Jill’s excitement raised as we had several home excursions to trial the equipment. The final trial was to be Friday and Jill was not feeling the best and it was decided that because we were going to have the district nurses, CPA’s , OT’s and TCP’s and me there would not be a lot of room so Jill would stay in her hospital room. It was rather crowded in the bedroom and we demonstrated the equipment for those in attendance. Several suggestions were made and the strongest was that the carpet was making pushing the hoist over very difficult. We had considered this and the suggestions were to remove the carpet and replace with vinyl or use a temporary fix of large heave plastic pieces. Because I now expected Jill home on Monday I decided on the temporary method. I was able to get 2 pieces 1.5mx1.2m sheets ( material used under office chairs) I have cut to fit and they seem ok. Still have to get the OT to check it.
Back in the room with Jill later I explained what was to happen , we were to go home on Monday as by then the floor would be ok and the nurses etc would be arranged. When I left on Friday night Jill was very quiet and was upset at me leaving. I rang early on Saturday morning and was told Jill was up , showered and waiting for me to take her home for day release. We arrived home and while I got a coffee she dozed of to sleep and even with Pat & Keith there for dinner she was very quiet and didn’t eat much lunch. At 3pm the Maxi Taxi arrived to take us back. Once back in her room I informed the nurses that Jill was not well. They had taken a urine sample earlier and said that it had grown some bugs and the doctor had decided to start some antibiotics. About an hour after the dose she was being sick and the doctor was called again. They changed the medication and gave her an injection to stop the vomiting. She seemed to settle down and by 9pm was sleeping and I decided to go home. Sunday morning I rang and was told she had a good night and was ready to be picked up again to go home. I had already decided that was not going to happen. I arrived at 10am and found Jill still in bed , shivering and stripped of clothing with a fan blowing onto her. The nurse with her told me that her temp had spiked up to 39.8 and they were trying to get it down. This took quite some time and Jill was extremely upset. The doctor decided to put an Iv line in to get some more antibiotics and fluid in to her. I watched as he tried to find a vein – 7 times he tried before getting another doctor to try – 3 more attempts before the got a nurse from the Critical Care ward to find a vein with the aid of an ultra sound machine. Finally.
Sunday Jill lay in her bed dozing and not eating but by later in the evening her temp had started to fall and she was relaxing a bit more. She was more upset about not being able to go home on Monday.
Monday morning when I arrived she was in the shower which was a surprise. However in their dressing her the Iv line was accidentally pulled out and I could see the whole procedure of reinstalling the line happening again. To my surprise the nurse (temporary) explained she was a critical care nurse and it would not be a problem and within a few minutes the new line was in place. Just got have the right person at the right time. With fluids and the antibiotics Jill was showing some good improvement.
Tuesday almost back to her old self – another hick up when they came to take blood samples – the pathology nurse could not find a suitable vein, ward nurse had her turn, head nurse had her turn , doctor came in and finely it was suggested they see if the nurse from yesterday was on duty – no such luck . They then got another nurse from Critical Care – he walked in and again within a few seconds had blood. She had her last dose of antibiotics via the Iv at 2pm and is now on oral capsules. We actually went down to the cafeteria for a coffee and Jill ate dinner. Fingers crossed when I get there this morning she is back to her old self.
Not sure when we attempt the next going home
See you soon on the net