My Mom has been having pain in her lower back and buttocks so on the advice of her general md, she has an app't in the middle of July with an orthopedic doctor. She is having problems walking so I bought her a walker with wheels to help her.
She was using the walker to get to the bathroom but I had found out she was peeing in plastic cups in her room and last Friday night she was carrying her cup of pee and using the walker where she spilled the cup and she had a bad fall where she dislocated her hip. I called an ambulance and it took 4 tries in the ER to get her leg popped back into her hip again.
Doctors in the ER put a brace on her from her knee to ankle which makes it almost impossible for her to walk now. I am able to get her to wear diapers.
We don't have the money for a nursing home as my Mom bought a house (the advice of 2 different elder care attorneys) and I need help. I can't live my Mom and there is no one else to help me. I'm 60 and not as strong as I used to be.
My Mom has medicare but not Medicaid and I don't think she would qualify for that. I could get someone in about twice a week for 2 hours to help (we can afford that).
Mom is very depressed and I am really nervous about taking her to any future doctor app'ts because it's too hard to get her in and out of my car.
I'm facing so many obstacles now...
Thanks for any advice,
Jenna
I'm waiting for a call back. So the lesson learned is that I should not believe the first person I talk to. Thanks everyone!
A raised toilet seat can be helpful but I personally find them unstable. I take the bucket out of my commode and slip the frame one the toilet. If Mom can't safely walk to the toilet let her use the commode where ever she spends most time. The Dr can order any equipment you need and medicare will pay although there will be a small co-pay. This can include a bed, wheelchair and any other equipment the PT may feel helpful. I have everything I need including all tube feeding supplies, oxygen equipment and six weeks of IV antibiotics.
It will probably take several weeks for Mom's hips to become stable again so you both need to be patient and celebrate every small improvement.
Why didn't they call in orthopedics when Mom first went to the ER. Waiting till the middle of July for an appointment for an acute condition is ridiculous. next day would be more appropriate. Everyone needs to be more assertive when it comes to healthcare. You don't need to accept what the gatekeepers say try banging on a few desks. Hubby and I have got ourselves white a reputation for that and we feared getting blackballed but in fact the opposite has happened. So don't give up either of you.
The next day the nurse called me and told me that my Mom needed to go back to the ER because she didn't have a bowel movement for 10 days that I knew of. I think the nurse's goal was to get my Mom in rehab. So I followed her instructions and my Mom did go back to the ER and was admitted to the hospital. She spent almost 4 days there and was transferred to the rehab today.
Tomorrow she starts PT twice daily and occ. therapy. Of course I go and visit her and she seemed confused to where she was and I just kept telling her that she will learn to walk better so she can be more independent again.
My Mom is tough even with all her complaining. I am praying that the PT helps her.
Thanks for reading!
Her discharge papers were signed late last night and I didn't want to bring her home in the dark plus it was raining hard along with thunderstorms. I also found out that I needed to learn how to empty my Mom's catheter bag. I didn't know the doctor wanted her to have that attached. Nurse showed me what I needed to learn.
When she was in the rehab they transported her to the orthopedic doctor who x-rayed her again and found 2 fractures in her hips which he said would take about 6 weeks to heal.
So all is good! Doctor ordered a transfer bath chair and some other things I will need. I already bought a transfer wheel chair because I don't want to leave her alone when I need to go food shopping and other things. I have to find out if I can get reimbursed for that from Medicare.
Just glad to have my Mom home again!
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