Keep Taking the Tablets (Please!)

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What was going to be a pretty straightforward Saturday: ‘Meet-up-with-Mum, Neil and Debbie-for lunch-and show-off-the-wedding-pics’ rapidly turned into a completely different day!

WEDNESDAY: It all started when Mum rang and announced that she’d tripped over her shopping bag and hurt her back.

FRIDAY: Mum rang to tell me that “because Doctors at her surgery don’t work Fridays” (ehh?), she’s thinking of calling an ambulance so she can get something for her back.

Having suggested she double-checked with the surgery about the doctor situation and recommended she DIDN’T dial 999, the next few hours turned out to be very weird indeed. I called an hour later to see how she was – no answer. Tried again an hour later – guess what? no answer. I eventually left a message with the Housekeeper at her flat, who called me back and said that Mum had called out an ambulance and she’d now been admitted to the local hospital.

Around 2.30pm, I got a call from the hospital, who were concerned that Mum’s blood pressure was ‘sky-high’ and just as worrying, her heart-beat was ‘very, very slow’. Knowing that she’s already on tablets for managing her blood pressure, it all sounded a bit odd – then the Nurse informed me that Mum had calmly announced she’d stopped taking ALL her medication last week (but didn’t tell anyone). As a result, in addition to already being on a shed load of medication, and having three stents fitted, they’re now planning to fit a pacemaker.

We were also told that she’d left home without her mobile, any fresh clothing, nor any toiletries. Neil then took a trip to Mum’s flat in the evening to pick up her medication, only to find it was Mission Impossible as the tablets are spread all over the place.

SATURDAY: So around 9am, we set off for Neil and Debbie’s for a spot of lunch and a picture show. They laid on a great buffet lunch and we had time to have a good long chat about Mum, her state of health and catch up with Alfie and Frankie.

Then it was off to the hospital to find out exactly what’s going on. The Princess Royal is a spacious hospital and very modern – I guess if you are going to be ill, this is the type of hospital to be taken to!

On arrival, I had a long chat with the duty Nurse who confirmed that a pacemaker is on the cards – We concluded that Mum’s slow heart beat may be also be contributing to her general mental confusion because of a lack of oxygen to the brain. That certainly all makes sense, and would explain Mum’s dementia-type behaviour of late.

We left Mum in good spirits – Neil and Debbie will be visiting her tomorrow.

Phew what a rollercoaster of a day! What I find strange is that Mum knows that she’s in poor health and she knows the importance of her medication – so why would she stop? Just look at the anguish she’s caused everyone because she didn’t keep taking her tablets!

I might seem a bit heartless, but if (and when) I get like this, will someone please shoot me and that’ll prevent me being a pain in the a** to those around me!