Just an Angry Rant

I'm frustrated and my anger is on a slow simmer, but it threatens to boil over.

Mother's left hand is drawn into a tight fist.  Her wrist swells.  When the hand is opened, it is moist with the yeasty smell of decay.  After two attempts to get therapy for Mother, the doctors orders were finally followed, and Mother began therapy for her hand.  The results were so promising.  She could open her hand and wiggle her fingers.  She was even beginning to use the hand again on occasion.  The swelling was gone.

Today her hand was balled up so tightly that I could not get her to open it.  Her wrist was swollen and purple and the smell was sickeningly sweet.  When asked her to try to open her hand, she opened the other hand.  It was as if there was a mental disconnect between the fist and her brain.  I massaged it, and slowly, slowly she got it open.  I cleaned it and she moved her fingers.  All of the progress has been lost.  Her hand is the worst it has ever been.  It is essentially useless.

This shouldn't happen.  Once again I found myself in the nurse's office.  Once again the head of therapy apologized for dropping the therapy. Once again she apologized for not notifying us. Once again she wanted to reevaluate.  Once again she gave me the song and dance. Once again she is so sorry.  No.  I don't buy it.  The problem is the same.  The therapy was stopped. No one was notified. The functional maintenance plan was not followed.  Mother was simply dropped.  Is the head of therapy negligent, lazy, stupid or incompetent?  The nurse was not happy, and I am angry.

This is my sweet Mother .  She is completely dependent on someone else for everything except feeding her, and sometimes she needs help with that.  How can someone simply drop a therapy that is working?  How can doctor's orders not be followed?  How can someone not do her job and keep her job?  I am tired of excuses.  

This is the part of dementia that is sickening.  Someone takes advantage of the dementia patient.  They take the money for therapy, then drop the patient as soon as possible.  They can then charge for a reevaluation.  Not this time.  No more negligence.  If I have to check up on the therapy department every day, I will.  Mother has so little left.  I want her to function the best she can and without pain.  I just want to wrap her up and make sure she is safe and cared for.   I will not let Mother be treated this way.