I spoke to my dad last night and he sounded great and was in good spirits. Imagine my surprise when I got the call this morning that he was giving the staff a difficult time and they wanted family members to come and calm him down!
I left work in a hurry and picked up my mother and off we went to the hospital. Upon arrival we did not find the man we know and love. Instead we found an angry and paranoid man and it was very distressing.
Apparently, this is not an uncommon condition for an elderly person, especially one that just suffered a heart attack. We spent the day with him trying to get him to eat and drink (we only had a little success) and take his meds. He would not let the medical staff near him as he no longer trusted any of them. It was scary to see him acting this way. He is usually a very good patient, as he was the day before.
It was hard for my mom to see him that way and although I knew it was the condition talking and not the man it was difficult to have patience with him. I just wanted him to snap out of it. At one point he hit my hand and knocked the meds out of it.
He was begging us to get him out of the hospital because they were holding him prisoner.
Later this evening my sister and her husband went to visit and they were more successful getting him oriented to what he was supposed to be doing. So it was good that they were able to get through to him. I was able to get one med into him in the afternoon, so by the time they got there it may have kicked in.
Since this happened to him today, other people have shared stories about similar incidents with their elderly parents. It is good to hear what others have been through so it makes it all more bearable.
I am so lucky that I have my sisters and that we all share the responsibility of our parents' care. I know that isn't always the case with families. I count my blessings and hope that tomorrow will be a brighter day for my dad and that he will be well enough to come home soon.
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3 comments:
My brother even got like that in his 50s, and the hospital staff couldn't figure out why. He did eventually snap out of it.
I'm sorry you and your family are having such a distressing time, but I am glad you are sharing the burden with family. I hop your dad can come home soon.
So difficult to care for our aged parents...emotionally especially. So happy you have your sister to help share the responsibilities...that will mean all the difference.
Be good to yourself!
All the best to your father.
Jamie
So difficult when illness turns a parent into a stranger. I hope your dad becomes more like his old self soon. Probably there's a lot of fear underneath all that anger and paranoia.
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