The Possible Problem Identified.

We discovered, through a round about fashion, that Dad was receiving medical care for 'something' though mum wasn't quite sure what the something was.  Eventually, at the family's insistence, a doctor sat down with mum and said something like this:  'We think your husband has a kidney infection.  To treat the infection he needs to be on meds.  To keep him compliant we need to dose him to the hilt on zombie drugs.  It's highly likely that your husbands irascible attitude in the care unit was because he was in pain but couldn't tell anyone'.

I don't think Mum knew Dad was being irascible in the unit, at least, not more so than usual.  Every time the family visited we were told he was fine, hence the shock when he was moved out.  Units shouldn't lie to families.  It's not nice.

The information on the kidney infection we could digest.  But why does he seem to be getting worse? Because he certainly wasn't getting better. The Machine couldn't answer that.
They did tell us, however, to prepare for the worst.
That's shocking news when you get it!

Then one Doctor, one who didn't want to give up so easily, told Mum that they could better identify Dad's problem if he had a CT Scan.
How are you going to get him to lie still for that? the whanau asked.
We'll knock him out! they said.
Say what? the whanau said.
And be prepared for him not to respond well to that, they said.

An email was duly sent to all the whanau explaining what The Machine had suggested and the implications and asking for whanau input into the decision.  One of the questions was, 'What's the point, he's old, every one dies sooner or later'  Another was, 'If they do find something what will they do about it?  If he needs surgery there's a high chance he won't survive it because he's old, so again, What's the point?'  And then there was always the thought, 'He deserves the best.  How do we give him that?'

And while we were all mulling this over my sister's partner, who cares for mentally disabled and elderly people in their homes, asked a simple question.  'Has anyone from the Dementia Unit or Geriatrics been in to assess him?'

Well, the Machine stopped.
Ummm, actually, No, they said.
Don't you think it might be a good idea? my sisters partner said.
I guess that might be an idea, they said.

You see, when Dad was sent from his last home he went straight to a medical ward.
He was still on a medical ward.
Medical doctors were looking at him from a medical point of view which isn't always a good idea for the elderly who can't articulate how or what they are feeling.

So someone from geriatrics came in and guess what?
Dad was on the wrong drugs at too high a dose for an old fulla.
That's why he was getting worse.
Meds were changed and in no time he was improving.
No need for a CT scan.
No waiting for the worst.

'Well, bugger me! we all said.

And then, after heaving a huge sigh of relief, the Machine wanted him out.  So the search was on again for a new solution to his housing problem, because his last lovely home couldn't take him back.

Round the clock whanau

The new plan required the whanau to be present at the hospital around the clock.

The staff didn't ask for them to be there.  The whanau decided this is what he needed, so this is what they did.  I'm not even sure if the staff liked the family plan.  None of the family ever mentioned the staff reaction to their presence.  I get the feeling what anybody else thought was of little consequence.  This was the family plan, like it or lump it.

The family helped keep Dad from taking the cannula out of his arm. among other things.  I have no idea why a cannula was in his arm, but there was one and the staff wanted it to stay in.  The Machines method for keeping it there was to tie him up.  I'm not sure why they thought the family would like that idea.

We were back overseas through this period and we got messages about how things were going.  Being round the clock watchers isn't easy and is a huge commitment, but it's a darn site better than having your father tied to a bed like a mutt.  For weeks.

The stories were also full of humour.
Like the times Dad would be grumpy and bitching and out of sorts for whoever was on watch, then one of the grandsons would walk in and straight away Dad would brighten up as if the sun had just walked into the room.  The rest of the family would later joke with the grandson, 'What's so good about you he cheers up when you're around?'

It was one of the whanau who suggested to the machine that they weren't approaching Dads care properly and suggested a solution.