*****Too much information warning***
Having said that I hadn’t had an accident in ages, and I was perfectly OK to come home, I had a massive accident! Hope was a bit overwhelmed I think, but coped admirably (although this involved getting things from bedroom and the stores). Got me put on loo, and we decided to throw my knickers away. He went and left me to finish off. Unfortunately, although I rang the bell to say that I’d finished, nobody came, then he came back and left again to get my night pad. While he was gone, Jan the experienced care worker came and started sorting me out and getting me dressed for bed. Hope came back, but Jan said she was fine. She was very reassuring, calmed me down (I was a bit upset) and we talked about children and grandchildren.
****Ok now****
Settled in bed and watched the news, then listened to the radio. Ate quite a lot of rich tea biscuits. Mindful of the suggestion of losing the pressure mattress, so lay in a different position. And moved legs. Mb still marching up and down corridor with care assistant. Shoutey man shouting. Went to sleep. Had a quiet night.
Woke at 5.45 before being woken up for sugars. High (for morning) at 12.2 – that’ll be all the rich tea biscuits (and I had raided my hypo jelly baby stash and eaten one). Sherley came to check my pad, which needed changing, so she gave me a pull up nappy (called trainer pants when used for toddlers) to see how I got on with them. If I’m not needing it changed, these are easier for both care staff and me. She said that they had had 6 staff on overnight, as they had not only Hope needing supervision and training, but also another care assistant being assessed. Result- she spent a lot of the shift catching up, on paperwork, admin and getting things tidy. I do like Sherley.
Put radio on at about 7 and then dozed until breakfast. As usual drugs round being done by a student nurse (I think her name is Maame), who was being closely supervised by the staff nurse. She is on her first placement as she just started her training in January. Protocol is obviously that they have to watch patients taking their medication, so she watched me like a hawk as I swallowed the 16 tablets a couple at a time!
Started on emails etc, then read for a bit until I was asked if I’d like a shower! Oh, yes please. Bathroom in use so, as last time, I was in a queue. My time came, and after I’d been to loo in my bathroom (we thought it would be simpler than using the loo in the shower room), Catherine (care asst) and I gathered everything together and I scooted off down the corridor while she brought the walking frame. It was much easier than the last shower, when I was using the cricket, although we had to be aware that the floor does slope slightly. I did as much as I could myself, but again couldn’t quite manage the feet (and Catherine was a bit worried about me leaning forward). Got dressed in shower room, then scooted back to my room to do teeth and brush hair just in time for coffee.
They were doing the deep clean of my room that we’d planned for today when I was supposed to be on the home visit, so I took my iPad and phone and took myself off to the day room, where it was lovely and sunny. Gerry was there doing the hairdressing, and she had a queue of people booked in, so I didn’t have mine done (no problem as I’d washed it in the shower). I wasn’t deliberately listening, but you can’t help but overhear and the lady she was doing first had had her stroke just as she was coming into Buenos Aires on a cruise. Just goes to show how important good travel insurance is.
One gentleman had a visitor who was given special permission to visit as he works shifts as a driver for GWR. He was showing the patient pictures of his recent holiday – he was a biker and had gone over the Millau Bridge, so I chipped in and we then talked about the Bridge and how we’d gone when it had just opened, so there was no visitor centre. He’d bought a mug, but the was another mug in the shop showing it in mist (I’d said how it had been misty for one of our crossings), but there’s not much room in panniers! We talked about the beauty of Scotland – he’s done the famous biker road (can’t remember the name) and likes the west coast roads and Fort William.
Back to my room for Daily Politics, then pre lunch sugars – 9.6. Lunch was ham salad and another cut up in a bowl banana. It was quite a small banana, so I ate the remaining apple that Dad had brought last week.
Stacey came for my physio. We agreed that we would concentrate on walking, so I walked with the frame from my chair to the loo, and then the seemingly huge distance out of my bathroom into the rehab room and to the bench. Feeling good! Sat down for a rest, then needed to concentrate on the movements needed for walking as at the moment I am tending to walk straight legged (think Wallace and Grommit The Wrong Trousers). Need to put weight on one leg, then with the other leg, bend hip, then knee, then ankle and move forward. Put heel down, then foot, then straighten knee then hip, then transfer weight and repeat with other leg. We were doing this whilst walking along the bench, so only being supported on one side with one arm/hand. This went quite well to start with, and then my left leg stopped cooperating completely. It wouldn’t move properly, it wouldn’t support my weight and a couple of times I had to grab the table with both hands. However, I had managed to do the length of the table once and partly back again before we decided to call it a day, and I sat down in a chair Stacey had brought to me while she went and got my wheelchair. She said I had still done very well, although I was disappointed. She pointed out that I have moved on to the next stage – walking with one side support, and that I had understood the movements well and was implementing them before leg gave up. So, not too disappointed then.
Sat quietly for a while as I was knackered, then rang bell for loo. All went well, both in terms of pooing and standing and transferring. I even managed to let go of the frame with one hand while I was standing to help pull up my trainer pants and trousers.
Blood pressure taken by Maame. You can tell she’s new – took a long time to do, and left the cuff and finger clip on a long time so that the figures would still be showing as she found the right place in my file and wrote them down. Temperature fine, bp 111/65. Staff nurse came and asked her to go and do something else and said she’d finish the obs. No doubt, Maame will get quicker with more practice! Left tv off as it is really noisy today – visitors coming back and forth, Mb walking up and down (popping her head round the door sometimes) and being talked to, the call buzzer going (as soon as one gets cancelled, and other starts), trollies, and there is an alarm that is incredibly annoying that they’ve had to call maintenance for. So, couldn’t hear tv even if it was on.
Stella just came in to ask if it is ok if she amends my care plan in light of what was agreed in the meeting yesterday. I said that I thought that would be eminently sensible. She asked what I wanted the carers to do when they came, and we agreed that the morning visit they would be getting me up, toileted, washed and dressed and downstairs, the evening visit would be the reverse of that, and that lunch time and evening would just be toileting. I don’t need any help with taking medicines, or getting meals (so hopefully Juli and/or Sian can come and have lunch with me), but with the perching stool I should be able to manage to make myself a sandwich at lunchtime. We also discussed how I would wash. I said ideally, I will wash my lower half in bed with a waterproof sheet, then my top half in the bathroom at the sink. Discussed the step in the bathroom and need for the ramp, but then progress to using frame and possibly perching stool, not using the chair or ramp, but being able to manage the step. I said that we hadn’t done steps yet in physio. As per most things, need to see how things go. Stella said it was difficult to envision how it would work when they hadn’t seen the house, and the community OT hadn’t seen me.
Started doing the update. Pre supper sugars 16.7. Supper was quite late (well late in hospital meal time terms!) in that we didn’t start starters until nearly quarter to 6. As the soup was leek and potato, which I like, I had that, then liver casserole with mash and peas, followed by an apple. Was assertive and said I could do my own insulin. Cup of tea arrived at about 6.20 and I’d just started it when I needed to ring the bell for the loo. Successful transfer with chair and frame (except the footrests keep falling off the chair when you try to swing them to the side. No problem, but annoying).
Juli arrived as I was in loo. Came out, and sorted out the clothes that Juli had brought in for me (including my boots as the physio has said that whilst my pink shoes are really good for transfers and was ok for the cricket but when walking I need a bit more support for my heels. I will also need some supportive slippers for home. We went to the drinks machine. Didn’t come back to the day room as it was full of noisy people. Sat by the table which has magically appeared by the drinks machine and we told each other about our days. Discussed the care package. Discussed work. Juli told me about the new Sky Q that has been installed today. It seems a bit technical, but we have lots of tv in lots of places in the house. Came back to room to sort out my clothes for tomorrow. Time for Juli to go, and he promised to text me when he gets home and to let me know what he’s having for supper.
For some reason, at 8pm the door to my room clicked and shut itself. It’s a fire door, and I assume this was a H&S issue (perhaps something to do the the noise that needed the maintenance man earlier). I was going to ask about it, but it just went and opened it again. It hasn’t shut itself again since.
Haven’t done any knitting or colouring today, but have done some chatting with other people, so on the whole, I’ve had a good day. No sign of M, so I think they may have found her a care home. I hope she’ll be ok.
Watching Master Chef. I really want some real food! My sugars will probably be a bit high in the morning as I have every intention of having some chocolate buttons tonight!
Goodnight.
No comments:
Post a Comment