Although we had an accident, due the movicol kicking in at 2.45 this morning, I had a pretty good nights sleep. Each time I got up to put mum on the commode I did it efficiently and she was sound asleep again within 10 minutes and I was sleeping again shortly after. I was up at 4.45, 5.45, 6.45 and then we got up at 8. At around 10.30am I got mum wrapped up and we went for a walk. It was a beautiful day and the sun was actually quite warm. We didn't go far but mum seemed to enjoy getting out in the fresh air.
Her shaking is still really bad but Tony arranged for her to go back on the seroxat and she had her first one today. She has also had 4mg of diazepam twice and will have another 4mg at 10pm when she has her low sodium meds. She went to bed at 7.30pm and is sound asleep at the moment. I have a feeling this will be her time for bed from now on as she was exhausted.
A girl from icare, the company providing the carers, came around 12 and carried out an assessment on mums needs so tomorrow at 7am two carers will arrive and take over for 1 hour. During that hour they will get mum up, washed and dressed, commode, give her some breakfast and her meds and will leave her comfortable wherever she wants to be at 8am. During that time once I've shown them where everything is tomorrow I will be free to go for a shower, take a walk round the block or whatever. They will then come back at 7pm for another hour. They will get her washed and into her nightie and then put her to bed or into her chair at 8pm depending on what she wants to do. During this time I will be able to go next door and have a brew with Gillian and the kids, so I think that will definitely help.
At 1.15pm the OT, physio and moving and handling coordinator came to show me how to use the stand-aid with the various slings they had supplied. Yesterday it had been apparent that mum was not safe enough in the first two slings they had ordered. Today we tried the 3rd and it was clear that what we need is a hoist NOT a stand-aid which I had told them a couple of days ago. The OT and physio are absolutely lovely but the moving and handling coordinator is a total idiot! She told me that the way I was transferring mum from chair to commode etc was not safe and that I was putting my mum, but more so me, at risk. She told me that I should support mum from the side and that she would show me how to do it. OMG! Mum was more at risk at that point than she's ever been and I had to step in and grab mum before she fell flat on her face probably taking her eye out on the table as she went down. I was absolutely livid! Mums shaking became totally out of control she had been so scared. This woman then tried to justify her actions in terms of keeping the carer safe. I told her I didn't want to hear anymore. All I wanted was the correct equipment that would help me to transfer mum and keep her safe. I cannot believe this woman is advising people on safe handling of a patient you had to see it to believe it. Michelle, the OT, and Gemma, the physio were mortified! Gemma phoned later and apologised. She assured me the hoist would arrive over the weekend and that she and Michelle would come round on Monday to show me how to use it. She made it clear that the idiot would not be coming with them!
My aunt and uncle arrived just after 1pm and mums face lit up. She adores her baby brother, aged 68 and her sister-in-law, aged 66, the youngsters of the family Lol! Mum has definitely had a better day, once the know-it-all left and went happily to bed at 7.30pm, tired but happy. I'm just hoping that she doesn't spring to life when I'm ready to get my head down!
Tomorrow my aunt and uncle will look after mum while I take Thomas to his dance lesson. It will be the first time I've been out on my own since mum came home on Tuesday and I'm looking forward to the break although I feel a bit guilty at wanting to be away from mum for a couple of hours.
