Linda - Funny you should mention this.  I was given a new assignment
today to a lady in an assisted living facility.  I asked for her meds at
12:15, 1:30, and at 2:00 I became angry and said she needs her meds and
she needs them NOW.  Why has it taken to long to get them?.  One of the
said, "We're so busy".  I said "I understand that, but SHE is ill and
depends on you to be sure she gets her meds on time".  We got them within
3 minutes.   Good luck.  Remember, the squeakiest wheel gets the most
grease.  Jo  Ann

On Sun, 19 Sep 2004 14:52:54 EDT Linda Ray <[log in to unmask]>
writes:
> My mother woke up two days ago with a sore throat.    Her caregiver
> brought
> her to the doctor's office.  While she was there she passed out and
> it was
> difficult to feel her pulse. After she came to, we took her to the
> hospital to
> rule out any heart problem.
>
> In the hospital I was scolded because I was giving her medication.
> I told
> the nurse very forcefully..."I am in charge of my mother's well
> being and I will
> give her what I need to to keep her well".  From previous experience
> I knew
> that patients are never given their meds on time, if at all.  If
> they nurse
> doesn't have one of the meds at the moment..they just skip it.
>
> The doctors and nurses were all very nice BUT the system isn't set
> up
> to deal with PD patients especially elderly ones with dementia. AS
> we all
> know, It ios crucial to give PD patients their meds on a fairly
> tight schedule.
> In my mother's case, she takes carbidopa 25/100 and sinemet 25/100
> ER at the
> same time.  Since they are both carbidopa, the hospital only gives
> her one pill
> no matter what we explain or insist on. The internist ,who was
> covering for
> our doctor, didn't write it down correctly after I explained it
> carefully.
>
> They didn't have a bed available for her  so she remained in the ER
> room for
> 24 hours.  She wasn't able to take her normal naps and was overly
> stimulated.
> I did make sure they provided a FREE one on one caregiver for her so
> that
> ours could go home and get some rest.  I've gotten very good at
> doing this.
>
> My mother is fine, no heart condition.  She has an infection that
> might be
> pneumonia.  She's on an antibiotic that I made sure was not one that
> makes a PD
> patient dillusional....some do like Leviquil. I made it clear that I
> was going
> to bring her right home without any additional hospital stay.
>
> My mother was totally dillussional from it all.  I know that she
> will be
> okay.  She is already coming back. I have the name of someone in
> administration
> that I am calling tomorrow.  I want to see changes in PD patients'
> care.  I want
> the nurses and doctor's to be trained to handle these patients in
> the manner
> that they need to be dealt with.
>
> If meds cannot be given on time, atleast administer these patient's
> meds
> first because they will greatly suffer if they are too late.  If at
> all possible,
> they need to put these patient's somewhere less chaotic and noisy.
> I can go
> on and on.  I will make sure that things change at Huntington
> Hospital, on Long
> Island.
>
> Is there any literature that anyone knows of that we can all give to
> our
> local hospitals to educate them?  I don't believe that we should
> allow them to
> contnue treating PD patients like this.
>
> My Best to all...
>
> Linda
>
> c/g to my mother Esther dg 11 years ago almost 83
>
>
>
>
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