Father Hospitalized

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Robert E. Lewis - 12 Nov 2004 14:55 GMT

I took my father in for doctor's appointment Tuesday. I'd made the
appointment last week, his routine B12 shot and to see about a prescription
to get him a walker. But over the weekend before the appointment, Dad asked
me about a cut on his toe that wasn't healing. It turned out his
podiatrist, of all things, had slipped and made a very small cut on one of
Dad's toes while trimming his toenails -- two weeks earlier. Dad had
complained after the appointment to me -- but I stupidly thought he meant
the same -- cut the nail too short -- discomfort as before, and he didn't
make much of it. It seemed red, and worst, was still bleeding slightly. I
treated it, nagged him to let me take him to the ER and not wait, but he
refused.

The doctor is worried he may have a bone infection, and told him to go into
the hospital straight from the doctor's office. He is also worried if it's
not infection, it may be blood clots reaching the legs, and possibly
elsewhere. They're doing all sorts of tests, mostly on his heart and
circulation, and he may be on IV antibiotics for weeks (and possibly
hospitalized much or all of that time).

I'm very worried, of course, but also amazed at what a WONDERFUL patient he
is with the doctors and hospital staff. From the initial doctors
appointment, when the nurse suggested I come back with him -- he cheerfully
agreed; had *I* suggested it, he'd have growled at me. He hasn't complained
about anything, beyond saying 'Ouch' several times during some of the tests;
the staff think he's a great, cheerful, compliant patient.

His memory of his medical history went right out the window through all of
this, though -- he had no memory, when asked if he'd ever been on oxygen
before, of a month-plus in the hospital with pneumonia five years ago, or
three months on O2 at home after that; said he didn't know when asked if he
has any heart trouble -- could only remember coumadin among his medications
at first, then later rattled them all off.

We may get some sort of home health-care worker coming in, after this,
assuming he makes it through all right. So at least he will have to be a
good patient once a week or so. I wish he'd be that good a patient with me.

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Robert

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Evelyn Ruut - 12 Nov 2004 15:19 GMT

>I took my father in for doctor's appointment Tuesday. I'd made the
> appointment last week, his routine B12 shot and to see about a
[quoted text clipped - 44 lines]
> good patient once a week or so. I wish he'd be that good a patient with
> me.

Robert, wouldn't this be the ideal time to try and get some of those tests
you have been trying to get him to go for? While he is there being
treated for the toe infection you might have the opportunity to speak to his
doctors and get a complete workup.....

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Regards,
Evelyn

(to reply to me personally, remove 'sox")

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Robert E. Lewis - 14 Nov 2004 15:46 GMT

> >I took my father in for doctor's appointment Tuesday. I'd made the
> > appointment last week, his routine B12 shot and to see about a
> > prescription to get him a walker...
> > I... treated it, nagged him to let me take him to the ER and not wait,

but he

> > refused.
> >
> > The doctor... told him to go into the hospital straight from the

doctor's office.

> Robert, wouldn't this be the ideal time to try and get some of those tests
> you have been trying to get him to go for? While he is there being
> treated for the toe infection you might have the opportunity to speak to his
> doctors and get a complete workup.....

Yes, and we're working on that. The doctor did order lots of cardiac and
circulation tests, including another brain MRI, but they're going very
slowly with them, maybe just because he's too frail to hustle through a
barrage of tests in a single day. I've spent five or six hours each day
with Dad at the hospital, but have managed to miss seeing his PCP each day,
have only spoken with his surgeon (good thing I was there -- the surgeon had
a very thick accent, and Dad's a bit hard or hearing -- I don't think my
father understood much of what he was saying). I've got a growing list of
things to bring up with the doctor Monday morning.

I was really struck Friday by the worsening of his short-term memory -- one
reason I've always doubted his dementia was AD is that it's not
predominantly short-term memory that's gone, but just spotty memory loss all
over the place. But Friday he was repeating statements and questions very
reminiscent of your MIL, Evelyn, telling me three or four times about
watching a TV show about alpacas, asking five times if I'd eaten that day,
etc. He argued with a nurse over and over about a pill he'd dropped in his
bed, insisting it was his 200mg Coumadin, and not registering when the nurse
explained that wasn't Coumadin and his dose wasn't anywhere near 200mg --
good that they're seeing some of it first-hand, instead of just my telling
them what I'm seeing.

On the bad side, hospitals are no fit place for sick people. He started
complaining of a sore throat and has had some sneezing fits yesterday (and
now my throat is scratchy this morning). His doc received no flu vaccine
this year, Dad was sick the day of the first of two public flu inoculations,
and in the second, after a fifty-minute wait in line, they ran out with
about forty people ahead of him. And at the doctor's office last Tuesday, a
woman was in the waiting room trying to make an immediate appointment with
the doctor for her daughter, who was waiting in the car. "I'm worried
'cause she's got strep throat, and that's contagious, isn't it?" and on that
cue, in walked the daughter.

Now Dad is grumbling he's ready to go home -- I warned the nurses he's a
good patient right up to the point he decided he doesn't want to be a
patient anymore, but I don't think it's registered.

Thanks all for the kind thoughts.

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Robert

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Gwen Love - 12 Nov 2004 16:58 GMT

Robert, I hope things work out better than you expect.
Gwen

> I took my father in for doctor's appointment Tuesday. I'd made the
> appointment last week, his routine B12 shot and to see about a prescription
[quoted text clipped - 32 lines]
> assuming he makes it through all right. So at least he will have to be a
> good patient once a week or so. I wish he'd be that good a patient with me.

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donnah - 13 Nov 2004 14:42 GMT

Robert,
my best wishes to you and your Dad
donnah

>I took my father in for doctor's appointment Tuesday. I'd made the
> appointment last week, his routine B12 shot and to see about a
[quoted text clipped - 55 lines]
> good patient once a week or so. I wish he'd be that good a patient
> with me.

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Camille - 13 Nov 2004 15:05 GMT

Robert,
My thoughts are with you and you Dad,

Camille

> Robert,
> my best wishes to you and your Dad
[quoted text clipped - 50 lines]
>> good patient once a week or so. I wish he'd be that good a patient with
>> me.

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