Hospital outbreaks killed both my grandparents

[littlepieces]

Both my lovely grandparents have died from Covid in this second wave. They hadn't left the house since March, we've been so careful. Then my grandmother got an infection late last year and had to be treated in hospital. She was there just over a week, doing well, and then she picked up Covid and died. A couple of months later my granddad had a bad fall and had to be checked out at hospital. We were terrified for him. He ended up staying for 10 days, also picked up Covid, and died. I can't believe this happened twice in just a few months, we feel like we sent our grandad to his death. I can't believe how incredibly cruel this situation is.

It might be better for familes to consider caring for elderly relatives at home, it would stop them falling over so much

I'm not sure it would make a huge difference for many people. My DGM fell while trying to stand up out of a chair. She broke two bones and needed an operation. Never really recovered.

I don't know what could have been done to stop it happening outside of keeping her restrained which would have been horrendous, distressing and inappropriate.

I am so sorry. It’s so hard and so sad.

This is so sad and reading the comments breaks my heart! My grandad also died from covid after contracting it in hospital whilst there for something else prior to Xmas. I pray that none of my family need hospital treatment anytime soon :(

I know of three people who have gone in to hospital with other issues and died of covid, one I think would have died anyway. Friend's father went in just before Christmas and was tested - negative, tested again a few days later - negative and tested on day of release. He was called by hospital the day after he was released to say he had tested positive and wife is now very ill with it. He had assumed he had tested negative again as thought he'd have been told if result was pending. I don't know if the high rate of hospital transmission is any different in other countries or not. I also think the PPE given to staff on wards outside of ICU is woefully inadequate and a disgrace.

I'm so sorry for your loss, that's awful.

I have friends who work in hospitals who say that despite having different wards and wearing PPE, hospital acquired Covid is a major problem.

But it is an airborne disease (although for some reason it is never mentioned on media in the UK) and very contagious.

Thanks everyone for your kind messages. I'm so sorry for everyone else who has experienced a similar tragedy.

@Lottie2017 Yes, the hardest part has been missing out on saying goodbye. I'm so sad to think they thought I had forgotten about them or didn't care about them because I wasn't able to visit them in hospital. Hope you're doing OK.

@Bellag79 Wishing you a speedy, safe recovery. You'll be OK!

My nieces and nephews were right to worry. My early 70s sister caught it (we assume) while visiting her dying husband. Not to bad so far. Bloody, bloody, fucking hell.

My sons father last week was in hospital for something unrelated caught Covid died he was under 50! It’s a scary place right now. Sorry for everyone’s losses

@vdbfamily Very well put.
Have you and your team not been prioritised for the vaccine? You should be at the front of the queue. In many hospitals staff without patient contact are getting vaccinated, there shouldn't be frontline staff left exposed.
There are two things that strike me from your comments, having had my elderly mother in and out of hospital before she died. One is that it needs spelling out to families that they need to step up, and there needs to be an end date. The fear is that once discharged the elderly parent is forgotten and the family have taken on a long term caring responsibility they weren't expecting.

@Bellag79
How awful I'm so sorry

If you see this maybe start a thread and mumsnetters will post and support you while you're in hospital

Much love x

BareGrylls We have actually all now been vaccinated. It was just too late coming for last 2 staff members but fortunately neither were unwell, just off for 2 weeks! We had a few nightmares where we persuaded families to bridge the care until care package available and what we thought would be a couple of days turned into 2 weeks and families got angry so it does get difficult but I agree with you that is best way to get people out quickly.

@littlepieces that's heartbreaking, I am so sorry for your losses.