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Mother - chronic illness - support?

Redpunto · 2010-11-01 18:55:29

Ill try and make this as short as possible, my mother has suffered with bronchiectasis (has less than 50% lung capacity at moment) since she was a child and also suffers from chronic back pain. For the past few years her health has started to seriously deteriorate, corresponding with her not seeing a specialist/GP, not…

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01-11-2010 7:55pm

#1

Redpunto

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Join Date: November 2006

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Ill try and make this as short as possible, my mother has suffered with bronchiectasis (has less than 50% lung capacity at moment) since she was a child and also suffers from chronic back pain. For the past few years her health has started to seriously deteriorate, corresponding with her not seeing a specialist/GP, not doing physiotherapy, etc which she was doing while I was younger but over recent years she seems to think she can "self mediate" herself. Because of her not doing the physiotherapy her lungs have now hardened up and have seriously reduced her oxygen supply.

6 weeks ago she caught a bug which has completely wiped her out, she was hardly able to leave the house for any length of time before this. She wasnt even able to make my wedding last year, in a church 500 metres down the road. But now shes hardly able to leave the sofa.

My dad is her primary care giver and at this stage he is unable to leave the house as she is scared to be on her own. My dad persuaded the GP to come out to the house over a month ago where he gave her a presciption and a letter for a new consultants visit. But she is refusing to go into hospital to get the tests done etc. Her excuse is that she is too "sick". She spent most of my childhood in hospital and I think she is scared to go in, as if she goes in she wont be coming back out again. Problem is my dad wont be able provide the amount of care for much longer and its affecting myself and the immediate family. I try and do what i can but its hard when i have a famly of my own, am pregnant with bad morning, noon and night sickness and she seems unwilling to take the steps that she needs to take to try and get better. She doesnt seem to realise the impact its having on those around her.

My question is what can we do, my dad is looking to me now but Im at a loss as to what we can do. She is incredibly stubborn and no matter what i suggest she will not do anything. Could I contact a local public health nurse/social worker? Is there some way of getting IV antibiotics into her to get over the worst of the infection? Ive asked them about ringing the specialist but as far as I can make out, unless shes willing to go into hospital and get the tests done, theyre not going to do anything. Its getting to be a life and death issue now, her bodys not going to be able to cope for much longer. Thanks for any help

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