h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It is quite understandable that your mother tries to cling on to the life she has been living in her own home - wouldn't we all? - but it doesn't seem to be a realistic option any more, does it?

In a nursing home she can be looked after 24/7 - and most of them are actually not the prisons many people describe them as. Most of them are actually very comfortable.

Sending her home may ony result in her going in and out of hospitals constantly.

I think now is the time to follow your head more than your heart, luv

I would second that Pierce. It is a difficult decision but probably the best in the long run.

Websailor

The family meeting went well, all 4 siblings in attendance! Plus the professionals and someone representing Mum's interests. They seemed dead set against Mum going into a nursing home/care home.

The decision was to send her home on 2nd April. They have put together a care package (the highest) 4 visits a day to begin with. Three night visits. We're organising a bed base and a commode and a keylock, they are supplying a special mattress like the one she's been using up to now and fitting bars around the toilets. District nurse will visit for bloodtests, etc. I will stay over the first few nights until she gets acclimatised. I'll also be looking into Meals On Wheels or somesuch although she doesn't eat enough to keep a sparrow alive. It would be more beneficial if I were to go round every midday and make her something she fancies. She's on that build-up milk at the moment and it seems to fill her up.

Must dash, visiting her, doing my shopping and have to be at her house this afternoon to let the toilet equipment people in as they have to measure up (again).

Later, peeps

Who am I to argue with this? After all I'm over here and not being a professional at all.

Of course I still wish you all

Good wishes to all.

Well I hope that works out. I am glad you all got together on this. The appetite thing is worrisome. It is actually one of the uses of medical pot to stimulate appetite. But I doubt that the NHS is down with that.

Oh well the shit just hit the fan. I've just taken a telephone call from the Beacon informing me that they got the dates wrong, she's being discharged next Tuesday not the Tuesday after. I told them the special mattress is being delivered Monday and the bed not-before-Tuesday, so I have earned us another 2 days respite. Discharge day is now Thursday 28th March, 2pm.

*PANIC-mode engaged*

Oh, GB, I am sorry, that's all you need. They seem to have no conception of the problems such things cause.

Do let us know how the care package works out.

Please, in amongst all the hassle and rush try and take care of yourself.



Websailor

Hope all is well GB? Weather here not nice but nothing compared with other parts of the country, yours included I guess.

Websailor

all is well, thanks very much

Mum is looking forward to going home. We've organised a single bed for the dining room, a commode for her bedroom upstairs when she eventually goes back up there, and we've been promised the full care package of 4 carer visits a day for the first few weeks. I'll have to spend the day at her house tomorrow to accept delivery of the new bed and special mattress. I'm taking a bottle of milk for and a pack-up lunch. And my astronomy magazine. And a double fitted sheet which I'm going to have to adapt because I couldn't find a single non-fitted sheet which would be suitable for the special mattress (I *hate* sewing)

I'll be spending the first few nights at hers, so I'm on call if needed. Then it'll be a case of gaining confidence, hers and mine about when it'll be ok to leave her alone.

I'm glad it is coming together for you luv. to your mum and you. I hope she gets settled in OK.

Yes indeed

A friend ... I hate sewing too

Hope it all works out for you both, So am I right in thinking we might not hear from you for a few days?




Websailor

In Germany they sell sets of little elastic strips with clips on the end to make fitted sheets out of non-fitted sheets.

I've never used them, but if your Mum doesn't move about much in bed, I don't see why they shouldn't work.

Link in next post, as it might be yikesed, being commercial.

They can also be used for fitting your ironing board cover snugly over the ironing board.

http://www.weltbild.de/3/13749573-1/geschenke-lifestyle/bettlaken-spanner-8er-set.html

Yeah, the idea is okay but they do not w*rk very well in my experience, TC. I believe a few pieces of elastic band and a few stitches w*rk better

It's the non-fitted we need, because she's having a special air-bed mattress delivered and they MUST NOT be used with fitted sheets as they inhibit the movement of the mattress, I hope that makes sence. What I have done is bought a double-bed fitted sheet, and today I am going to cut off all the fittedness in the corners, then hem it to make a single sheet, but at least that will be one job out of the way. I can't believe I couldn't find a single bed sheet. Used to have them on my own bed as a child, before the advent of "continental" quilts which my Dad was very suspicious of (until my mother bought one...)

I'll be logging in every day once she's home, because I'll have to come here to feed Goldie and do my own housework, etc. I'll make time for updates

My own Mom is back in a convalescent care facility at the moment after a visit to the emergency ward and some preliminary diagnostic medical work.

The indications I see at the moment suggest possibly some kind of trouble with the spleen.

The point on appetite is certainly a serious one and a commonplace with the very elderly.

Bile production goes sky high during the middle years (~45 to 50), accounting for middle aged bloat, but drops off again, sometimes to nothing, around 70+ with the consequence of emaciation, since fats, even the three essential fatty acids (linolenic, linoleic and arachodonic acids) are not absorbed across the intestinal lining unless first emulsified with bile.

This can produce an actual fatty acid deficiency, which can be life threatening.

I'm going to talk to the doctor about getting her started with bile salts, and start giving her a royal jelly supplement.

Her appetite may improve.

It makes perfect sense, Ann. I hope your solution w*rks out for her