26th July 2007 - Antibiotics

Dad was not well when I saw him today. His voice was raspy, he was very tired and he was completely barking. He has got a cold so maybe that was knocking him for six. His nose kept running and he'd wipe it on his cuff. It seemed wrong to be chastising my father for wiping his nose on his sleeve as I do so often to my son and daughter. But it was really grossing me out. He stopped but instead of using the tissues I'd brought him just allowed the snot to run out of his nose and drip into a stain just to the left of the stain of the drool from his mouth, running then dripping down his chin. I don't think he knew what the tissues where for. Didn't even call them wipers any more.

After I left the home called me at home to let me know they'd called the doctor to see him. The doctor pronounced that his chest was clear but prescribed an antibiotic "as there was obviously something wrong with him". He's already on an antibiotic to control a hospital aquired infection in the bone in his arm. Pratting about with his medication can have a huge impact, not only does it rob him of any proper sleep pattern, it often makes him hallucinate wildly and can knock out the effect of the antibiotic maintaining his bone infection and make the wound flare up again. How can anyone prescribe any drug without knowing what's wrong - how can you cure what you can't diagnose? Maybe I'm wrong - I often am - but is that no a bit arse about face? And potentially dangerous considering the fine balance of this man's chemistry? His arm will flare up - again - soon I suppose.