Margaret is having Hallucinations

Yesterday started off OK.  Margaret was in a bit of pain but quite bright.   At lunch time she asked the nurse for some painkillers and was given Endone which helps a lot.  The problem was that five minutes later she had forgotten that she had taken it.  Fortunately I was there when she took it and, due to the nature of the drug the nurse had got another nurse to witness her give it to Margaret.  In a little while I got her settled and the pain did lessen.   I had seen the doctor earlier who said that they had to take off her TED stockings as they were putting too much pressure on her swollen legs but hoped that the injection to her tummy would ward off any stroke.  He wants to increase her Frusimide but can't due so until they can take a blood sample to check her kidney function.  They will try again on Monday.

I left Margaret after cutting up her lunch and helping her eat it.  She is having very good food, roast turkey and cranberry sauce with veggies.  I left her resting in bed as she felt a little weak.

I returned at 4.45 pm to find her sitting on the side of the bed in tears and obviously in some distress.  I sought out her nurse who said that Margaret had become more and more upset as the afternoon had progress and they had consoled and settled her down a couple of times.  I managed to get her calm and ask what the problem was.  In her own little world her room had been invaded by teenagers who had threatened to hurt her arm,   thrown Big Ted away and had told her that if she laid down they would hurt her.  Of course none of this had happened and she was having hallucinations. 

She has had hallucinations before during periods of steroid induced psychosis brought  on by steroid drips to reduce the effect of massive infections.  These have been harmless and amusing.   Once she had seen a film crew in her room making a documentary about the hospital.  Another time the hospital was taken over by Aboriginals over the weekend as they buried their leader.  These she found interesting but now she was terrified.  I got her settled and told her that the nurses had alerted security and she would have no more problems.  She was still afraid when I left.  I got Helen to phone her and the first time Margaret hung up as she thought it was the teenagers phoning and they had threatened her again.  Helen phoned back and got the nurse to calm Margaret down and let her know that is was Helen on the phone.  Gradually she calmed down but by now the teenagers had assaulted me and hurt my arm.  Helen told her that I was OK and finally she settled.  Helen was on the phone for an hour.

The nurses gave Margaret valium to reduce her anxiety and later her sleeping tablet. 

I am off to visit her now.