I would like to hear others stories about advocating for a parent solo. When you are the primary and only caregiver for a very sick mother and am told by my own mother that she feels like she is dying and for me to call the paramedics immediately. I do what she demands and an hour later the nurse calls me to come and pick her up that she has been released, I was so frustrated and not to mention, ill myself, that I raised h--l when I got to the ER. She was spiking a 101.8 fever and had been throwing up with diarrhea. The doctor tells me that all her tests are negative but meanwhile she is as weak as a kitten and can not lift her head off of the pillow. You really have to advocate for your loved one when you know she is very sick but is putting on a brave face for the medical staff. After reexamining her, the doc finally decided to admit her for 1 or two days to run more tests. I was in tears as I left the hospital. Anyone else relate? And what was your outcome?
I know I am venting quite a bit to you but when it comes to the elderly my dear I believe we are on our own to know and demand the care they deserve....
It is my biggest fear with respect to mothers health now, just being able to trust dr;s n hospitals that are out of control! I found thru requesting all her record about these ordeals they show a whole different light of the situation....most doctors I believe aren't even listening.. when I read the transcripts of so called assesments in the ER they are not even close to what is being discussed and not anywhere near what is printed on your release paperwork it is truly scary and sad to say I know how to read xrays and the sound of a bone breaking now every incident we learn but at the cost of our loved ones pain and suffering and in some cases life!!!! OMGOsh lord help us all!!! if this is the norm as Imho!
You say they called you to come and pick her up? Why was it that you were not there with her? Yes, it is necessary to advocate, but is very hard to do if you cannot see what they are doing for her. More info, please.
In one of our earlier incidents I had to follow the ambulance up, but I was in my jammies so I told em I need 10 minutes to get dressed and I'd be right behind them. When I got there the DR was in with mom already (shocking in itself cuz I have never had one in room that quick before, usually you sit there for eternity) anyway I proceeded to tell him the situation and issue. first off mom has not been in the kitchen or cooked a meal in 10 ys, and past year she lost her ability to walk and is wheelchair bound. The dr report read that she was in kitchen cooking and fell.....not what I told him happened that she wiggled out of her wheelchair in the living room and dropped down straight on her butt, recovering from a broken hip I needed that all checked out. the only thing I can figure is he asked her with leading questions and she answers yes, or agrees, to please., cause she would have never come up with that story on her own...she doesn't do stuff like that. But it surely was not at all close to what I told him had happened. It is all over her records that she has dementia and discussed with them everytime. So anyway he must have tried to talk to her in that short amount of time I wasn't there and took that for the case. Not what I told him happened! if you could here the rest of what happened it would shock you, but that is just small clip of why someone in the know must be there with them.
glornorth, I'm going to try something. Back later...
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