Thank you so much to everyone who left such kind and supportive comments on my last post - both Mum and I really really appreciated it. It's lovely to know others were thinking of us during such a worrying time.
Mum came home from hospital yesterday and seems quite well, if a little pale, but has been told to take it easy for a little while. She's on a lot of tablets for the heart problem (atrial fibrulation) and will have to go to the doctors every week for blood tests whilst she's on warfarin. This is probably not a bad thing as it means if she feels unwell again she MIGHT the next time actually tell somebody how ill she feels. It transpires she's felt under the weather for a long time but hasn't liked to bother anyone - including her GP! GRRR, stubborn devil that she is!
Anyway, it's lovely to have her back home and being able to get a good night's sleep in her own bed, and not have to worry about her picking up any nasty bugs (MRSA, C.Diff etc etc) whilst incarcerated in hospital. The nursing care in the hospital was very good but the standard of cleanliness did leave rather a lot to be desired - especially the toilet and washing facilities. Such simple things could have been done to put it right but somehow the NHS never seem to address those basic issues. Having said that, I'm still immensely grateful that we have the NHS and don't have to pay huge insurance premiums in order to receive medical care here in the UK. Without doubt the NHS is our greatest national asset, if only it could be just a little bit cleaner.
Such good news and glad to see you back.
Posted by: maureen | 04/23/2009 at 07:36 PM
I'm sorry to hear your Mum hasn't been well and very glad to hear that she seems to be doing well. x
Posted by: Shoestring | 04/23/2009 at 08:05 PM
Good to hear that your Mum is out of hospital and is taking it easy. It must have shaken her (and you all) up rather a lot.
Sending best wishes xx
Posted by: Sandie | 04/23/2009 at 08:16 PM
Good to hear that she is home. Now they will keep an eye on her and treat it seriously if she says she feels unwell.
I know what you mean about good nursing but poor hygene... I was kept in overnight last november and while the nursing was good leaving blood stained cotton wool on the floor and by your bed isn't so good.
Posted by: sharie | 04/23/2009 at 08:45 PM
I'm so pleased to read your page today - I have been checking regularly for an update. Glad that your Mum is home again and on regular medication and checks. I so agree with you about the worry of picking up one of those infections. My husband has just had 2 days in hospital and is due to go back for an operation in 4 weeks. There is always the worry about MRSA etc as well as the actual procedure.
Anyway - best wishes to your Mum from us.
Posted by: Wendy | 04/24/2009 at 12:30 AM
Gosh I haven't visited for ages, and then I see this! I'm so glad your mum got taken care of; my mum lives in France and had a stroke due to AF 3 years ago exactly. She's doing very well now apart from aphasia, but when it happened, oh my gosh was she unwell. AND she got C-diff AND MRSA. Yes, in a French teaching hospital!! So there you go. Hopefully mum will behave and take her meds etc now, eh??? PS I just had a stay in our local A&E and AAU, and they were wonderful. AAU is brand spanking new, and was SO clean!!
Posted by: Jen | 04/25/2009 at 02:25 PM