Looking for the silver lining

*Robin*

Kindle fire sounds great - much better than using the rip-off pay-as-you-lie-there TV (it cost us thousands for SIL to watch EastEnders during her last illness - she was in hospital for over a year! :mad:).

Don't blame DH for pulling out his NG tube - they are really uncomfortable for the more concious patient - so that's another good sign. You'll have to stuff him with mashed bananas, rice pud etc when you visit.

ETA: Now he's back on the Ward, keep an eye on DH's chart. Short-handed, over-worked nurses have hearts of gold but are not infallible; make sure any mistakes are corrected quickly (personally have saved several lives by being on the ball after an exhausted nurse has accidentally swapped meds for two patients, then written down the dose she's given. Next drug round, different nurse looks at chart and gives same drug, not realising it should have been taken by the person in the next bed.. ). Patients whose family check up in this way, who go in daily and help their loved one eat, etc - those patients tend to do much better than the ones who rarely have visitors.
Sad but true.

mummytogirls

Glad to hear DH is getting stronger by the day.
Such a thoughtful gift, im sure he will really appreciate it. £10 for 3 days :eek: xx

Sun_Addict

Thank you for all your lovely messages!

I am looking after myself - I have good days and bad days. Today is a sad day as we should currently be in the air flying to Lanzarote for OH's birthday. Apparently they are having a heatwave there at the moment.

I've also cancelled the week's holiday we had booked for August (for my birthday) as if I cancel it at this stage I'll only lose the £120 deposit I paid. As I have no idea what will be happening in August I thought it best to cancel. Hopefully we'll be able to go somewhere at some stage.

Fortunately we went to Lanzarote in January and had a fabulous time. I'm so glad we went now. Now you all know why I called myself Sun Addict!

"See" you all later!

Sun_Addict

Don't know what to think about tonight's hospital visit. OH was quite tearful and saying he couldn't keep it up much longer one minute and then a bit more cheerful the next. He asked his sister how their mum was but she died 11 years ago. However his sister said her husband asked about his deceased mum when he was on medication. The consultant did say the steroids would make him confused. DD finally went to see him tonight but she is now upset as she thought he looked ill.

He is to have another MRI scan tomorrow to see how things are going. The feeding tube might be coming out in a couple of days so then he can eat and drink properly again.

Buffythedebtslayer

ooooof. Much roughness at the hospital then? Not good. not good at all.

I am glad your DD went, the first time seeing your Dad in hospital -that man who has always been there now, together, your safety, looking vunerable and not making huge amounts of sense is extremely tough. As I am sure it is for you too xxx. However the first time is the worst, you do get used it. Not in a bad way - it just stops being a shock.

I think that is the way of it when someone you love is ill. This next bit will sound really obvious but the barometer for your daily lives becomes the hospital visits. It is hard. hard hard hard and then a bit harder xxxx

All of life carries on normally which is strange to you as you are not. bit like being a goldfish bowl.

Anyway, you will do this my love, you get into the rhythm of it and you do find joy in the small things, have jokes and good times. There are days when you think you cannot cope but they pass. they do pass. remember that.

Sending you lots of love and hugs
xxxx

please-let-me-be-lucky

Big hugs from me too Xx It can be so hard when you don't know what to expect day by day. If it's any consolation my DH also asked about deceased relatives as if they were still alive when he was 'coming out of the fog' and I was also told that it was normal. One minute he'd believe he was back at school and the next that he was in a hotel paid for by his work as part of a training course in London. He really couldn't understand why I'd driven to London to see him! Some days he was euphoric and buzzing, the next he was full of sorrow and self pity. I even got a phone call in the middle of the night because he was sure he'd been in charge of our eldest son and had lost him . He was distraught and wouldn't believe the nurses that all was fine until he spoke to me and I promised him that DS1 was safe in bed.

I hope this isn't freaking you out, I'm just trying to reassure you that 'anything' is normal at this stage. I'm sure things feel worse for you today because of the holiday thing too. Fingers crossed things are better all round tomorrow Xx

taxi73

sorry to hear that things are so rough at this point..it's so hard for you to see
Buffy and let me be lucky summed it up so well in their words(a lot better than I can)..big hugs and one day at a time x

tunathe_cat

*Robin* wrote: »

Kindle fire sounds great - much better than using the rip-off pay-as-you-lie-there TV (it cost us thousands for SIL to watch EastEnders during her last illness - she was in hospital for over a year! :mad:).

Don't blame DH for pulling out his NG tube - they are really uncomfortable for the more concious patient - so that's another good sign. You'll have to stuff him with mashed bananas, rice pud etc when you visit.

ETA: Now he's back on the Ward, keep an eye on DH's chart. Short-handed, over-worked nurses have hearts of gold but are not infallible; make sure any mistakes are corrected quickly (personally have saved several lives by being on the ball after an exhausted nurse has accidentally swapped meds for two patients, then written down the dose she's given. Next drug round, different nurse looks at chart and gives same drug, not realising it should have been taken by the person in the next bed.. ). Patients whose family check up in this way, who go in daily and help their loved one eat, etc - those patients tend to do much better than the ones who rarely have visitors.
Sad but true.

Would second this so true the Nhs expect you family to be Carer at Home - but do not give you the respect as carer when hubby in hospital. It always amazes me when hubby has seizure at home (brain Tumour) we are told to keep calm and not panic watch observe remove from any dangers recovery when back or 999 is longer than 5 minutes or injured etc.,
But when they happen at hospital Staff appear out of woodwork
running for seizure box bleeping Drs.,

Hubby got confussed too after a seizure he forgot to speak English would only speak in Arabic and respong to commands request in Arabic.
not good for me as I can only swear ask for money/kisses !!!

There will be good days and bad on this train journey you and hubby are on. There will be times when you want to stop the train and get off or just jump as its moving. But then there will be times when you stop at stations and have the most wonderful day/time - may you have lots of these in the future

Pm me if need chat
Andrea
xx
Andrea

please-let-me-be-lucky

Lovely message Andrea Xx

Sun_Addict

Thank you all so much - I feel a lot better now:A

Today I've paid another £50 extra payment a week off the Barclaycard so this now stands at £1550 and sent £8.51 to my VSP so now have £156.66 in this.

Will update tonight - hopefully more postively!