The Visit

An uncle who lives in a senior's home recently took a turn for the worst.  His partner called me a few weeks ago to say he had contracted pneumonia and was in the hospital.  He was having trouble keeping food down and the antibiotics were not working.  We had visited them in the senior's home around Christmastime and all was stable then.

So husband M and I went to see my uncle in hospital.  It seems we came in on a good day as he had tubes all over him the previous day.  This day he had been fed some puree and his body seemed to be recovering on its own without the antibiotics which had been discontinued.  We learned that there is a home care service who had been contracted to come in from 8 am to 2 pm every day (at considerable cost)  to help feed and clean him.  In fact they had also given him a nice  haircut.  The hospital staff is overworked so it is to the patient's benefit if he can afford such a service.

His partner is making plans to have my uncle moved from his current senior's home to a long term care facility with more specialized care that he needs.  She mentioned that some of his long time friends had come by to visit, it is nice how they have kept in touch for what must be well over 60 years.  They have known each other before their wives came along, and in some cases wives have passed away.

His partner will keep us posted on any developments.  He is lucky to have her.  She is there every day for at least 6 hours.  Maybe that's the reason he is hanging on and improving without antibiotics.  I am glad we saw him on a good day, and so went the visit.