More about Covid
We are nearly two years into to Covid. Two long years and how we long for it to be "over." But will it ever really be? Despite "promises" in 2020; it’s not going to just disappear. It will (in my uneducated mind) start to fade and be less lethal. Vaccination will probably be an annual thing. We will live with it; it will live with us. Masks may go away, but probably not completely and no one will give a second thought to seeing someone wearing a mask in public. (Remember when that was weird? Do you remember?)
Because of Covid I've seen my
parents less. Maybe that's true or maybe it's just something I'm letting
myself think to make myself feel better. Not seeing them meant that
observations were not made. Daily phone calls (and there are ALWAYS daily
phone calls), were shorter (I used to call on my commute to the office...that
is a distant memory). I let things slip. When I knew in my heart
that things were not ok, but I was told that they were, I allowed myself to be
fooled.
Things went downhill in November
when my mother was hospitalized. I should have seen in coming, but I
buried my head in the sand like the proverbial ostrich. Three days in the
hospital, from which there was no diagnosis (that I saw...and I went through
all the paperwork) and 5 different medication. (One which was for
depression...which I don't think she really was, but it did make her have
hallucinations. Thank you Mirtazapine!) She was released late on Tuesday
afternoon (family friends picked her up and I'm pretty sure no one asked if
there was anyone who could help her at home) and I went down the next day
(again) to see how things were. It was clear that my mother could not
take care of my father (who had other health issues...read my posts from
December of 2020). To be brutally honest, when my mother was released
from the hospital she was barely able to take care of herself. One of the
medications she had been given (for depression and anxiety...maybe she had a
little of both due to circumstances but I truly do not think she needed or need
medication for that) had side effects that made her constantly sleepy, confused
and hallucinations.
Things had changed; they had
changed rapidly. My parents had gone from living independently to needing some
assistance (a wonderful caregiver who came in for 2 hours several nights a
week) to needing a live in. All of this within the span of 2
months. Which was indeed a blessing, especially when my son (and by
extension my husband and myself) got hit with Covid right before Christmas.
(Hubby and I did not get tested because we knew that if my son's test
came back positive we would be positive too.)
When my husband and I went to see my
parents on the first Saturday in February, they were doing okay. Or as
okay as they could be. My mom was having some stomach problems (which
unfortunately are common for her) and it was not helped by the fact that she
had little or no sense of taste. (This had been going on for
months) However, by Monday evening she was definitely quite confused and
the caregiver had her call me. I convinced her to forgo her dentist
appointment the next day and go to her doctor.
The doctor did not want to see her;
he wanted her to go right to the hospital. Again, thank God for their
caregiver who drove my mom, stayed with her for several hours until it was
clear that she was going to be admitted and then returned home to my dad who
was a nervous wreck being home alone for several hours.
She was tested positive for
Covid. How did that happen? She rarely leaves the house and she was
vaccinated (back in March of 2021) but had not yet been boosted as it is very
difficult to get either of my parents out of the house due to mobility
issues. She was diagnosed with Covid pneumonia. So while the rest
of the world seemingly felt that Covid was no longer a threat, she was in a
"nook" in what I assume was a Covid ward. She was there till
Friday and while I wasn't there to see her, I did speak to her and I didn't
HEAR much improvement. However, apparently the protocol is to treat for 3
days with Remdesivir and then kick you out. They were recommending acute
care, but she did not want to do that and I could hardly blame her. I
knew that she would be better off at home where she could be comfortable and
where she would have a caregiver to focus on her (versus an overworked staff at
a facility).
I went down to see my parents
yesterday. My father is still rattled from this experience. My
mother is very weak, on oxygen and wants to sleep all the time. That
might have something to do with the fact that one of the medications they gave
her is mirtazapine, which gave her problems last time. Why did they give
it to her again? I'm sure she didn't (and doesn't) know what all the
medications they sent her home with are AND I didn't recognized it when the
pharmacy provided me with all of the names. (After 2 days I finally got
the hospital to make ME point of contact instead of my father.) Once I
realized this (which was late last night), I told her caregiver to stop the
nightly dose and hopefully that will clear her mind a little while the
medications help to heal her.
So now I come to the wrap up of this
rambling post. What are my points?
- Covid is still out there. It can still hit you if
you've been vaccinated (my immediate family is an example of that) and it
can really hit you if you are older and have other health issues
(that would be my mom). Don't let yourself be fooled into thinking its
over. And take caution and care when you are in contact with people
who have weakened immune systems/are not in the best of health.
- Take care of yourself and those you love. Don't
bury you head in the sand when you think something is not right. Go
with your gut and speak out.
- We know this pandemic has put incredible stress on our
healthcare workers. I am grateful to them, even as I wish they could
have given my mother more attention. Had this been any other time in
history, I would complain about the care (or lack thereof) that she
received not just this time, but back in November. I feel like they
did not ask the right questions nor did they seek answers for issues that
were very apparent. I'm very disappointed and distressed in how
health care has become a business and not about patients. But that
is not something I'm ready to fight about or for now. Once we truly
(and finally) get through this pandemic, then my voice will be raised.
- I am so grateful that I was able to get my parents in
home care. I know this is something that is not possible for many
(most?) people. I know that this is tapping out their financial
resources, but it's something they NEED. Furthermore I NEED it if I
am to continue working and taking care of my immediate family. Which
is another reason we (once this pandemic is over) need to look at how we
deal with the aging population.
Be safe; be well.
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