"Multiple hospital visits"

One morning about a year ago the person I care for was given his depot injection prior to attending his appointment with the psychiatrist at Swan Mental health. During the visit, it was found that he was mentally not well and a decision was made to admit him to SJOG Hospital.

I visited him at least once a day and found him to be ok, but drowsy at times; during the last time I visited, I noticed that he was having difficulty staying awake, so I left so that he could go and have a rest.

The next morning I received a phone call at approximately 6am telling me that he had collapsed and had been taken to the Emergency Department. I asked if he was alright and was told yes he was; I went to work. At about 9.30am I phoned to check on him and was advised to make my way to the hospital as he was now in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

I did not understand the reason given for why he ended up in the ICU. I was told he was very sick.

During the stay in ICU I was asked ‘if he had done this before’, I understood this to mean ‘has he overdosed before’. I answered ‘yes’ but this had been a very long time ago/many years ago and nothing recent.

I was asked about his current medication and gave a list.

When he recovered he was transferred to a General Ward as he was having difficulty walking; he was referred for physiotherapy. We attended one appointment and found this not to be very useful as he was given exercises. In my opinion he needed something more than exercises to help with his mobility.

When he was discharged from hospital, he walked out with the aid of a walking stick.

He is obese and has Type 2 diabetes, and none of these illnesses have posed a problem up to this point. I acknowledge that he had not been very compliant with taking his oral medication at this time.

He was admitted to hospital another two times since the above:

End of 2017 – he had two abscesses near his rear, which had to be drained surgically; this was done and unfortunately, he discharged himself from hospital. On returning home, he was now using a Webster Frame to assist with walking. Note that the surgery was carried out using an epidural injection in the spine. Has this procedure affected his mobility?

A few months ago – he was very unwell and admitted to SJOG with very low oxygen levels, swollen legs and feet and unable to move at all. I understood on this occasion he had very low oxygen level, he had pneumonia, and he had difficulty breathing.

Questions

He is relatively young man, obese, and had no difficulty walking prior to being admitted to SJOG originally. It is a regular occurrence for him to be admitted for mental health treatment spending 2-3 weeks in hospital then returning home.

On this occasion I am left wondering what caused him to collapse and end up in ICU, and why he cannot walk, and if he will ever walk again? Why has no long-term assistance been organised for him to help with his mobility?

Did the epidural injection affect his mobility?

Why (with the most recent visit to hospital) was he not referred to the Rehabilitation area for assistance to help with his mobility? He is still unable to walk without the aid of a Webster frame; caring for him is taking its toll on my health and wellbeing.

In the main we do not have an issue with the treatment received at the hospital apart from the incident which occurred during the first admission described above. With subsequent admissions a social worker has been involved in working with him and has been very good and organised for a provider to help prepare the midday meal for four weeks (as I am at work and he unable to do this himself).