My disabled daughter who is heavily pregnant, had a young carers assessment done for her daughter who has been quite involved with her mother's care especially as SIL has returned to work after 6 years looking after my daughter. He returned to work for 33 hours per week because he felt his mental health was suffering because of caring for my daughter. Young Carers have flagged concerns because there are times when my Grandaughter has to pour a dose of morphine for my daughter if she has a pain attack when her Dad is out. However, although it is a very small dose in the scheme of things, it does make my daughter very drowsy. Her daughter is able to look after herself, make a sandwich and drink, put herself to bed etc. Her Dad is always available at the end of the phone for any problems.
I have suggested that we get around the problem of the morphine with her daughter having to measuring it out by pre-loading a syringe and locking it into a key safe which my grandaughter can hand to my daughter. That way, there is no possibility of my grandaughter accidentally fatally overdosing her mother which would scar her for life. The problem is, a baby cannot be self sufficient and my daughter is really worried about how Young Carers will view her ability to cope. Because the pain when it comes is excruciating, she can't manage without the morphine but neither can she predict when it will happen which means that she can't have a carer be there for those times. Social Services obviously can't pay for somebody to be there just in case. She is hoping she won't need the morphine again quite so much as she needs it now but we just don't know what is likely to happen. This is a very new aspect to her disability which we weren't expecting.
Before she got pregnant, her husband wasn't working and they have both realised just how much better things are now he's got into the swing of things. He feels very selfish saying so but he thinks he can't cope being at home 24/7 again. He doesn't think his employer will be very happy if he suddenly has to down tools to go home. I am unable to step in because I have commitments to other family member.
Does anybody know of anything she can do as I am sure she has a right to be a mother and is petrified of her baby being removed from her care because of the medically prescribed morphine?
