| Wednesday, April 23, 2008 |
| What to do? What to do? |
 Well, it's been terrible and I haven't posted in over another week. Things WILL get better and rolling again, I PROMISE.
For starters, the big move is on. Soon I'll be laying my head inside a real brick and mortar home. What a concept!! We've already started packing and moving some things over and hope to have this mobile home sold and completely moved by the first weekend in May. We already had three offers and haven't even put out a "For Sale" sign yet.
On the work front, I'm off for the rest of the week. Mrs. IOH is going into Hospice House for a few days. It's a little sticky of a situation. For some reason her daughter put her on Hospice Care. Which simply stated, means that any future medical need for Mrs. IOH will be treated palliatively and any curative care refused.
Mrs. IOH is still battling a terrible Urinary Tract Infection and it seems that giving her an IV and antibiotics is considered curative care and not allowed. I totally disagree and think it is awful to have any person here in America die from Septicemia as they do in a third world country.
Matters are even worse. Last Tuesday I found Mrs. IOH's medications missing and her Roxanol (Concentrated Liquid Morphine) tampered with!!! Somebody has been tripping out on her morphine and to cover up their tracts filled the bottle with what seems to be plain tap water. It is absolutely horrendous and deplorable. To think, that if Mrs. IOH were to die tonight and be in need of comfort and pain relief - she would have been given water instead!!!
I immediately brought this to her daughter's attention and she and the head nurse from Hospice simply stated - It's going to be alright. It's no big deal. This happens. Let's put it in the past.
I'm VERY, VERY uncomfortable.
Overall, as I sit here this evening - there are many choices and decisions in front of me. I promised Mr. & Mrs. IOH that I would be there for the both of them always. I will keep my promise, but I also understand I do not have to agree with nor work for their daughter in doing so.
If I quit, Mrs. IOH will more than likely be placed in a nursing home. She'll have a social life, a roommate, be given her proper medications and curative care measures where needed. Nothing extraordinary. No feeding tubes or crazy measures to sustain life. But at least the basics of comfort and care.
Mrs. IOH and I even discussed this today. She actually agreed that there was no sense her staying home and caged in her bed like a common criminal. Ignored half of the time. Honestly, I was recently yelled at by two of the other caretakers because I "spoil" Mrs. IOH and thus make their jobs harder.
Come on now!! WTF? Does me spoiling Mrs. IOH infringe on their rights to sit and play games on the computer all night long? In fact, does it infringe on their right to be able to get off by tripping on her morphine prescriptions?
I can be there for her. I WILL be there for her. Visit her as often as possible. Take her for walks around the nursing home grounds. Advocate for her. Care for her.
What to do? What to do? |
Stumble It!
.......posted by Margaret @ 2:00 AM   |
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| 5 Comments: |
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This is the stuff that scares me about getting old. I hope that my children take care of me and watch out for my dignity to say the least...
That is a tough situation to be in.
Flyinfox_SATX
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I'm glad I'm not in your situation. I would have a hard time puutting in the past what is happening now. It almost sounds as if they want her dead.
On the bright side, glad your getting out of the mobile home.
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You're an amazing person doing an amazing job. Heres hoping your move goes flawlessly. Ya'll deserve it.
Follow your heart, Margie. Be well.
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I wish more people had your spirit. I used to work in the office of an extended care facility and so good treatment as apposed to the nursing homes. Too many people forget that the elderly of handicapped are people too. Some one once said that we treat our animals better than we treat our elderly. Sometimes I think it is true. Keep up the good work.
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I have nurses coming to assist my elderly mother after her operation for a femur fracture. I really appreciate the work they do. You are doing something really important. I wish all of us could be more caring.
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This is the stuff that scares me about getting old. I hope that my children take care of me and watch out for my dignity to say the least...
That is a tough situation to be in.
Flyinfox_SATX