After lunch Margaret's GP dropped in to see how she was. He is very kind to Margaret and checked her lungs and also her mouth as she appears to have problems there. Her lungs are still half full of fluid and her breathing is laboured so she will probably need oxygen and Frusimide/Lasix for the foreseeable future. Margaret's mouth showed that she has Gingivitis but no obvious cavities in her teeth. To be on the safe side I have arranged for a Dentist to visit her in the Nursing Centre in a few weeks time. Any dental work will have to be carried out in hospital. She is now using a mouthwash recommended by her GP called Amosan which is, supposedly the best for treating gum disease.
Before he left I had a private word with him and he said that she is getting weaker and she is beginning to fail but knowing how Margaret's body fights to survive she could last a little longer yet.
On Thursday Helen had lunch with Margaret and while she was there saw that Margaret was developing pressure sores on he bottom. These are being treated by the RN but as she spends most of her time sitting in her chair some form of pressure relieve pad was required. I looked in for a couple of hours after lunch and we watched more of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival on TV. Margaret loves the horses.
Yesterday, Friday, Helen and I went in search of something for Margaret to sit on and the new mouthwash. Where we live is not really a good place to find medical things but we finally found a Pharmacy stocking Amosan and a recently opened store stocking a pressure relieving egg grate type mattress overlay which I intended to cut down to fit her chair.
Helen went in for lunch as she now intends to due each day. She found that Margaret had had some form of a dizzy spell and had been put back in bed. She looked really weak and when I arrived an hour or so later had improved a little and had her usual couple of teaspoons of lunch fed to her by Helen. She looked pretty awful but still showed a flash of humour when Helen announced that she had given up smoking and that produced a Nicorette stick to draw on! She has been trying to give up for 25 years.
Margaret in bed.
I cut up the foam egg crate materiel and fitted a double layer on her her chair seat so it would be available when she gets up again. We both assited her in using her electric tooth brush to clean her teeth. She can just hold it in her right hand and we directed her where to place it. She has to be told, "Top left, now top centre etc." otherwise it just stays in one position. We also got her to rinse out he mouth using Amosan and the carers have made a note to use it after breakfast as well. Unfortunately she dribbles a lot of it from the right side of he mouth.
I had intended that Helen should go home next Sunday the 14th but we both agree that we should wait what the next few days bring before making the airline booking. It is a long way to Adelaide!
We are going in about 10.30 am today with Louis and I will bring him home at lunch time and return to pick Helen up this afternoon.
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