Some time ago I posted on aibu on my mum almost being coerced into taking statins. Luckily GN rode to the rescue and commonsense prevailed with her medics taking your comments on board (via me). Thankyou.
Mum went into hospital 4 years ago with a severe uti; she was discharged infection free, having weed normally for a week. She got as far as the hospital front door to get her transport home and was literally dragged back by a nurse who told her she couldn't go without having a catheter fitted. No explanation, no consultation, no choice. Mum, being in her 90s is generationally programmed to be compliant, so did not question. She was despatched home (to me) with a catheter, scant instructions, and the promise of a catheter nurse, who turned up 2 days later. We muddled along meantime.
Of course inevitably she now gets regular catheter infections involving ravaging bouts of painful thrush, and lots of Canesten and antibiotics. This cannot be good for her.
About 2 years ago the make of catheter was changed and she has, added to her woes, the fact that the catheter falls apart, leaks, and seems to cause excruciating pain on passing stools. Her 3 monthly internal catheter change fills her with dread, it's so terribly painful, and her community nurses are ineffectual helping her get over these problems.
Of late she had to get up in the middle of the night with a soaking bed, and another day found herself sitting in a pool of wee because, in both cases the external bag had become uncoupled. Things came to a head yesterday when she had to call in emergency nurse help because her catheter bag male/female spigot just would not stay put. The nurses themselves could not achieve a successful closure and in the end decided on a complete catheter change internal and external. Mum, already imprisoned by this thing, has now said she will not leave the house even for Christmas, she is so afraid of accidents.
A new GP earlier in the year questioned this long term catheter use whilst examining Mum for yet another dose of extremely severe thrush. The GP was not happy, and next day, unannounced, 2 nurses turned up on the doorstep to remove Mum's catheter entirely. No phone call, no nothing. But to mums joy that day she weed normally, until, that is, her bladder, no doubt irritated by the terrible thrush and unexpected uric acid, closed up, she retained urine and that evening the nurse came back and REINSERTED the catheter through swollen and inflamed tissues and my mums distress was awful to hear on the phone that day. Why not wait till the infection was over to try removal, it might have been successful. Now they say they won't try again cos mum will retain urine.
I wept with frustration, and still do. I live 300 miles away. I recently spent a month with Mum and can vouch for her problems.
I am going to war on this thing. At Christmas I will leave a letter for the community nurse detailing all the above (mum says they just shrug and say other people are worse off). If nothing happens I will go to the GP, thence to PALS. BUT COULD I DO MORE????
This has reduced my compos mentis, lucid, intelligent (but far too compliant) mum to a quivering wreck who keeps blaming herself for the inadequacies of this substandard piece of kit which keeps letting her down.
Sorry for the rant, I just don't know who to turn to. GN you helped so much last time, could you help again?
Carosanto
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