More Disappointment

I apologize for the delay in blog updates... there was to be a farewell party for us this Friday night; the venue was booked and all. Since our trip has been postponed, so was the party. However, my friend decided it would be the perfect foil as a surprise party for her husband's 40th! I am quite happy to celebrate in someone else's milestone! I just couldn't give up the secret on my blog in case he read it... hence the delay!

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Attempting not to write with a hot head, but today, it's a bit hard. When the paramedics picked up dad on Sunday they asked for the medication containers so they could write down the medication times. I specifially told them EIGHT AM, TWELVE PM, FOUR PM AND EIGHT PM for the Sinemet. When I went back to the hospital on Monday, I handed the ER Overflow nurse the pill containers instructing her that his Parkinson's medication needs to be prescribed at EIGHT AM, TWELVE PM, FOUR PM AND EIGHT PM. She said that made sense and wrote it down on the charts. (Deja-vous?) When I left dad on Monday night, he was tired, but content. Seeing him Tuesday just about broke my heart, writhing around in the bed in utter agnoy. I forgot to double-check with the nurses about his Sinemet doses... but why would you... he's in the care of the hospital, right? Right.

I had a 1pm meeting today with the social worker... she was amazing. She said that the paperwork came across the desk and she saw that we wanted to move to Sydney, Australia. She said to herself... Right, I want to help this family! Having lived for 6 months in Brisbane herself, she said that she could understand the draw! She also said that she'd walked passed dad's room on her way to the bathroom before visiting us, saw me, and had a shock! Typically working with clients in their 50s and 60s, she couldn't believe how young I was. Yep! That's me! Always the youngest in the geriatric ward by a country mile!

We talked about dad and determined that we are going to have to delay the trip by at least a couple of weeks... this I can handle, as I cannot see straight to organize final details right now, so could use the extra time. The rush to get to Sydney was to get dad there before he had a fall, but clearly that has flown out the window now! I can handle a two week delay. I cannot handle a cancellation... which is what the nurse at the station was implying when we went back to talk to her. She even went on to say that she was greatly concerned about dad yesterday. Which wasn't the impression I got yesterday... she seemed to think he'd be ok. Give me a straight, honest answer people. I need to deal with the truth!

In our course of conversation, dad's Sinemet dose came up again. We went to look over the charts, and low and behold, if the pharmacy hasn't prescribed the SAME stupid dosing they prescribed from Sunday. Dad isn't getting the proper medication dosing times. They were giving him a dose at 8 am, and then not another dose until 2pm. That's SIX hours between doses. His entire Sinemet history from November 2003, he's been prescribed doses every 4 hours. Then he was getting another dose at 6pm, and a dose and half at bedtime, or something whacked like that. What do they say about Parkinson's patients and medication? Say it with me people, "ON TIME, EVERYTIME." Otherwise it can take days, and weeks to recover. So if you consider that dad missed his dosing on Saturday, then Sunday, then they tried to get it on track on Monday, screwed up Tuesday and now Wednesday... add in 3 broken ribs and a clavicle, and is it any wonder the poor man is suffering?

A geriatric nurse gave me some great advice when dad was in the hospital back in November 2009, "You need to be your family's advocate." And do you ever. I am all over them in the hospital now. I checked his doses when I was back at the hospital at 7pm, and I will be the nosy, irritating family member checking those charts every day. Yay! My obsessive traits finally work as a positive!

I asked my brother tonight if he thought dad was dying... see, there's that dark place that I just can't get away from! He tried to reassure me that dad should be ok... once the medication gets back on track, and he needs his rest to recover from his breaks and bruises. Dad has rebounded back before, I just have to have faith to believe that he's going to do it again.

We're now playing the waiting game, seeing what happens with dad's mobility. We have a progress meeting next week at the hospital. In the meantime, I have to continue to live with this wobbly bit of worry that resides in my lower tummy. After three years of it, you'd think I'd be used to it by now... but no.

So disappointing news for sure... our trip has to be postponed for at least two weeks, provided they can get dad standing up. Come on dad.... we're rooting on you and that stubborn streak working as a postive for you, too!!!