Better Day

Mom spent most of Monday sleeping. Her ordeal wore her out. Yesterday (Tuesday)was much better for her. She was awake when I got there and in good spirits. She was very smiley throughout the day.

I learned a few things about why they think she had problems again. There's still the concern about her having the tracheomalacia, but they think there is some sort of apnea going on, especially since the problems happen night. The bad news about that is she might always have to have a ventilator at night. They just really can't say with the stroke and not knowing what will repair itself. He gave me so many different possibilities it just makes your head spin. I got a talking to about my sleep apnea and heart problems too. Dave said he is now concerned for me too! Better than him not caring I suppose. One of the things he said is puzzling the pulmonary department is her secretions. They are concerned a bit about why she keeps having so many. The chance of her having a mucus plug the other night is a possibility. She does not run a fever, white cell count is normal, chest xrays are normal, so they know she does not have any pneumonia. He brought up maybe bronchitis.
I'm not medically trained, but seems to me they could figure that out. So we are looking at weaning her all over again. She will not leave this hospital fully weaned. I guess it's looking like Maple Ridge at Lincoln again. still have lots of faith and hope of what the future will hold. Her spirit is strong, her body is not cooperating.

I have spoke to the hematologist about doing the bone marrow biopsy. Her hemoglobin is still low. He says if it is done right, it is not "that" painful and with her on the ventilator, they will give her something. It will be done at bedside. Could be today, if not, next week.

Time to eat and off to the hospital to see what this day holds. My phone isn't working right just in case anyone needs to know that.

Oh yeah, it snowed about 6 inches, I am so happy----not!!

Bunches of Love
Angela


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

The Dreaded Stepback

I have bad news this morning. I received a call this morning around 5:30 from the hospital. They had to put Mom back on the ventilator and off I went to the hospital. From what I know right now she got into distrss again and was watched closely. She was sweating but was cold and clammy. Her respiratory therapist last night is the same one who was there when it happened before and said she recognized her struggling. I understand that the house doctor was in the room with her. They did some emergency labs and sent them to Kishwaukee Hospital. She had 2 blood gases by 7:00 this morning and they were back to normal. When she was suctioned they got tube feeding, so that might of been in her lungs. The tube feeding has been stopped and taken out of her room already. They had already done a chest xray. The doctor had called to check on her around 6:30. She looks absolutely exhausted even though they said how much better she looked. She did open her eyes and look at me once. It is nice everyone comes by to check on her and make sure I am ok or if I need anything. Her RT told me in her opinion she might continue to have problems as long as she has the NG tube in her nose, that they see that alot. She was off the ventilator for almost 3 weeks this time! And here we are again. So I guess I will see what happens today. Keep those prayers coming.

Bunches of Love,
Angela

Blue Lips?

Good Evening to the MaryLee fan club!!! Take one guess about what it is doing outside........if you guessed snowing you are correct and win nothing but the news of the day!

I feel it was a wonderful day indeed. Today Mom had another swallow test with the applesauce. She did GREAT!!!! When the speech therapist put the spoon to her mouth, she opened and took the applesauce, moved it around in her mouth and swallowed.
she swallowed even better with ice on the spoon with the sauce. (They say that is because it adds extra sensation) So today she had 6 bites of applesauce and beautiful blue lips when she was done. Good thing it's her favorite color. When she was suctioned there was no blur dye........even better!!! Tomorrow they are going to try to do the swallow test with the xray. Then they can watch and see it go down and make sure all is right. She has not tried any water yet and I understand that is harder. But what a good step forward. I told her she did an excellent job and I was so proud of her and happy. She gave me a wink and took a nap. Nothing more really exciting the rest of the day. Same routine, but I'll take that over a bad day.

I did something different tonight. Debbie, my housemate, has alot of her family here, including her 2 year old grandson, which makes me miss Luca even more. Their family was going to go out and eat at Applebee's and invited Mike (the other housemate) to go with them. We did and it was nice to go out and to play peek-a-boo across the table. I got enough to bring back and have for supper tomorrow.

Do we have bad weather at home? I understand it was horrible around Springfield. Debbie's parents were on their way home and had to stop and get a hotel around Springfield. Hope you all are ok.

Tonight's picture gallery will be....
Some pics of Mom the way she looked when I went in this morning,
her dog Faith dressed for the season,
Mom holding her right hand in her left,
and I tried some outside pics of the snow

Bunches of Love,
Angela

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