Saturday, December 5, 2009

Littlle Miss Smiley

First of all, I am typing on this little laptop that my brother gave me to use. Not complaining, but not used to it and not used to not having a mouse. I am hiding in my bedroom because there are 10 other people in the house tonight and I don't feel like being social. Plus, my nice quiet retreat is far from quiet tonight and I guess I am grumpy. I also figured out that I had 2 posts thats for some reason didn't show up. I guess I better check to make sure they post from now on.

Friday started out with me finding them bringing Mom back in from CAT scan when I got there. Apparently her docotr thought she was too lethargic and was afraid she nmight be having another stroke. Good news...all was fine. The RT and radiology girl told me she was fine and awake for them and maybe since the doctor only sees her 5 minutes a day, maybe she could of considered she was sleepy. She is doing good off the vent and with her oxygen and she had a good blood gas yesterday.

The rehab doctor came in the evening and was really nice. I had not met her before. She was checking in on Mom and wanted to talk to me about the changes I saw in her and what she was doing for me. She said the family always get a better result and knows more. She said she had really good reports all week and Karen, her therapist was seeing changes in her. We talked about all the things she was doing and improving on and she was really pleased. We talked about different places she may be able to go when she is done at Kindred. I have known all along and probably most of you too, that she will need to go somewhere and have intenseive rehab. They say she is not ready for a brain trauma center yet, but she might be able to go somewhere first, probably a nursing home, and when she gets to the point she could handle to trauma center. Time will tell. Alot of it depends on where she is at when she is released from Kindred.

I went in today and she was smiling at me and she was very smiley and expressive all day. Her aide said she winked at her this morning and was all excited because of how happy Mom was all day. Several others commented on her today too.

She had another good day with her breathing and good numbers. The pulmonologist's PA was in today. He said they did a histogram on her last night and everything was great. They were worried about something showing up that would of indicted a problem due to her stroke, which it didn't and he was happy about that. He said they will do another histogram when they have the trach plugged and see what that shows.

When Rich called today she was awake and I put the phone up to her ear for her to hear him. She put her hand on mine and held the phone tight on her ear and when she was done, took her hand down.

We watched TV together, I read to her out of her Sandra Lee magazine and showed her pictures. Of course she got her body butter on and clean fuzzy socks and I always do her hair when she gets up in the chair. Today she had on a headband with a pretty bow on it and lots of people commented on how pretty she looked. I think one day she might get me for everything.

My prayers are with Marla and her family.

Bunches of Love,
Angela

babiak3@yahoo.com
www.kindredhospitalsyc.com
www.payitforwardhouse.org

Thursday, December 3, 2009

And She's Off..........

Yes, she is off the ventilator today!!! Just getting some oxygen and that's all folks. She did cough alot and bring up alot of mucus, but that's a good thing. Great that she can bring it up herself and get rid of it. Not the most pleasant view though. I won't go into details for all of ya. I am trying not to get nervous, but I am worrying about her having troubles again. I know they are watching her even closer, but I don't like seeing her go through it again. Her oxygen sats ran at 99-100 so that was good also. I am sure they will be doing a blood gas on her in the next couple of days.

This evening her heart rate decided to jump up again. I thought ok, the cardiologist is sitting down at the desk and will be around soon and I can talk to him about it. Sure enough it did it again about 15 minutes later just as he was walking in her room and I was like, you are just the man who needs to be in here!!! I showed him the number and he was like Oh that isn't right and whips out that stethoscope and listens to her heart and says she is fine, just look at her. Then he took he pulse and reassured me she was fine. Ok, so I have to tell him about yesterday and he said that he has never seen anything come up on her telemetry and that will put it back on and check her again. I say, it's back on, he says great, he will check it out. (Did I do that short or what?)

I don't know what it is about the cardio man. I think his name is Dr. Minn. Mom absolutely loves this man. He reminds me alot of Dr. Scott. Just a kind human being who loves being a doctor. So I don't know if Mom reacts to him because of his bedside manner (he always gets down and talks to her where she can see him, touches her and talks slow and calm) or if because he is Asian he reminds her of Jonah. Seriously, her circuitry is different and we don't know what she thinks.

I put her hair up in a ponytail today while she was in the chair, I thought she looked rather cute. I also managed to change her gown on my own. Told ya I was becoming a little nurse. I told her today while changing her gown that they could either pay me or discount her bill. She liked that one, I got a smile and an eye roll. Now just so you all know, they do take good care of her, but not like I do. If I think her gown has a wet spot on it from that yucky mucus, by golly I can change her gown if I want. I also brush her hair all day, keep her body butter on her at least daily, keep her lips moist and change her snazzy socks daily.

I changed rooms here at the house on Monday. They got a new couple at the house today. They are going to have some more people over the weekend and I offered the big room for them because I am nice like that. (Jeff might tell you it was because the room I had is freezing) My new room is warmer though. We had snow flurries this morning. I need to learn how to say that in Spanish for Raul. Better go check the book. I'm still keeping you guessing on that.

Here are a few messages for people that I think are reading.....

Rita....yes, I do remember Mom talking about you. She thought alot of you and I did tell her you were reading and what you said and she smiled at me. I do believe she knew who I was talking about. Thank you for your prayers!

Ashleigh.....I want to talk to Luca, I miss him so much, but I don't want to upset him either or have him look for me. Just please talk to him about Nanny and Marylee and don't let him forget how much I love him and miss him. Mom and I even have been watching Phineas and Ferb on TV, it reminds us of Luca!! Kisses to you my little buddy!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ok, now I am gonna cry.....really :O(

Marie......Got the card from your Mom, please tell her thank you. I really think Mom enjoyed getting mail and having me read it to her, she even held and looked at the card herself...And you know how much I love those two little angels, I will take them anyday.

Love you Bunches
Angela

babiak3@yahoo.com
www.kindredhospitalsyc.com
www.payitforwardhouse.org

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Behind

Yes, I am behind. I blame it all on Raul. I will leave you guessing about that one for awhile.

How about I talk about Mom? She has been doing really well. Monday she went on the peak pressure of 10 instead of 15, tolerated that well and on Tuesday she went to a 4 on the ventilator and today she went to CPAP. Yes, she is doing it all on her own right now, just receiving some pressure support.

She slept alot on Monday and most of Tuesday morning. Then she was awake for Tuesday afternoon and the evening. When I went in today a bit after 10 she was awake and stayed awake mostly. When I left about 7:30 she was sleeping, she had been up in her chair. This evening was the first time I have seen her take the remote (or whatever you call it in the hospital) and hold it, look at it and turn up and volume. The social worker was in today and boy, she sure smiled at her. I think it was bigger than I get!

A few things going on. They took her telemetry off the other day (heart monitor) decided that she didn't need it anymore, which is a good thing. Well today I was sitting with her and one of the machines was going off and I am right up checking it, was a different beep that I was used to. Her heart rate was up to 173. Here comes a nurse and a wound nurse. They decided that she was not in distress, reset the alarm of off they went. About an hour later the darn thing went off again and went up to 213. Ok, so I am calm. I am watching her, she is awake and alert and seems fine and her rate goes down and I reset the alarm. (I am getting very good at playing aide and nurse) I let her nurse know about it and she said she would chart it and let the next nurse know. I also let her know when Mom gets to moving her leg sometimes it means she wants to be turned or she is uncomfortable. She said the night shift before said she was doing that and they think that means she is anxious. Maybe she does get anxious, but I know for one it could be the uncomfortable or I think she is just moving around. I think I might know something since I am the one who sits by her all day and watches her.

When the pulmonologist and his physicians assistant were in later, I let them know about it and I am pretty sure the telemetry will be going back on. They also ordered her a chest xray. They talked about what their plans were with Mom. She is going to get watched very close this time she is off the ventilator and plugged because of what happened last time. There are some different theories on what could be going on. 1-is she was tired and they still think that was part of it. 2-sleep apnea and 3-she has some hypo ventilation. Ok, let me try to get this right. When you hyperventilate, you don't breathe enough and don't get rid of enough carbon monoxide and that is what puts you in distress. Of course, you can always look it up! HAHAHA!

Then the other thing is a nasty infection. I will try to make this a short story. I noticed all day people were putting gowns on to come in Mom's room and thought they just didn't know what they were doing. I ask Karen her RT why and she says it might be because she has an infectious warning outside her door. Ha, well aren't I smart and observant. I just go in the room, I had not even noticed it. I do swear though I am taking good care of her. I ask her nurse who does not know why and said she will check it out and she comes back with a piece of paper and gives it to me and tells me this is why. She said her and one of the RT's had to google it to get the right spelling. So here is what it is, they found in her mucus.

Resistant Stenotrophouonas Maltophilia

I have looked it up,pretty complicated, but then again, probably pretty simple. I will be checking it out tomorrow.

Bunches of Love,
Angela

babiak3@yahoo.com
www.kindredhospitalsyc.com
www.payitforwardhouse.org

Monday, November 30, 2009

Long Weekend, but a Good One

Sorry for not posting, was very busy. We had a great weekend. If anyone could of seen the look on Mom's face when she saw Jonah and Paige....not really any words for it. She is definitely aware of what is going on. She even hugged Jonah. I'm going to make this short. I really need to go and get ready to go to the hospital. I have been working on her social security disability forms online for over 2 hours this morning. I have the phone interview today.

On the medical front she is doing just fine. As of yesterday she was on a 6 on her ventilator. Today they are not going to lower that number, but instead lower her pressure from 15 to 10 and if she tolerates that well, she will go to a 4 tomorrow and hopefully by Wednesday she will be on CPAP.

I will tell more about the weekend later.

Bunches of Love,
Angela


babiak3@yahoo.com
www.kindredhospitalsyc.com
www.payitforwardhouse.org