Worrying day plus the brilliance of hindsight!

[Courgettegrower]

Some of you will have read my post about the worrying day on Saturday it seemed to sort itself out.

Sunday seemed pretty normal but Monday he wasn’t quite himself.

There was evidence that some pressure sores might be developing so we agreed that he would stay in bed today which he hates. Breakfast as normal bit messy when you’re in bed but nothing bad lunch not too interested in it.Cut a long story short I was very pleased with myself to cut the back garden lawn but began to realise that he had been sleeping most of the day.

It was a very hot day today however I took his temperature and it was 38.9, blood pressure normal, sats normal, so I used the very new dipping technique in urine which seem to suggest A urine infection. Ian very sleepy and saying a few odd things.So I rang Rennie grove hospice at home and eventually an out of hours doctor turned up.Remarkably it was Ian‘s GP! Diagnosis pneumonia.

I was given three options, one do nothing, to get some antibiotics and treat at home three go into hospital.

As we know we try to keep our loved ones out of hospital as much as possible although he, Our grown-up children and me realised it was a risk we have decided to go for the middle option and a lovely neighbour next door rushed into high Wycombe to get the antibiotics for him.

This has been a tremendous shock as very recently we have been relaxed as he has been plateauing but all good things must end!

Hindsight suggests that Saturday was the beginning of this.Wisdom

[Paul_and_Sue_Wood]

Hi, this is such a common trait for MSA sufferers. If they have an infection then they traditionally do not show normal symptoms,such as a sore chest or high temperature, so we have to use our wits and it sometimes it catches us out. You may find that the feeding and the choking that sometimes occurs can cause the start of the chest infection as a bit of food gets in the lung to start an infection.

A lot of us now have an emergency pack of antibiotics, so if we think an infection has started we can start the antibiotics off without waiting for the doctor or chemist. Ask your GP.

We all wished we had hindsight as it would make our job so much easier, but this condition casues so many variables that it's difficult.

Well done on conquering another hill.

Paul & Sue

[Derkie54]

Well done you, I learn so much from this forum and you're doing a great job looking after Ian.

Made me smile when you mentioned the lawn. I nip out sometimes to do ours and I remember saying years ago

" When I retire I can do all these jobs properly and take my time "

[Yanno]

Hello, sorry you are going through the mill a bit. As we mentioned at last week's support group meeting, we tend to 'dip the urine' if there is any change of behaviour. We keep a stock of antibiotics 'just in case' which has proved invaluable in the past.

When Jackie was first ill, we invested in an automatic grass mower, partly because we spend time every month in Devon. I have to say it's very satisfying looking out of the window to see Harry Husqvarna doing the hard work! I now slip outside to do the deadheading instead.

Happy days!

Good luck in the days ahead and hope Ian is much better soon.

See you next meeting, Ian

[Annietutt]

I’m so pleased you got it sorted. What a relief for you.

[Helenhooter]

Well done you. Hopefully we can all learn from this. I'm so glad you've sorted everything. 👍😘X

[Hellebelle]

It sounds like you are doing a marvellous job under very difficult circumstances. 👍💕It really is a roller coaster at times isn't it. Good luck with the days ahead. It's good to know also that you have some supportive neighbours. They are worth their weight in gold at times like this. xx