Mum's Home

Yesterday at 11am, Mum rang my mobile from the hospital to tell me that they were discharging her. I was already on the train, on my way to her!

Despite telling her before 11 that she was going home, the hospital pharmacy didn't deliver her going-home meds till 6pm. So we- and the woman in the bed opposite- we hanging around all afternoon.

When I arrived about midday, I asked mum if the doctor had said anything to her about why she had been admitted. He hadn't. She said that he had seemed surprised to see her still in hospital. The date on the discharge form was Saturday's, so what the other nurse had said was correct- he hadn't reviewed her case since Saturday morning, when he said that she was "fit" to go home.

So! Off Helena the Avenger goes again, straight to the nurse station on the ward. I asked if anything has been said about epilepsy -NO, had anyone spoken to her about the fit she had? -NO, were there any leaflets about epilepsy we could take home? -NO, any advice re management of the condition? -NO, were we sure now that it WAS epilepsy? -DON'T KNOW. Erm, can I speak to a doctor, please? No, they are on other wards now.
OK, erm, I am not willing to take mum home till I have spoken to a doctor.
Nurse pulls face and takes deeps breath.
"OK well, I'll go and call him then."
I wait for 15 minutes...... she returns-
"Well a house doctor can come and see you but it won't be for a least an hour. She said to call the registrar but the registrar isn't answering her buzzer. Dr DM (the most we were allowed to know of his name) is busy with sick patients now."
WHA????
"MY MOTHER is a sick patient!" I repeated that I needed to see someone because we still didn't know WHY mum had had a seizure.
"Well they'll cover that in clinic. He's making an appointment for her in a few months where he can answer your questions there. In the meantime, if it happens again, you'll just have to bring her back."
WHA????
"Erm, no, it has ALREADY happened 4 TIMES. I want to know why."

...... FINALLY. The mysterious "Dr DM" appeared in a hour, accompanied by a registrar, and off I went into a little room with them, followed by the nurse I'd been badgering. Obviously, witnesses were required in case I punched someone by now. Ha.

The upshot is this- he thinks it is epilepsy.
So, I ask, where did it come from? Another doctor at the hospital (it's becoming like a song, another suitcase in another hall, another doctor on a another ward...) had told me that it was very rare for anyone in later life to develop epilepsy. Dr DM disagreed. He said the other doctor was talking out of her hat. Mum, he told me, shrugging, probably had it in childhood anyway.
OH NO SHE DID NOT!!!!!!!
Er, ok then, but she has got it now.

They think that the meds she was on was ok- sodium valproate, but it failed to prevent Friday's seizure because "her infection lowered the threshold for a fit".
OK, so does she have to take a higher dose?
"Oh, yes, that's an idea. I'll think I'll raise it..." Dr DM gives a note to the registrar.
Hey, good job I suggested that, huh?

No real info re epilepsy, no notes, nothing on what type it is. But there is always the internet, I am told, which is a great source of information. Hey, you're telling me! You should see the reviews you can find on here about Medway Hospital!

So I got mum home in a taxi by 7 last night.
She slept ok.
I didn't.

Today there are still enormous gaps in her memory.
I recall having these worries back in November, and I think the memory gaps came back ok.
I hope they do this time, too.

Mum doesn't remember anything about the house being up for sale, about moving to the bungalow etc. Just as well, really, as the buyer has just this weekend announced that he wants to drop his offer by £10,000- which we simply can't afford to do. If he insists, the sale is off. We'll have to take our chances on the open market. And that means getting it decorated and ready for advertising, etc. Plus the trooping through of strangers. Mum just isn't up to that. Luvbug was on the phone talking all this through last night. I could tell he was stressed. In the end I said that maybe we just needed to sleep on it. For a few days....

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Thanks again, for all your messages :) you are great, and I am so thankful for this little oasis of friendliness and support. It means so much :)

Have to go..... Mum just asked me if she has my address....