My OH is in hospital in intensive care

serena

Just wanted to send you love and hugs.

TiddlyPom

Just a quickie. Thrilled that OH is now home with you all. When you speak to the GP maybe ask for some anti-sickness drugs for your OH. I, too am on Morphine and really struggled with the nausea until I got these. They may also encourage him to eat a little if he isn't feeling so sick and that will help him heal faster.
I can't imagine you exhaustion, both physical and emotional, but know that this too, shall pass. Believe it or not, there is a time in the future when this will all be behind you and you have all healed.
You are all in my thoughts and prayers.

gwynlas

Hi Victory
Have checked in occasionally since you started this post but nothing to add until now.
Am amazed that OH discharged particularly by blue light which should only be used for emergencies. though I am sure that you are glad that he is home for Christmas. However and this is a big one be prepared for him to be readmitted to more local hospital. It really sounds as though this should and might have happened if it wasn't for Christmas. From what you have described regarding his pain levels, vomiting etc that he was sent home too soon. You cannot be expected to provide 24 hour nursing care as this is likely to be bad for you both, perhaps dangerous as well as you are not trained in any way as far as I'm aware. Whilst it might seem good for the family that he is at home and that you don't have the stress and worry of visiting him and he himself might not wish it push for his readmission if that is what you think he needs. Many people might judge him as being better that he is otherwise why was he discharged but you and those close to you have to live with the reality. Your GP sounds good ask him what he would be doing if he was placed in similar circumstances.

katsu

Good luck to you all. Keep pressing them with the problems. The NHS let my OH down and I learnt they can be great but you need to be more assertive than you think.

The list is a great idea. Friends love to help.

Many best wishes. You have the best Christmas gift you could want.

PS If he is like my DH he won't remember much about his time on morphine so it is harder for you than him!

Take care.

mum2one

northerntwo1 wrote: »

Ask for none oral pain relief, if he's vomiting you can't know how much he's taking. I preferred to inject after my accident as I'm a vomiter when in pain. Have they given you anti clotting injections if so you will have been shown or your OH will how to inject and dispose safely. Also ask for anti emetics. Try not to give on an empty stomach if possible. I found porridge the easiest to take a mouthful of with pain relief.


Please check on the anti clotting as this is vital with him being laid up, i know its only a short time, but ask, they may have been giving him the jabs in hospital but generally the patient should have a 4 week set of jabs to prevent and blood clots.

Dad did get blood clots on his lungs and hes on daily injections for 6 mths - after the first week he learnt to do his own, I do them as well for him, as a back-up,

As for aftercare, I'm glad that your proactive, I feel sorry in my heart for you, as you shouldn't be in this position, but it is a common event when people are out of the area,

I would speak to the GP and ask for all areas / follow ups / plans etc, - if it anything like my fathers discharge we had a ngtmare getting notes from the hospital, at one point they actually lost the notes.

For us we are in process of formal complaints, as unfortuatley the level of care from some of the departments were not up to standard, yet others have exceeded our needs.



Re the bad night. What helped me was not having a duvet on me. It feels like lead not feathers. Try to raise the duvet so it doesn't touch him or heat the room and use a sheet. It makes a huge difference to the sleep you get. As many cushions too as broken ribs are less painful when sitting.

A thought from dad, he had a blow up air cushion to sit on, and a blow up bed mattress, - he covered them in a quilt as the plastic made him sweat for England, as for the bed, they had a mini mattress / mattress topper, and this has improved his sleeping a lot.

The Red Cross have wheel chairs that you can pick up and may be open today.

The redcross were invaluable to us, we had a home assesment done by them, in addition to the medical ones, with the red cross, its about you all as the family, not just the patient, - we hired a wheelchair from them, we had it for 6 weeks, we gave a £20 donation, one really good service, - was the companion element, - esp when DH is better, we used it twice, a volunteer comes and sits with the person enabling you to get out or an appointment, there take the whole situ into account and what they can do for you.

Don't struggle alone. What has happened is too common this time of year so get your GP to help - I'm not panicking you, but you have 2 bank holidays and a weekend ahead. It needs organised today.

At this point in time, and the forseeable future your GPalmost becomes your best friend, - sounds daft but, there the ones who you go through for a lot, support, follow ups, check up, sick (fit!!) notes,

But great news he's home it must be a relief.

Glad your getting sorted, - and sounds like you have a good support network, it is all to common hospitals not relaying information to GP etc when your out of area, I could understand if your in Australia coming back to UK, but for county to county it should be the same.

If someone is due to ring you back regarding an appointment / service and they dont ring, be proactive and ring back, your the one living it,

I know from dads experience it took a couple of weeks to get out of hospital mode, bring everything together in respect of all agencies needed, working together, - touch wood were going smoothly but even thou is well on way to recovery, it is a long hard toll on everyone.

Sorry to ask but how is your youngest son coping now, - please dont think I'm being nosey / cheeky etc, but for dd her school have arranged for her to have councelling sessions to cope with it all. Although in my case it is grandad, - my ex (her father) is not around and due to all circumstances, my dad stepped into the father role, and has been dad to her since day 1, shes had 4 sessions and I think it has helped her, as one of my friends she lost her husband in Oct - dd had called them Uncle and Aunty, we'd been on holiday with them, he died of undiagnised blood clots, - which was what dad had, but his were found, and although DD was upset, she handled it better than I thought she would have.

I've babbled for England as always....

have a merry Xmas, - even if its a bowl of soup and a cracker, it will be the best tasting Xmas dinner ever, xxxxx

System

So sorry to hear OH is still suffering but glad you have him home. I echo what others have said about getting additional help if you need it. You are in my thoughts at this difficult time.

victory

northerntwo1 wrote: »

Ask for none oral pain relief, if he's vomiting you can't know how much he's taking. I preferred to inject after my accident as I'm a vomiter when in pain. Have they given you anti clotting injections if so you will have been shown or your OH will how to inject and dispose safely. Also ask for anti emetics. Try not to give on an empty stomach if possible. I found porridge the easiest to take a mouthful of with pain relief.

Re the bad night. What helped me was not having a duvet on me. It feels like lead not feathers. Try to raise the duvet so it doesn't touch him or heat the room and use a sheet. It makes a huge difference to the sleep you get. As many cushions too as broken ribs are less painful when sitting.

The Red Cross have wheel chairs that you can pick up and may be open today.

Don't struggle alone. What has happened is too common this time of year so get your GP to help - I'm not panicking you, but you have 2 bank holidays and a weekend ahead. It needs organised today.

But great news he's home it must be a relief.

No anti clotting injections, the doc came yesterday and gave OH anti sickness tablets, combined 2 of his meds into 1 and tweaked the dosage on 2 more, hopefully all that combined in a few days will have an effect, he is not so good today.

Funny you should say that about the duvet that is exactly what he said.

victory

RuthnJasper wrote: »

Good on you. You are strong and you CAN do this.

I hope that this doesn't seem patronising, you are older than me; and wiser by far than I could ever hope to be... but I am proud of you. You are a credit to your family in the best possible way. It'll be all right. xx

Not at all patronising, I maybe older than you but not at all wiser:rotfl: just trying to plod along in the right direction, one day at a time:)

victory

mum2one wrote: »

Glad your getting sorted, - and sounds like you have a good support network, it is all to common hospitals not relaying information to GP etc when your out of area, I could understand if your in Australia coming back to UK, but for county to county it should be the same.

If someone is due to ring you back regarding an appointment / service and they dont ring, be proactive and ring back, your the one living it,

I know from dads experience it took a couple of weeks to get out of hospital mode, bring everything together in respect of all agencies needed, working together, - touch wood were going smoothly but even thou is well on way to recovery, it is a long hard toll on everyone.

Sorry to ask but how is your youngest son coping now, - please dont think I'm being nosey / cheeky etc, but for dd her school have arranged for her to have councelling sessions to cope with it all. Although in my case it is grandad, - my ex (her father) is not around and due to all circumstances, my dad stepped into the father role, and has been dad to her since day 1, shes had 4 sessions and I think it has helped her, as one of my friends she lost her husband in Oct - dd had called them Uncle and Aunty, we'd been on holiday with them, he died of undiagnised blood clots, - which was what dad had, but his were found, and although DD was upset, she handled it better than I thought she would have.

I've babbled for England as always....

have a merry Xmas, - even if its a bowl of soup and a cracker, it will be the best tasting Xmas dinner ever, xxxxx

Babble away it is most gratefully recieved thank you, I do appreciate the help, youngest is very distraught I will say that but everyone is keeping an eye on him, he misses his old day, the cuddles, impossible with the pain at the moment, he is overwhelmed with how quickly his life went from having a dad that was x to a dad that is now well very different for now, anything he needs he knows he can come to any of us and we will help him understand etc, it is open here and he will adapt, he is a good lad.

It is a bowl of soup how did you know?:rotfl:

duchy

Sending you hugs Victory
You can make up for it all next Christmas (or have Christmas in June instead).

For now one day at a time