surgery and hospital stay and alzheimers

 

Hello all,

My father has suffered with alzheimers for several year now. He is deffenetly in the final phase of the moderate stage. He can not dress himself, communicate very well, gets very angry at times and is easily confused.  To make matters worse he also has bladder cancer that has been unstopable with two rounds of Chemo. The doctors are all recomending removal of the bladder.  The sugery is Major sugery wich will require a 10 day dopistal stay and leave my dad with a bag.  I am very worried about the hospital stay itself. He can not be left at home, my mother is with him.  But how can he be in a hospital room my himself.  I have read that being in a hospital with alzheimers can be very devestating.  I am concerend that his alzheimers will progress even quicker after is surgery.  What questions should be ask the doctors about his stay in the hospital. He is being treated at the VA (WOnderful people) for his Alzheimers.  Can they help in any way.  THe surgery is being done at another hospital.  I am afraid that he will try to leave and become very angy.  We do nor want him restrained in any way, and have heard that sedatives should not be used on Ad patients.  Any advise would be very helpful

Hyrangea

My grandmother has been in and out of the hospital for infections in her kidneys and bladder AFTER her bout of bladder cancer. But unlike your father, she responded very well to chemo and radiation. At the time of her hospitalization for urosepsis, we didn't know about her AZ. She had surgery to insert kidney stents in which they gave her anesthesia. She responded VERY badly to the anesthesia and became highly confused, beligerent and emotional. There were times too that she would find a tube connected to her that she didn't know what it was - well the nurses then told me that she was trying to rip out her catheter! I don't think they ever restrained her but they did put a bed alarm on.

Now gma still has a kidney stent but she also has a nephrostomy tube in which she has to go in every 3 months to have them exchanged. I insist they use only a spinal block and she does wonderfully. I don't know if that would be an option for your father or not since they have to remove his bladder but you can ask. As for him being in the hospital, I know the nurses here are trained to deal with AZ patients as long as they know that is what they are dealing with.

I personally have to applaud the decision not to do surgury IF he is this far gone it had to have been a heart pain filled decision .......let him and your GM have their love story ending
Beautiful and together...
Thanks for posting and keep us posted plz