Shelley fell last Wednesday, April 19. 😢
When a resident falls in the facility where she lives, the policy is to send the person to a trauma center.
The EMS chose the Memorial Hermann trauma center in the medical compex. It's a far distance and a nightmare to get to. 😕
Hubby and I had taken medication, and we can't drive once we take it. We couldn't go.
I felt guilty. I wasn't there.
Even today, I feel guilty.
She was in good hands and wouldn't know if I was there or not, but I knew.
I stayed awake most of the night calling the hospital to check on her. They planned a CT to make sure there was no brain injury. A CT requires stillness from a patient. Shelley can't lie still.
When morning came, they decided to give Shelley a shot. Whatever they inserted into a 92 pound person was dynamite.
The CT showed no injury, so the doctor sent her back to the facility. She arrived totally knocked out, and I couldn't wake her.
I had the aid take her blood pressure. It was 84/59. 😟 Yes, I was worried. I called the nurse.
The nurse is an athletic sort and could lift Shelley. Something I can't do. She got water down Shelley and got her up to walk. Now, mind you, this nurse is almost carrying Shelley as they "walked." However, the movement and hydration brought the BP up.
The nurse sat her in her recliner, and I fed her a bottle of Boost. She is able to suck through a straw. The nurse wanted her to sit as straight as possible for fear of aspiration. We propped her up as much as possible.
After the injection wore off, Shelley returned to her normal self, but it took two days.
I usually try to give helpful hints to caregivers, so here are a few.
1. Don't be shy. If your loved one needs help, get it. You are their mouth piece. I demanded the nurse to come and help, and it made all the difference.
2. Remove guilt as much as possible. I'm working on this one. My mind tells me I did the right thing by not rushing to the hospital. She was in good hands. My emotions tell me I should have been there. What could I change by being there? I ask myself that question. The answer is nothing. She still would have been given the knock-out shot. and I would have been sitting there all night and all day the next day. This brings me to number 3.
3. As caregivers, we must take care of ourselves. We neglect this crucial part of caregiving. We put the loved one first, but once we reach out breaking point, then what?
4. Talk to someone. A social worker happened to be in the facility when Shelley returned. This man came by to see how Shelley was doing. We discussed her condition, and then he asked, "how are you?" I burst into unexpected tears. He spoke kindly to me, and I felt better.
This is a difficult journey. Take heart in knowing you aren't alone.