Keeping focussed

So quiet a bad day yesterday. Early afternoon B vomits a considerable amount of her feed. As she can't spit and I can't get her mouth clear have to call 111. Paramedic is prompt and clears mouth and airway but not certain about ingestion so off to hosp - wait for ambulance not bad about 1 hour. Hosp not busy but then its some 2.5 hours waiting to be seen have a chest xray and get bloods checked. All OK so going to be sent home, but as B needs ambulance lift I go home ay 8.30 to clean bed, do laundry, remake bed and eat before she arrives. 11.30 hosp rings to ask if B can enter house on stretcher - no, needs to transfer to chair. (B can't support herself or talk). Midnight comes and goes finally 12.45 ambulance control rings to say they can't find me (I thought they all used SatNav?) I finally find them in the road outside and they complain of there being no street lights (Council policy is it goes off at midnight) so I suggested if they had got there earlier it would have been on. Apparently they only had the task 45mins before - makes you wonder what happened with the hosp between 8.30 and 11.30pm! Anyway they help me get her back to bed where she falls asleep immediately exhausted and the crew and I part on good terms as I do appreciate that many things are outside their control. Finally get to bed for 2am for rise at 6am to start all over again. At least the cats sensed my stress and came and laid on my pillow for company and that helped me re-focus and remember the good times we have had and its just another thing to be getting on with.

[NannaB]

Such a relief there was no ingestion. I have a suction machine for C. As B can't spit either, perhaps you should ask the OT for one. It's really good for clearing the mouth and I use it several times a day; after teeth cleaning to get rid of toothpaste, if C coughs whilst drinking or eating, I don't have to wait until I can wipe it away, a quick suck and it's gone.

I hope you have a better day today and are able to have a nap this afternoon. I intend to after a late night and coming down to C 4 times between 1am and 6 am, using the machine twice.

x

[abirke]

Whew , what a night! You might consider a suction machine. My B also suffers with thick mucus....can't swallow it can't spit it and oh it's a miserable time for him. I am going to get machine for Bruce....

AVB

[Chris_F]

Ah yes, our cats...... bless. Unconditional love. (Well, almost - so long as I remember to feed them.)

[ketchupman]

I've learned to take our suction machine with us everywhere now. Also, assuming she is getting her feed via a PEG. If so, be sure she is elevated while feeding. My wife usually gets her feed through the night using a machine similar to an IV machine. Slowly dispenses the feed so you never have a lot on your tummy at one time.

Ketchupman.

[Hidden]

Thanks all for pointer re suction machine - I had completely forgotten that option and have now taken it upwith Community Matron who will speak with CCG re funding! Whilst I have a lot of faith in the community nurses this chasing funding really gets my goat. George Osborne is blind to the fact that carers save the NHS £M per year in the hours and care they put in for free and he just makes us run around doing the NHS's work for it. Having said that I prefer B being at home where she is calm - she became rather stressed on Saturday and obviously now sees hosp as not a caring place.