Unfortunately 90 year old Dad went down with it on 22 December - terrible watery diarrhoea and vomiting. Ended up admitted to hospital in the afternoon with dehydration. Mum then got it followed by me, DH, DD then 2 days later by DS3.
We all bounced back but Dad is still in hospital, still off his feet. We take turns to go up at meal times to encourage him to eat and drink but it is getting harder and harder. Nursing staff are looking after him well but they cannot be expected to sit for 1.5 hours to get him to take something like we do. He has Alzheimers and usually co-operates better for us.
Am now facing a huge dilemma. On Monday he was classed as medically fit but needing rehabilitation to regain mobility. Problem is he is getting sleepier and sleepier and eating and drinking less and less, therefore isn't awake enough to mobilise. Physios are going to work with him but can't come till the afternoon because the ward has been closed due to D&V since Sunday.
He was quite bright when he was on a drip and initially he wasn't allowed to drink because he was at high risk of aspiration because he sounded chesty. Then he was allowed thickened drinks which he didn't really tolerate. He couldn't be assessed for drinking at the weekend or over festive period as there was no speech and language therapists on duty, so it was 3 Jan before he was allowed to drink fluids. In that time his drip had tissued so he was behind in fluids really.
Is he not eating and drinking because he has given up or is it because he is dehydrated?
We are waiting for him to be transferred to a hospital closer to home for rehab, however the way he is looking today, he will never be able to get out of bed.
If that is the case, he may be better transferred to home with a care package but goodness knows how long that will take.
My nurse sister and I have decided to ask for him to be dripped again tomorrow to get fluid into him to rule out dehydration being the cause of his sleepiness and lack of eating and drinking. Don't know if the medics will agree however I do think there is life left in him.
He was fine till the D&V hit.
If he doesn't improve then mum wants him home and so would I, but I am not sure we can cope with the care needs. This is the very thing I dreaded happening to him. He has been in bed so long now I don't think we will get him up again. Don't want to see him languishing in a geriatric ward either.
Wish I had a crystal ball.