desperately seeking snoozin'

Brought mum home from the hospital Friday afternoon. Over the next few hours she complained of pain in her hip and back but the painkillers were slow to act. She was also sick quite a lot. She debated calling out the doctor but was afraid it would mean another trip to the hospital. Around 7.30pm she seemed to be settling but did not want to get into her pyjamas, instead she lay down on the bed in her day clothes. I expected her to nap for an hour or two so put a blanket over her and stayed up, waiting for her to wake. Some time after midnight I gave up and went to bed myself, also semi-dressed.

In the early hours of the morning mum switched on the light in my bedroom and said the pain was so bad she wanted me to call the doctor. After three phone calls, much repeating of symptoms, medical history and current medication, a very kind doctor arrived around 4.30am. He examined mum thoroughly and after a urine test, deduced that she had a water infection that was making her queasy which in turn made her vomit the pain killers before they had a chance to work, hence the pain. He prescribed antibiotics and anti-nausea tablets. We went back to bed around 6am.

I was up by 8.30am for the carer to arrive. Mum was still asleep so the carer stayed while I dashed to the chemist for the prescription. Mum got up around 10, in pain from her hip and nauseous. Medication was taken and tiny amounts of drinks and toast. Mum was subdued. The carer arrived to do lunch, mum wasn't hungry so I said I would see to it but in the meantime took advantage of the carer's being there to get some shopping in.

The afternoon dragged on. Mum seemed to be in a tetchy mood. She started to repeat that there was "something funny going on" because she had been perfectly all right then all of a sudden felt so ill. She asked me if she were dying. I told her about the water infection etc., several times. She would not eat anything I suggested. She seemed to be 'brightening' up - she started to read the newspaper - so I tried to catch forty winks on the settee. After about ten minutes mum was up in her zimmer frame, complaining that she felt a prisoner in her own home. I thought she wanted to go out somewhere, but no. She wanted me to go!

I was half way home when the phone rang. It was the Care Link worker. Mum had called the emergency service and told them that her daughter was turning people against her/keeping her a prisoner. A couple more similar messages received from Care Link over the next few hours. Lovely daughter is going round later to check mum takes her night-time antibiotics.

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