At the ER now after banging herself and becoming beligerant

John2.0.1

Mom is sleeping. She was non-compliant at MC today. I visited. Stayed about 2 hours and she calmed down. Then I got a call she had bung up her face somehow. Can't say how. Was kicking aids trying to stop her bloody nose. They called EMT'S. She was trying to kick the EMT'S.

I followed to the hospital after picking up her med list, health care proxy including her wished and my tablet. Sitting here in her ER room now. She is asleep. Before she fell asleep she told me to make sure no one has a gun and don't let anyone have the (nonexistant) papers in her hand. They are vital to national security. 

Her face is all bruised. I'm sure she fell trying to bathroom She refuses to ask for any help. And she was totally delusional. 

Not sure how long to sit here. It makes no sense for me to stay up all night.

They just took her for CAT scan on her bung up face.

Will wait longer...

She is concerned the "Big fat girl" (MC aid she dislikes for no reason and doesn't even work in the MC side) will steal her clothes and cookies.

Waiting....

John2.0.1

Back from CAT scan. She says she bung up her face walking on the train tracks. Delusional still.

John2.0.1

She's babbling on about the big fat girls pushing her down on the train tracks... waiting for DR to tell me about CAT scan results. She's just talking and making no sense.

King Boo

Take advantage of the hospital admission and ask for geriatric psychiatry consult after her medical needs are met.

Her quality of life with such anger and fear is compromised; and so is her care.  Medication can help address things and make her care manageable.

The Geriatric Psychiatrist MD is the best to prescribe this class of medication.

ER admissions are so grueling.  Once she is admitted, go home and get some sleep.  More to cope with tomorrow.

verb007

Oh geez, I've had those days. One time mom pulled me aside at the ER, grabbed my hand and whispered "oh I'm so glad you're here. I think they're trying to kill me." On another trip (or maybe that same one, I honestly can't remember any more) she kept trying to run out of the room because she had to go rescue her daughter from the bad guys that were trying to kidnap her. I'm so sorry- I hope you're able to get some rest. Adjusting and adding meds was a godsend for us when Mom was going through those types of delusions

Quilting brings calm

The last time I took Mom to the ER, we were there for 5 hours.  2 in the waiting area, and 3 in the exam room.  She was so bad in the waiting room that the triage person jumped us up in the line. We were seated outside her office and she was making a scene/ shaking her walker( which she was seated on) and demanding I take her home.  I think all the waiting patients were happy to see us go to the exam room. Wasn’t  any better in the exam room.  They put the rails up on her bed and she kept shaking them and also demanding to go home. 

I’m sorry you have to go thru this. 

John2.0.1

She has been discharged. I took her belongings back but I can't drive her back in my car. She doesn't have her wheelchair. They are waiting for her to return to MC by ambulance.

I am home again. It's 11:05pm and I've microwaved my cold dinner.

Jo C.

I am so very sorry; you must be exausted to the core.  I am hoping that there  was a UA with culture and sensitivity done at the ER to check for a UTI which can cause whopping changes in behavior.  Do follow up with the hospital to ensure that you have the results of that should they not ordinarily call it to the care facility.

As for the ongoing severity of delusions, it would be a good time to contact her dementia specialist; medication can be prescribed that can quell such delusions and that is necessary for her very quality of life.   Imagine how it must feel to live inside her head; not only believing all the rigid false beliefs, but actually FEELING them too.  It is hellish for her; so contacting the dementia specialist and obtaining prescription for appropriate meds would be a blessing for her.  She cannot do this herself, so must depend on you to do it for her.

I have experienced this myself with my own mother; the behaviors were over the moon and her quality of life nil; but the medicatiion that was prescribed by her Neurologist was like a miracle and acted very quickly.  It made a huge difference in the quality of life for my mother and also for myself in relief.

Let us know how all is going, we care.

J.

John2.0.1

Hi Jo C.

Mom was checked for UTI while there and culture. It's the 3rd check this month actually after a visit to Urgent Care for a fall and a visit to her PCP. Also blood tests for any other of the usual suspects that can cause additional confusion. All three times. Nothing.

Mom is on a pile of meds.With her Parkinson's Disease the meds that help her with her mobility can increase paranoia/delusions and I've been working with an NP Parkinson's specialist almost weekly to adjust one thing or another but there doesn't seem to be any great solution.

She has an appointment to see her neurologist August 4 and is wait listed for an earlier visit. I don't know if it makes sense for her to see a dementia specialist when her neurologist is handling the Parkinson's dementia as part of her entire Parkinson's Disease issue.

She is already on:

Rytary

ROPINIRole

Ursodiol

Donepezil

Pravastatin

Sertraline

Seroquel

and vitamins, aspirin, calcium...

25 pills a day.

It hasn't helped that her regular neurologist for the last 15 years has gone on sabbatical and the neurologist covering for her is all backed up. And he won't do an initial appointment by telehealth because he's new to mom. He's insisting on an in-person appointment but has no time until August 4th.

The geriatric psychiatrist that the MC facility works with is also not making appointments.