Give Them The Money. Part Three.

I knew it was the ambulance crew before I answered the phone as it showed on my mobile, no caller ID I didn’t know what to expect, but I knew it would be about Mum. Amos said, “Just to let you know, your Mum is now inside the hospital,” I answered, “Thank you, what do I do next?” He said, “Phone the hospital at about 8am and let them know your Mum arrived by ambulance, and they will be able to trace your Mum quickly and tell you where to go.” I said, “Thank you both for your help, for helping Mum,” He said, “No problem.” I was grateful Mum was only in the ambulance for three hours and not five, compared to many others recently.

I knew there was nothing more I could do now, but to have a sandwich and go to bed. I didn’t think I would sleep but thankfully I did. I kept my phone next to me on loud, in case the hospital rang. 

I woke suddenly at 05.20am alert knowing Mum was in hospital. I checked my phone to make sure I had not missed any phone calls. Last night would have been too late to text my brothers and other family members, as most use their mobiles as alarms.

I went downstairs and at 05.25am I rang the hospital. Eventually I got through to the doctor who is looking after my Mum, he said, “Your Mum has a chest infection, and her heartbeat is fast.” I asked if I could bring a flask of tea and sandwiches for Mum, as the ambulance crew had informed me that they had offered Mum tea and sandwiches but she didn’t want them, and that yesterday, Mum had only had breakfast the whole of the day.” He replied, “Yes of course bring anything, that will encourage her to eat and drink.” I said, “Can you let Mum know that I rang, and that I will come over and see her 8am this morning.” He said, “Yes I will pass on your message, but I won’t say the time.” I said, “OK, thank you.”

I got myself ready and did my usual morning routines, it was pitch dark outside, I knew that if I went too early, I would be completely on my own, after I had parked my car far away from the huge hospital grounds, and no one would be about, so I needed to be walking when it was lighter.

I made sandwiches for Mum and I and made Mum a flask of weak tea sweetened with honey.

I arrived at the accident and emergency at 09.00am. I was led to the bay where Mum was. It was lovely to see her. She was still in accident and emergency. The nurses were lovely. The doctor too. Two nurses walked with Mum to the loo, to also assess her walking. On their return, they informed me, “Mum will need to go to another ward, she will be assessed on that ward, and it is quieter up there, here there are lots of beeping.” I replied, “OK.”

An hour later Mum was on the same bed, and pushed through the corridors and into the lift to another ward.

This next ward, was indeed nice and quiet, it seemed there was spaces for four beds, three were occupied, included the bed Mum was in.

Here again the nurses they were lovely, they offered us lots of drinks of tea, coffee, or hot chocolate. I had tea twice, as I try not to use the loo at hospitals if I can help it. Mum was offered breakfast she chose toast. Four slices quickly came but Mum only ate a bit, I tried to encourage Mum to eat some more, but she didn’t.

Mum was cold, I put a hat on her that I had brought with me and a cardigan around her shoulders and the two sheets around the front of her body and legs. The hot chocolate seemed to be a success with Mum and she drank that when it was offered.

At lunch time came, sandwiches a nice selection was offered, Mum chose ham and mustard, but only ate a bit. Dinner time came and a hot meal was offered, again a choice. It had a posh name; Mum didn’t eat it. So, seeing that Mum didn’t eat that, a nurse offered Mum another choice of sandwiches, she declined. I asked Mum, “Do you want the ham sandwiches that I have brought for you?” Mum replied, “No, thank you,” So, I ate both our sandwiches, for I had not had breakfast yet, I had been too nervous.

A nurse who seemed to be visiting the ward for the day, but she was known to all the nurses, came to each of us, in turn. She already knew that Mum had dementia, and it was good that everyone I mentioned it to, they were already aware. She Elspeth, was fantastic, she told me about a group of nurses whose job is to fully support people and their families who have dementia and let me know basically all that was out there, for our help and support. I said to Elspeth, “Getting this information, is like a weight off my shoulders, knowing we are not alone.” Elspeth gave me two booklets, that was full of information and phone numbers. Elspeth said, “I am sad that still there are families out there, that still don’t know what help is available for them all.” And went on, “Phone the number on Tuesday,” I said, “I will.”

Throughout the day, lots of tests and blood pressure was taken and eventually it was decided, Mum would be given a bed, she was not allowed home. Then they took an MRSA test, from her nose, underarm and groin.

A man was sent home, he was opposite Mum’s bed, the bed was removed and the space was then empty. Within ten minutes, two women came, they cleaned the floor and removed the disposable curtains, throwing it away and fitted a new one in its place, it was like clockwork, done smoothly, then as quickly as they arrived, they were gone, and the rubbish taken with them. Ten minutes later another patient was wheeled in on their bed, and so the cycle began again. I was very impressed.   

Many hours later with Mum still in the bed, was taken from that assessment ward and pushed out of the ward. We went in the lift and through the very busy corridors, through the waiting room and Mum arrived in a small ward of six beds. It felt cramped in there, compared to where she had been in the bay and the room after the bay. Mum was by the door, the telly was at the other end, too tiny for Mum to see it, high up on the wall.

A nurse introduced herself, and said, “Can I ask you some questions about your Mum?” I answered all her questions. My brother Arran, arrived at 530pm I had asked him, “Can you arrive 5.30 instead of 6.30 as I’ve been here all day?” Arran had replied, “Yes,” It was lovely to see him, I gave him a quick handover, I informed him, “Mum’s heartrate was now too low and her temperature was too high, so even though Mum was cold to the touch, we were not to cover her up.” I kissed Mum and left, to go back to William’s home to get all my things so that I was able to then go home to my husband, kids, and pets. It was good to be home.

On Tuesday, the day after Bank Holiday Monday, the lady who looks after Mum came to the hospital, after her two weeks off. It was good to know she was there.

When Mum had arrived on this ward, I had informed them that, “Mum has dementia,” The nurse in charge was fantastic and said to me, “Because your Mum has dementia, she is allowed any visit, at any time, with no time limit, but it must be one visitor at a time.” That moved me to tears. It was good that she would not be alone, for in a room of five others she would be.

On the third day in that ward, they were all tested for covid, Mum didn’t have it, they said, “She has a chest infection and flu.” That was ‘good’ to know. A woman in that ward was tested positive for covid!!! How times had changed, they didn’t remove the woman, but left her there with all the other five patients. We were all alarmed, I wondered, would Mum be strong enough to survive this? We wanted her out! Mum was moved to a side ward on her own.

The doctor decided, that Mum, “Needed her confidence building up,” So he decided, Mum needed to go to a local physio centre, so she could build up her strength to walk with a walker.

At first that seemed pretty straight forward, but it wasn’t, for those who were visiting with Mum was informed, “Your relative will go from here to the centre, and she will be there for two weeks.” Then in the same day the lady that looks after Mum was informed, “There is a waiting list, of five days,” Then even later, informed, “Ten days…..” Then my brother William was informed, “Mum is number twenty in the queue.”

Soon, after that, Mum thankfully was discharged and we were informed, “The physio will be done at home.”

We are still waiting for that to start at the home.

I met some Amazing people, from the Paramedics, the Nurses, the Doctors, the Domestics, the Porters. They all do a fabulous job.

They have been striking this month, some of them, my personal opinion is, give them the money. xXx