Post by Jodi on Jun 16, 2009 12:23:34 GMT -5
First, for those of you who do not want to be sad - stop reading here!
I was appointed as my uncles conservator about 8 years ago. He lives in a group home about 45 minutes from where I live. He had a massive seizure one night, and was taken to emergency. I was not contacted for almost 2 days.
When I got to the hospital, my heart broke! My uncle was sedated and strapped by his wrists. He kept trying to pull out his IV and catheter. To his right, just out of reach, were beverages and food - all untouched. DUH!! How the HE** was he supposed to get any food or drink while being tied down?!
I took the restraints off and after several minutes of trying to get the tubes out he finally stopped. He had some food and drink.
Okay - this is the part that was the worst. My uncle cannot communicate. He know a few signs, but his speech is totally not understandable. In addition, my uncle's only experience with a hospital was when his parents died. That is it. So I imagine he was totally freaking out - in a foreign place and unable to communicate anything.
The hospital staff would come in and ask him questions and then walk out. They would ask if he was hungry, and because he did not nod, they assumed he was just not "there". Grrrrrrr! and YIKES!!!
This all happened a couple of weeks ago at the same time I was dealing with the news about my dad. Maybe I am being emotional because of what my dad is going through, but I still cannot get past the difficulty of having to put the restraints back on my uncle when I had to leave so that he would not harm himself. I was angry with other family members for not stepping up and taking shifts with him. I was angry with the hospital staff for dismissing my uncle so many times. They assumed he could not hear and placed him in a room with a man that was moaning and screaming all day and night! I requested they move him, but they did not.
Sometimes I think the whole reason that I was made his conservator was so that I could see down the road and plan the best I can for Ryan's sake. Ryan has a communication device, but he also knows how to write. There were times when the district said that they would rather focus on him using his device and not worry so much about the writing. Well, now that is not going to happen!
I was able to get him discharged late the next day. I felt better knowing he was back at home. But the whole situation still has me bugged.
Jodi
I was appointed as my uncles conservator about 8 years ago. He lives in a group home about 45 minutes from where I live. He had a massive seizure one night, and was taken to emergency. I was not contacted for almost 2 days.
When I got to the hospital, my heart broke! My uncle was sedated and strapped by his wrists. He kept trying to pull out his IV and catheter. To his right, just out of reach, were beverages and food - all untouched. DUH!! How the HE** was he supposed to get any food or drink while being tied down?!
I took the restraints off and after several minutes of trying to get the tubes out he finally stopped. He had some food and drink.
Okay - this is the part that was the worst. My uncle cannot communicate. He know a few signs, but his speech is totally not understandable. In addition, my uncle's only experience with a hospital was when his parents died. That is it. So I imagine he was totally freaking out - in a foreign place and unable to communicate anything.
The hospital staff would come in and ask him questions and then walk out. They would ask if he was hungry, and because he did not nod, they assumed he was just not "there". Grrrrrrr! and YIKES!!!
This all happened a couple of weeks ago at the same time I was dealing with the news about my dad. Maybe I am being emotional because of what my dad is going through, but I still cannot get past the difficulty of having to put the restraints back on my uncle when I had to leave so that he would not harm himself. I was angry with other family members for not stepping up and taking shifts with him. I was angry with the hospital staff for dismissing my uncle so many times. They assumed he could not hear and placed him in a room with a man that was moaning and screaming all day and night! I requested they move him, but they did not.
Sometimes I think the whole reason that I was made his conservator was so that I could see down the road and plan the best I can for Ryan's sake. Ryan has a communication device, but he also knows how to write. There were times when the district said that they would rather focus on him using his device and not worry so much about the writing. Well, now that is not going to happen!
I was able to get him discharged late the next day. I felt better knowing he was back at home. But the whole situation still has me bugged.
Jodi
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