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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 > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn