My Grandfather is in hospital and has been since Friday morning. He is 93. Normally fit and active, not on any medication, really good for his age. He lives with my mother and father (who are in their 70s). My mother was beside herself on Friday as she had been up with him all night, he had a 'funny turn'. She cited slurred speech and bewilderment.
I sat with them in A&E observation ward all day Friday, he had a fever and a water infection. I must admit I was getting pretty ticked off that they had identified a high fever and yet took 5.5 hrs to do blood tests, and only then did they give him paracetamol so bring the temperature down. It made sense they had to do the blood tests first, but Gordon has really ****ed the NHS if it takes them 5.5 hrs to take some blood FFS.
The fever came down, and we visited him yesterday. He was back to his old self. One of the things they had mentioned was TIA (mini stroke, usually a precursor to a big stroke), yet they have not diagnosed this.
To be fair, no one has really discussed with us what is wrong, what they are doing to treat it. I don't like to make a fuss, especially as he seemed on the mend.
This morning my mother is on the phone telling me that she has spoken to him and we are back to square one, his speech is slurred and he does not know where he is. Truly heartbreaking. And the hospital won't discuss it over the phone (let alone answer the fraking thing).
So I have no idea why I am posting this, other than solidifying my thoughts, and hoping that someone on here may have a partner who has training in this field that can advise.
Top questions are
1) If it is a TIA, what should the hospital be doing? CT scan / Statins / Aspirin?
2) Seeing as he is confused, should they be keeping us informed as well.
3) What guidance / counselling should they be offering my mother as she is frightened at the prospect of having a bewildered and often abusive elderly father getting up in the middle of the night and turning on ovens and grills and burning the place down.
I just feel that they (the hospital staff) have a pretty slack attitude to old people, almost like when an elderly car fails an MOT. TBH it pisses me right off as there are family here including 3 great grandsons that would like to see him getting proper attention.
I sat with them in A&E observation ward all day Friday, he had a fever and a water infection. I must admit I was getting pretty ticked off that they had identified a high fever and yet took 5.5 hrs to do blood tests, and only then did they give him paracetamol so bring the temperature down. It made sense they had to do the blood tests first, but Gordon has really ****ed the NHS if it takes them 5.5 hrs to take some blood FFS.
The fever came down, and we visited him yesterday. He was back to his old self. One of the things they had mentioned was TIA (mini stroke, usually a precursor to a big stroke), yet they have not diagnosed this.
To be fair, no one has really discussed with us what is wrong, what they are doing to treat it. I don't like to make a fuss, especially as he seemed on the mend.
This morning my mother is on the phone telling me that she has spoken to him and we are back to square one, his speech is slurred and he does not know where he is. Truly heartbreaking. And the hospital won't discuss it over the phone (let alone answer the fraking thing).
So I have no idea why I am posting this, other than solidifying my thoughts, and hoping that someone on here may have a partner who has training in this field that can advise.
Top questions are
1) If it is a TIA, what should the hospital be doing? CT scan / Statins / Aspirin?
2) Seeing as he is confused, should they be keeping us informed as well.
3) What guidance / counselling should they be offering my mother as she is frightened at the prospect of having a bewildered and often abusive elderly father getting up in the middle of the night and turning on ovens and grills and burning the place down.
I just feel that they (the hospital staff) have a pretty slack attitude to old people, almost like when an elderly car fails an MOT. TBH it pisses me right off as there are family here including 3 great grandsons that would like to see him getting proper attention.
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