normally dialysis would carried out but, as I have said before, not in Margaret's case.  They have stopped most of her non-essential medications, even Frusimide.  Her legs are already swollen and they have put on TED stockings to assist drainage.  As excess fluid affects her heart she is in a precarious position between total Kidney failure and congestive heart failure.

I stayed with Margaret from 11.00 am to 3.00 pm.  She is not in too much pain but hasn't eaten anything today and they are trying to get her to drink more water.  She was visited by another specialist in geriatrics and she will probably be transferred to medical ward in the next couple of days.  He confirmed that if all goes well Margaret is looking at between 6 and 12 weeks before she can return home and even this will be subject to a safety review.

At least I am getting some rest at the hotel which will prepare me for the next few months.