Margaret was much the same with the exception that she had been given an enema and her constipation cured. I wish all her problems could be cured as easily.
On Monday I visited on my own using my little folding bicycle. Margaret was not feeling too well so I just sat with her for a couple of hours in the hope that her GP would visit which he didn't. Margaret was a bit upset as she claimed that he told he he would see her on Monday. He didn't visit in the evening either.
On Tuesday I went in by car which was a good thing as her TV had broken down leaving her just sitting and staring at nothing.
I went to the local large TV retailer and bought her another. I spent the rest of the visit setting up her new TV. I don't think that she really understands the programs but likes to have it on. During the visit the RN on duty dropped in to give Margaret her medications and offered the opinion that Margaret's breathing problems were caused by too much oxygen drying out her airways. I thought that this was a bit odd as Margaret literally gasps for breath following any exertion or even using a straw to drink but kept quiet as I would talk to Margaret's GP in the next day or so.
I visited Margaret early on Wednesday and took Louis in with me. I was going out to my computer club meeting in the afternoon. Margaret looked in a lot of discomfort but the RN said that she looked OK to them. While there I checked to see if she was still using painkilling patches, Norspan. I found one on her back dated 31 August 2010 which, as they only lasted for seven days was a bit useless. I queried it with the RN who looked all through Margaret's record and she could not tell if she was having patches or not. She could have morphine or Oxycontin as require but as she never asked she wasn't being given them.
Back at home I left a message for Margaret's GP who called me back later in the evening. He would drop in and see Margaret on Thursday. He had been intending to visit her on Monday but had been off work with an infection and was only just over it.
I visited at 12.30 pm on Thursday. She was in even worse condition and in the end we got the RN to give her an Oxycontin which helped her settle down. Just before I left A, her GP, dropped in. He checked her lungs and was dismayed to find them still very wet and she will be on her large dose of Frusimide/Lasix for at least another week. He also reinstated the patches and emphasised to the RN's that Margaret is critically ill with Pulmonary Oedema and was also in continual pain. Their primary duty was to keep Margaret comfortable even at the risk of over dispensing pain killers.
Poor Margaret had told me earlier that she would never get out of "this place" and I promised her that if she got well enough I would take her out. I mentioned this to her GP and he said that it would be very unlikely that she would even improve that much.
When I phoned Helen in the evening we agreed that in order to give Margaret something to look forward too that we should arrange a birthday party for me on the 2nd November. I will get Helen up to stay for another couple of weeks.
I am off to tell Margaret this news in a little while. She doesn't want me to take Louis is as she gets upset as she can't really cuddle him.
I think that the problem with Margaret and the RNs is that she is now in the Dementia wing, where she belongs, but they had forgotten that she was originally in the High Care wing and still needs the higher level of nursing for her illnesses. Most of the other dementia residents are reasonably fit.
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