fb is for.....
Well, obviously we know that fb is for fatbaptist. But, then, fb is also for Ferris Bentley. And I have been seeing her a lot of late. It is quite a chapter of incidents for a lady, who in the last eighteen months: a) broke her left femur December 01 2004 and had major surgery, b)with venous complications. She also c)acquired a deep vein thrombosis and had to take warfarin. She took several months to recover from surgery and she was moved from Kings College Hospital to Dulwich Hospital, to Kings College Hospital, to Lomond House for rehabilitation (that proved ineffective), so then temporarily to Greenhive Residential Home, before finally returning to her sheltered flat. For about ten days she had maximum social services support with district nurse and three carer visits per day, plus meals on wheels all in the hot days of last summer. She became dehydrated,very confused and d)acquired another infection and went back to Kings College Hospital by ambulance again. Her leg, now was improving quite well - with lots of new bone tissue visible on the X-ray in July.
The cognitive impairment apparent whilst living back in sheltered accommodation meant that that type of residence was no longer possible for her. So, with the help of an Admissions and Discharge social worker we tried to find something else while she stayed temporarily back at Greenhive Residential Home. Here we met some pleasant and kind carers, and at least two, (Lydia and Comfort)I found were attending the Tabernacle, so that was encouraging. However, nothing could persuade fb to stay there. I took her to view several other places. One, with a great Christian community was barred by Southwark because it was too expensive and they would not allow her funds to be used to cover the excess in case her own funds ran out! (A relative can pay for you, if you have one so inclined.) Another, changed its status from residential to nursing care,the week after we viewed it. The third seemed a possibility and so to Tower Bridge Care Centre (TBCC) we went.
At first all seemed fine. Then, within about two weeks, disaster struck again: responding to complaints of severe pain, Ferris was taken by ambulance to St Thomas' Hospital. X-rays showed that e)the metal plate supporting her femur had snapped. No-one was aware of any catastrophic forces having caused this disaster and Ferris couldn't remember having fallen. She was sent home with her leg in plaster, pending her next orthopaedic appointment at Kings College Hospital. I took her for this and the surgeon was horrified. He said to me, 'You were here last time, you saw the X-rays and the healing!' I had to agree how well it all had seemed to be healing. He did not know what to do for the best and the plaster cast was removed and a light support with velcro straps given. The concern now was: Could she survive another operation? Would the metal plate come throught the skin and she acquire an infection which might be fatal? Meanwhile her pain management was improved and they 'waited and saw'over the next eight months.
I observed the movement of the broken end of the metal plate creeping nearer to the skin surface with each succeeding visit. (We also found that Ibuprofen gel was a helpful pain relief agent at this time.) Eventually I called for an urgent follow-up appointment and with the agreement of the anaesthetist fb prepared for f)another operation - this time to remove the plate - on 4th May 2006.
After a few confused post operative days Ferris came on really well - and, too quickly perhaps, was discharged back to TBCC after just three weeks. (At this time we discovered that a Chinese carer called Nancy, was also attending the Tabernacle.) After a few days, we asked the carer and discharge social worker for a review of pain management as things did not seem to be OK and then, after just over a week back home the manager called for an ambulance, g)infection had set in - the GP had prescribed antibiotics but things were not improving, the leg was hot and swollen, wound weeping and fb was very ill and disorientated. I sat and waited for a couple of hours with her that day.
Back at Kings College Hospital, a few confused days and an MRI scan later, our heroine had h) yet another operation to clean out the infection. She is now attached to a vacuum pump which is draining the wound. She seems to be coming on quite well. She may be able to leave hospital in just over a week and the aim is to have her mobile, with a zimmer frame again. At present we are supposed to don plastic aprons and gloves to visit as she is being barrier nursed. But she is so much better in herself. She is NINETY TWO IN THREE WEEKS' TIME!
She joins in from memory when I read well known scriptures, she sings choruses from her past like: Ask the Saviour to help you, comfort, strengthen and keep you, He is willing to aid you, He will carry you through. And she is still trusting the Lord, although at times, it all gets too much for her. When I left her today, she demanded, 'Are you going to give me the usual?' I returned to give the expected kiss! 'Bye darlin, thank you very much for everything and God bless you!' I retreated leaving the two nurses to change the dressing......
The cognitive impairment apparent whilst living back in sheltered accommodation meant that that type of residence was no longer possible for her. So, with the help of an Admissions and Discharge social worker we tried to find something else while she stayed temporarily back at Greenhive Residential Home. Here we met some pleasant and kind carers, and at least two, (Lydia and Comfort)I found were attending the Tabernacle, so that was encouraging. However, nothing could persuade fb to stay there. I took her to view several other places. One, with a great Christian community was barred by Southwark because it was too expensive and they would not allow her funds to be used to cover the excess in case her own funds ran out! (A relative can pay for you, if you have one so inclined.) Another, changed its status from residential to nursing care,the week after we viewed it. The third seemed a possibility and so to Tower Bridge Care Centre (TBCC) we went.
At first all seemed fine. Then, within about two weeks, disaster struck again: responding to complaints of severe pain, Ferris was taken by ambulance to St Thomas' Hospital. X-rays showed that e)the metal plate supporting her femur had snapped. No-one was aware of any catastrophic forces having caused this disaster and Ferris couldn't remember having fallen. She was sent home with her leg in plaster, pending her next orthopaedic appointment at Kings College Hospital. I took her for this and the surgeon was horrified. He said to me, 'You were here last time, you saw the X-rays and the healing!' I had to agree how well it all had seemed to be healing. He did not know what to do for the best and the plaster cast was removed and a light support with velcro straps given. The concern now was: Could she survive another operation? Would the metal plate come throught the skin and she acquire an infection which might be fatal? Meanwhile her pain management was improved and they 'waited and saw'over the next eight months.
I observed the movement of the broken end of the metal plate creeping nearer to the skin surface with each succeeding visit. (We also found that Ibuprofen gel was a helpful pain relief agent at this time.) Eventually I called for an urgent follow-up appointment and with the agreement of the anaesthetist fb prepared for f)another operation - this time to remove the plate - on 4th May 2006.
After a few confused post operative days Ferris came on really well - and, too quickly perhaps, was discharged back to TBCC after just three weeks. (At this time we discovered that a Chinese carer called Nancy, was also attending the Tabernacle.) After a few days, we asked the carer and discharge social worker for a review of pain management as things did not seem to be OK and then, after just over a week back home the manager called for an ambulance, g)infection had set in - the GP had prescribed antibiotics but things were not improving, the leg was hot and swollen, wound weeping and fb was very ill and disorientated. I sat and waited for a couple of hours with her that day.
Back at Kings College Hospital, a few confused days and an MRI scan later, our heroine had h) yet another operation to clean out the infection. She is now attached to a vacuum pump which is draining the wound. She seems to be coming on quite well. She may be able to leave hospital in just over a week and the aim is to have her mobile, with a zimmer frame again. At present we are supposed to don plastic aprons and gloves to visit as she is being barrier nursed. But she is so much better in herself. She is NINETY TWO IN THREE WEEKS' TIME!
She joins in from memory when I read well known scriptures, she sings choruses from her past like: Ask the Saviour to help you, comfort, strengthen and keep you, He is willing to aid you, He will carry you through. And she is still trusting the Lord, although at times, it all gets too much for her. When I left her today, she demanded, 'Are you going to give me the usual?' I returned to give the expected kiss! 'Bye darlin, thank you very much for everything and God bless you!' I retreated leaving the two nurses to change the dressing......
posted by Moomin @ 5:32 pm
6 comments
