LY - update

LY was discharged from SGH on 11 June 2009, Thursday and was staying with her sister.

On Friday, when I visited her, a doctor and nurse from HCA Hospice Care were already there. LY's son had told me the night before that they were having problems in moving her and making her comfortable.

It was obvious that they were having problems coping with the care of LY. LY was practically immobile except for her arms. She was also confused and got all her answers wrong to the doctor's questions. She smiled at me and nodded to indicate that she knows me but could not recall my name. I was really upset to see her deteriorate so fast when more than a week ago, she was still able to stand and walk with support.

Taking care of a person in a condition like LY's requires skills and experience. Changing her, moving her from a lying position on the bed to a sitting position on a chair or commode and vice-versa were very tough and challenging for LY's sister even with the maid helping. They were really struggling and could not manage.

A decision was then made by the family to place her in Dover Park Hospice where she could be properly attended to. Getting a place in the hospice is not easy as there are limited places. The nurse had asked if I could help in expediting the request and I had in turn referred to my support group founder. It was only later that I learnt that the attending doctor had put in a lot of effort and managed to get her admitted yesterday.

The doctor and nurse did a wonderful job of attending to LY while they were there. We really would have been at a loss without the presence of unsung heroes like them.