She's dying isn't she?

[McSteamyorMcdreamy]

Mum discharged herself from hospital today.

Hiatus hernia. She can't eat or drink anything. Literally throws it straight back up.

Can't walk because her lower back is buggered.

UTI in blood. Been given antibiotics but nothing seems to be giving her a boost.

Sat in a sodding chair for 36 hours at A&E. Not slept for at least 48. Said she just wanted to go home.

I'm really scared 😭

MNHQ EDIT to gently suggest that MNers new to this thread take the time to read through all of the OP's posts before answering

There was more than one crew and more than one call-out.

I think they refused to take her the first time because she'd discharged herself previously.

It was the second crew who transported the patient in their chair. The GP was responsible for this after the blood test results showed anomalies.

Goodness these paramedics can be difficult. GPs can't sort out all abnormal bloods at home. That's totally unreasonable. Sorry you're having such a difficult time.

I hope you find out what's wrong soon and that your mum will be ok.
We're all supposed to be so grateful to nhs staff but some of them will do anything to not help. Anyone with a brain knows that someone, especially an older person with an infection will be disorientated and not realise the severity of their symptoms.

What a nightmare you’ve all had!
I’m so sorry you’re going through this. How scary for you and your mum.
I really hope they get to the bottom of it and she makes a full recovery xx

Sending love and hope your Mum finally receives the care she deserves in hospital xx

@McSteamyorMcdreamy how is your Mum today?

Gosh OP you must be running on fumes. I hope you get some answers today at last.

Having elderly parents who need medical care is a nightmare these days.

Still waiting for MRI.

Urine sample came back today positive despite being told yesterday that her sample was fine.

Not sure what to think anymore!!

My dad would get very unwell with uti.
hopefully strong antibiotics will help your mum x

Stay strong.

Take notes if you can

UTI can make the elderly very confused, bad enough to be mistaken for dementia or psychosis, rather than the classic pain on urination seen in younger people. Urine samples are often equivocal because the immune response is not so strong e.g. few white blood cells in urine.

It's good news that they have confirmed the positive UTI now as she will get some antibiotics. Hopefully once she gets them she will improve quickly.

It must be so worrying

Oh you poor love- it must be very worrying. Write notes about everything if you need to complain later. I hope your mum starts to get the care she needs soon.

There are too many stories of having to fight to be heard. I really think some vulnerable people without advocates must be in such danger.

Well done for persisting @McSteamyorMcdreamy and thanks for the update. Sadly, a lot of elderly are just dismissed within the NHS.

Hang in there, your Mother is fortunate to have you fighting for her. 💐

Ironically my SIL is going through medical negligence with the same trust. They sent home with sciatica after not reviewing her blood tests. She turned up a day later at A&E and was pulled out of her wheelchair to go to triage and she collapsed as couldn't walk. A hoist later and and MRI showed that she had an abscess at the bottom of her spine leaking into her spinal fluid.

Emergency surgery and 3 months in hospital and a 43 year old woman will never go to the toilet independently again. Head of A&E came to apologise to her ICU.

I would like to say that a lot of the staff who have seen to my mum have been absolutely wonderful. Eg we spoke to a nurse today about putting in a catheter and she was reluctant because of risk of infection, whereas we as a family just wanted her to have a decent night's sleep without wetting the bed every 30 minutes. As soon as her UTI was confirmed she came straight over and said, well it's confirmed so we might as well put one in. My mum called me almost in tears because she was so happy.

But then you have other staff who treated mum as a total inconvenience. They are tired. Overworked and underpaid, I get that, but when you see a loved one receiving the level of care that she has received over the last 5 days......

I know it's not the individuals. It's the system, but the system is well and truly fucking broken at the moment 😔

Why oh why do we have to fight for the right care?

It is bad enough being ill or having a loved one who is ill without having to fight ......

Is 67 elderly? I’m quite shocked to think that to be honest

Well of course it isn't!
I'm a little older than that, and I'm not "elderly" yet.

Mind you I'm probably deluding myself

hope your mum gets better soon

My state retirement age is 67. Scary to think that I'll be elderly!!!
The system is completely broken thanks to years of not getting it right in terms of where funding went and how it was spent. So many layers of non-clinical management and admin costing a fortune. Plus staff shortages and huge costs of bank staff to plug the gaps.

Sorry but how is it medical negligence? She discharged herself. Hospitals aren’t prisons.

I hope she’s ok but I really don’t see how you can blame this on a hospital she discharged herself early from.

It's not what I think of as elderly, but it sure ain't young!

Sometimes the anitbotics doesnt work straight away, sometimes it works after a few days to weeks.

What about the poor old souls who have no one to advocate for them, and there must be many? I'm old and I absolutely dread needing hospital. Fortunately I'm fit and well at the moment and I'll do my very best to stay like that.

She discharged herself after 36 hours of sitting in a chair though, with the only way to stay being staying in that chair. I don't it's reasonable to expect anyone to spend days in a chair waiting, let alone an unwell 67 year old!

I think at that point it is medical negligence for a hospital to not come up with an alternative plan that meant she would be somewhere comfortable enough she felt able to stay, or to at least release her to go home over night but with follow up arranged.

That is my SIL, not my mum.