Barnsley Hospital - update

[panik]

Mum's not coming home, yet. Her blood thinned too dramatically on the Warfarin and they had to give her an injection of vitamin k; they've changed her dose and re-balanced the hundred and one other drugs she also takes and  we have to wait another 48 hours before they'll know if she's stable.

::heaves a mighty sigh::

You know, it's really lucky that Mark and I work from home (when we work at all) or it could all have been a bit sticky. Dad's condition means he's really not safe to drive any more - in fact his car is off the road with a dodgy exhaust and the tax and insurance are out of date. Getting to the hospital from a remote spot like this would take 3 buses and he'd never remember or cope (and how long would that take?) The hospital run their own out of town patient taxi but it only comes out here 2ce a week. he'd be so stuck if we were forced to go home to go back to work.

Jackie, the memory doc came to the house yesterday with all dad's blood and psych tests. They're pretty sure his problems aren't  Alzheimer’s, just normal degeneration possibly exacerbated by shock and the fact he sits indoors with mum all the time nowadays. He needs to work his brain, basically.

He used to be a chess champion so we've bought him a chess game and we're looking into local chess clubs too. I'm not sure how much it'll help, but at least it might re-ignite an interest, and he won't have to learn new skills for that.

One hour gap between the above and this... Our spanky new bed has arrived from California. Mercifully the enormous thing is in two halves so it shouldn't limit our house search too much. ::G:: But, it's only 2/3 of the whole - minus its frame  - ::sighs again:: Of course, the UK shippers say that's all they received; no doubt the US shippers will say 'we sent it all'.

Man.

::heads out to do mighty battle via email::

Hamish the dog appears to be in love with one of the delivery guys; he was all over him, followed him to the van - was all set to go back to Mildenhall. Maybe they were lovers in a former life? He wouldn't come back in the house and is all disconcerted and difficult now that the guys have left.

It was a quiet night at the hospital last night, nothing interesting to report, alas - though the new patient in the corner bed is actually a nurse at Barnsley Hospital and looks like she might be a bit of a case (as we say up north). I shall keep you all informed... (o:

Comments

[annabrela.livejournal.com]

Does your dad have symptoms other than memory loss? My father had failing memory along with difficulty walking. Very similar to Alzheimers. Dr's thought for years that it was aging related, but turned out he had a condition called NPH (normal pressure hydrocephelus). They put a shunt in and now he's fine.

Sending best wishes your way. Anna

[gillyp.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the best wishes, hon.

NPH - I never heard of that, does it show up on a blood or psych test?

He has no other symptoms than a really poor memory. he's fine cognitavely, no problems understanding anything and knows he should remember, he just doesn't. He's 80 years old - we've got him in the chess club, anyhow, see if that helps.