I know IABU, blatantly using this for traffic. Emergency situation, no ambulance still, and need advice

[TheChinkOfaGlass]

Hi everyone

My Auntie had a fall this morning and has seriously hurt her hip. Luckily she was close enough to the bed to get herself up on it.

999 said it is not an emergency and to contact 111, she was in severe agony and is 78 years old. I rang 111 who after assessing her, decided she did indeed need an ambulance.

I had originally offered to take her to the hospital but she lives on the top floor of a maisonette, and is unable to sit up (so a car journey would be no good and I would be unable to carry her to the car anyway. I did get help but she declined due to the inability to even sit up).

Her husband is disabled so isn't much use (I mean this in the nicest possible way, he is trying his best) other than keeping an eye on her.

So we could be waiting hours for an ambulance but in the meantime she is soaked through on the bed due to urinating on herself. I am going there in the next 30 minutes.

Is it safe to roll her to change the sheets to make her more comfortable? I don't like the idea of her lying in a soaking bed while she waits. I am also scared of causing more pain/damage by moving her. We do not know what's wrong, she thinks it may he her hip. I just don't know what to do. I have never experienced this kind of thing.

Her partner has managed to change her underwear but when the bed is so wet, it wouldn't really make a difference.

Don't move her.

You risk causing more damage to her injury. Lying in pee is the preferable option here, sadly. If you're able to jam a sanpro pad or rolled up microfiber cloth between her legs without moving her, that might help.

She needs an ambulance. In the meantime she needs sips of water, and she needs to be covered with warm blankets if you find her shaking. Turn up the heat if you find the home is cold when you get there.

Someone can deal with the wet bed and bedding later.

A black bag/bin bag under a towel should make it slide easier and easier to dispose of then.

I remember when my waters broke, I had huge pads put between legs so will definitely get those and "puppy pads".

I will NOT be moving her x

the bin bag idea is very good, thank you everyone

blankets on and fire on full

Is the leg on the affected side shorter than the other one and is her foot externally rotated (turned outwards) ?

Sending best wishes to you all. Hope the ambulance arrives soon.

Call 111 back if you're concerned about her health while waiting for an ambulance.

Not moving her and keeping her warm & chatting is the best choice. Also take note of when she last has/had any food or drink, including water, just in case she needs surgery when they do finally arrive with an ambulance for her.

Hope she's ok...

Can you try an get a towel under and cut her out of wet clothes then cover with a blanket?

I am here and legs look fine, not shorter either side

Absence of shortening/external rotation doesn't mean absence of fracture of hip/pelvis.

Call 111 back. Ask for advice on how to make her comfortable.

What painkillers have you got? Might be worth swinging by a pharmacy and explaining you need pain relief for possible fracture. Is she allergic to anything?
Put a mattress protector under her, not a plastic bag. If she’s on the bed, you don’t need to roll her, push the mattress down with your fists, start with the opposite side of the fall, and feed a lengthwise scrunched up mattress protector through. Staying on the good side, give her your hand and ask her to move towards you, whilst someone else pull the rest of the sheet through. Let her control how much she moves. But give her pain relief first.
It’s really hard to poop lying totally flat, I wouldn’t worry about her pooing too much.
Most importantly keep her calm, and warm.

Hope she’s more comfortable soon.

I can’t imagine how she must feel sitting in her own wee and worrying about having to sit in faeces. I hope help isn’t too far away

This is the best advice.

If she's lying on her back and has broken her hip then often the leg on the broken side presents as shorter than the other.

Hi OP, I broke my hip around 8 years ago and although I couldn’t put any pressure on it at all without passing out, the pain was manageable in bed. I was younger though (mid-20’s) so I appreciate your aunt is probably in a lot more discomfort. I personally would roll her gently on the opposite side of the break and put a number of dry towels underneath. I couldn’t let her sit in soaked bedclothes but and that movement for me was absolutely fine but I appreciate you don’t know what kind of break she’s had. It may not be a bad thing to have no more liquids anyway as she won’t be allowed to have them for surgery (assuming they can get her in asap of course) but I hope you are all okay and the ambulance gets there asap. Make sure you escalate the situation with 111 if you need to you. Thinking of you all.

She might have a Pelvic injury if she has wet herself if she wasn’t aware she needed the toilet. Poor woman this is ridiculous but sadly not uncommon, does she live in an area covered by volunteer medics who can help whilst waiting for an Ambulance.

Phone 999 back

Poor Auntie
I think this should be in the urgent category as well

she says she needs to poop - could that be anxiety? Could you give her some imodium?

Hi, in hospital, we would roll people with a broken hip onto the side of the break. Sounds counterproductive but it’s to protect the other side.

No further advice but didn't want to read and run. I really hope the ambulance arrives soon

sbuhb.nhs.wales/news/swansea-bay-health-news/a-cwtch-is-helping-to-keep-elderly-people-out-of-hospital-after-a-fall/?fbclid=IwAR1smSg1sSodazRlRspdeNuNgYrz-VrfYTlm7KjfT6mGCmfRegaM5gkAHRw

See this web page xx

No don't move her, if she has a broken pelvis that could potentially sever arteries and she could bleed internally.

This is the society wr live in now ffs
Sorry on behalf of everyone OP