Ashlynne, has she been checked for a UTI? They can cause wild hallucinations. Or perhaps she's reacting to some medication received while in the hospital. What does the nursing staff say?
My mother, 89, in a NH (Parkinsons, strokes and dementia) fell out of her wheelchair (again) at supper yesterday and was taken to hospital for 10 stitches to close a gash in her arm. She's had periods of hallucinations over the past months but mostly realized it was her imagination. Visiting her this morning she's full blown hallucinating. She can barely speak now. She said there was chicken for supper so she cut some up and went to put it down for her cat and fell out of the wheelchair. No, the cat wasn't imaginary, she was determined she had a cat that slept on her bed and she had to get it a litter box. She didn't know where it was and I suggested it had gone outside as it was a nice day.
She said she'd spent the night in a lovely big house and asked about "the little black dog" though she couldn't remember its name. Sue was her dog and now lives with me. I had planned to take my youngest cat Lucy, who is calm and sweet, to visit but now I'm not so sure as it might either be good for her or it might magnify the obsession.
She's skin and bone now and I don't think she has much time left. I don't know what to do for the best.
The comfort we can give to those we love as they make their final journey is almost boundless. We let them know they're in a safe place surrounded by people who love and care about them...we learn to accept they are dying and, in our acceptance, help them do the same without saying a thing about it...we tuck them in a at night and tell them we love them -- whether they're conscious or not...we make sure they're as comfortable as they can be even when it may mean we medicate them out of our own lives...we fluff their pillows and turn them over so they lie on the cool side...we learn how to gently offer them food and water without judgement recognizing that, as their bodies begin to shut down, they need less and less from our world...so much we can do to help them transition.
She said she'd spent the night in a lovely big house and asked about "the little black dog" though she couldn't remember its name. Sue was her dog and now lives with me. I had planned to take my youngest cat Lucy, who is calm and sweet, to visit but now I'm not so sure as it might either be good for her or it might magnify the obsession.
She's skin and bone now and I don't think she has much time left. I don't know what to do for the best.
Still, we never feel we've done enough...