What a cold night it is here, is it at home? We have had about a foot of snow and it's very cold and windy. I am glad I really don't have to go anywhere and just have to walk across the parking lot. I know we get snow, but sheesh, they say this is typical up here. It's like it does not stop snowing.
Having a good couple of days. Still taking it slow and getting her used to breathing on her own. She wears her talker during the day and they take it off at night. Her numbers are still very good. Her BP tonight was 130/78. I threw that one in for someone who might be interested and they know who they are!
They said her kidney function tests are looking better, which is a good thing. Still giving her some fluids.
She participated this morning more than usual with her physical therapy.
Her cardio boyfriend was in this evening. He said he had only one concern. Her ejection fracture is about 45% and at some time it had been 50%. This is from when she had an echocardiogram many weeks ago and he is just telling me this. He said he thinks with the combo of meds she is on now, that in time it will help and maybe improve. He said he would be happy as long as it does not get worse. He thinks as she gets up and can be more physical that it will help too. Yes, she lit up when he came in and talked to her.
I had to do something this evening that I have so far not had to do. COMPLAIN!!
There was an issue with me asking me to do something and it didn't get done for 2 hours. Well, I marched my booty down to the nurse surpervisor and made my feelings known. Also talked about a few issues that I have not been real pleased with.
I also found out that they have been giving her some pain meds and as far as I know they have not done that til now. I don't think I like it, makes her sleep. I know she can't really tell anyone if she has pain, but I think I would be the one who could tell them by how she acts. She does hold her head sometimes which makes me think she might have a headache and sometimes she holds her tummy. I honestly don't think she has been in alot of pain, I would not let her be if I thought so. She told me once in this day and age of medicine, there is no reason for anyone to suffer with pain.
The wound nurse said her tummy is healing great!!! She said there could of been alot of complications with the site, but she was healing great. I am so thankful for all of the blessings we are receiving with her.
Want to know about Thunder?\
It would be a four legged sweetie that I call Thunder the Wonder dog.
Mary Lou who runs the house brings her dog with her to the house. Which I absolutely love because I miss my babies at home. Well. Mr. Thunder is a certified therapy dog and today he came to visit Mom! I think she really enjoyed seeing him. Could be because he doesn't jump like those crazy dogs at my house. Thunder put his chin up on her bed and licked her. She had big smiles while he was there. She reached out and petted him several times and even fed him some treats. I am so glad she enjoyed it. She got to visit with Mary Lou also. Here is the part that brought a tear to my eye. When Mary Lou and Thunder were getting ready to go, Mary Lou reached down and patted Mom's hand. Mom took her hand and kissed it and smiled at her. We decided that meant she enjoyed her visit and would like Thunder to come back and see her. Maybe it was a thank you also for Mary Lou telling her what a wonderful daughter she had and she could see where she got it from (Just ringing my bell *wink*. Actually I do think I am who I am because of my Mom and grandma and grandpa, they raised me right. I try to do them proud!
Last night she did not want me to leave. She held on to me and played with my hair and wanted me to lay my head on her chest and I did just what she wanted. What wonderful memories we are making together. I guess she got tired of me because later on she patted me on the arm and let me up.
I see more and more of her coming out. It is so good in a way, but them frustrating for me. I was trying to do something yesterday which was taking care of me and she swatted my hand away and got upset with me. She swatted my hand and didn't want anything on her lips. Later she let me put lip gloss on her. At least she is beginning to be able to communicate what she wants.
On the home from, Jeff took the dogs to the vet tonight. I knew he was taking Rox, but they all went and we knew they all had some issues. Well, $674.00 later......yes, you read that right here is what we have. I'll try to get it right, have to remember what he told me.....Brandy-more ear troubles, got the injections in her ears that do help and has 4 meds to take. Rox-bacteria and fungus on the skin, infected teeth and arthritis, he gets 5 meds and topical spray, got a shot and has to go back once a week for a month to get a shot and is going to get his teeth cleaned and finally Shaggy (my prescious) he has a bacteria and fungus issue with his skin also, a mass on his booty that was biopsied, bumps on skin that were biopised, arthritis, and sedated and xrayed and has a torn acl in his knee, he only has 2 meds to take, the topical skin spray and is getting the same shots as Rox. Sounds like we don't take care of them doesn't it. We try. Poor Jeff will be getting up a half hour earlier every morning to medicate the dogs before work.
Thanks for listening to my ramblings, it does help me to write and I have support group tonight and that makes me feel good. Tonight I made a rainbow with construction paper. It is what I think of when I think of hope......Sun after the Rain.
I am off to bed, the pain pill is kicking in and maybe I can sleep tonight.
Bunches of Love,
Angela
babiak3@yahoo.com
www.kindredhospitalsyc.com
www.payitforwardhouse.org
Oh yeah....Jeff is sending me my meds up in the mail and the cords and program I need to put pics on for you. I hope I can figure it out!!!
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
Ornery
I woke up to the sound of a snowplow. Ack. Just about a 1/2 inch. The sidewalks here at the house are always magically shoveled. I am told we are expecting up to 12 inches. I better go get some milk tomorrow and be ready so I don't have to drive. I was planning on going to Rockford to go to Hobby Lobby this week and get Mom a small Christmas tree. Time will tell when I can go, I do believe there is a Gordman's near. I could get in trouble.
There isn't a whole lot to tell. Still on the aerosol oxygen. They are putting her talked valve on because it is a bit harder work with that on and that will build her up for having her trach plugged. She has been ornery. She pulled her NG tube out of her nose twice in 24 hours. She had her mitt on this morning when I got in.
I guess the only change is some of her kidney function tests came back abnormal. So the kidncy doc is called in to look at her and he was in with his assistant. They have a couple theories, but I don't think they are too worried at this time. They were going to change on of her BP meds because that could effect the kidneys and she might be a bit dehydrated and were going to give her some extra fluid.
Her cardio boyfriend was in to check on her. I just wish you all could see how she lights up when he comes in the room. He told her how well she was doing and he wasn't going to promise her a rose garden, but he could tell her she was going to get better.
One of the aides told me today how much she loved taking care of Mom especially since her personality is coming out. She said she was halarious.
Today she held her gown for the nurse when she was repacking her stomach wound. And she put her pillows back on the bed for the aide when she was getting ready to put her back to bed.
She was more sleepy today than yesterday, but woke up for periods and watched TV and let me bug her. I didn't get a hug tonight, but she was sleeping. Getting up in the chair always make her very tired.
I got another week at the house. Right now I am on a week by week basis. I have used my 3 weeks and as long as nobody is on the waiting list, I get my room for another week. I have been told by a few that they will not make you leave. The woman who was here when I got here was here 6 1/2 weeks and I know there was a waiting list, because I was on it!
Someone dropped off cupcakes this morning. They were left over from a surprise birthday party. They were the kind that were really too pretty to eat. But I did manage to eat one. The community really seems to care about this house and takes care of the guests.
Mom is supposed to have a surprise visitor tomorrow. I will let you all know.
Bunches of Love,
Angela
babiak3@yahoo.com
www.kindredhospitalsyc.com
www.payitforwardhouse.org
There isn't a whole lot to tell. Still on the aerosol oxygen. They are putting her talked valve on because it is a bit harder work with that on and that will build her up for having her trach plugged. She has been ornery. She pulled her NG tube out of her nose twice in 24 hours. She had her mitt on this morning when I got in.
I guess the only change is some of her kidney function tests came back abnormal. So the kidncy doc is called in to look at her and he was in with his assistant. They have a couple theories, but I don't think they are too worried at this time. They were going to change on of her BP meds because that could effect the kidneys and she might be a bit dehydrated and were going to give her some extra fluid.
Her cardio boyfriend was in to check on her. I just wish you all could see how she lights up when he comes in the room. He told her how well she was doing and he wasn't going to promise her a rose garden, but he could tell her she was going to get better.
One of the aides told me today how much she loved taking care of Mom especially since her personality is coming out. She said she was halarious.
Today she held her gown for the nurse when she was repacking her stomach wound. And she put her pillows back on the bed for the aide when she was getting ready to put her back to bed.
She was more sleepy today than yesterday, but woke up for periods and watched TV and let me bug her. I didn't get a hug tonight, but she was sleeping. Getting up in the chair always make her very tired.
I got another week at the house. Right now I am on a week by week basis. I have used my 3 weeks and as long as nobody is on the waiting list, I get my room for another week. I have been told by a few that they will not make you leave. The woman who was here when I got here was here 6 1/2 weeks and I know there was a waiting list, because I was on it!
Someone dropped off cupcakes this morning. They were left over from a surprise birthday party. They were the kind that were really too pretty to eat. But I did manage to eat one. The community really seems to care about this house and takes care of the guests.
Mom is supposed to have a surprise visitor tomorrow. I will let you all know.
Bunches of Love,
Angela
babiak3@yahoo.com
www.kindredhospitalsyc.com
www.payitforwardhouse.org
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Hugs
Probably the best day yet!!!!!!
This evening when I reached down to hug Mom goodnight she put her arm all the way around me and hugged me back, tight!!! She held on for a few minutes too. Then she rubbed my face and played with my hair. I stayed a bit longer because the nurse came in to do her thingy and I hugged her again before leaving and I got another hug again. Made me cry.
Still on the aerosol oxygen and having good numbers. She wore the talker valve today, but she didn't talk. I think that she will have to relearn that.
The cardio was in and said the heart is still great. I did ask him about if down the road she should have her carotid artery cleaned out. He said in the future, but now is not a priority. She had that big ole smile for him again.
The RT remindeed her this evening that tomorrow would be 72 hours off the vent which means that they take it out of the room. I reminded her that last time that happened is when she had problems and maybe they could just keep it in the corner for now. I was serious, but I think she thought I was joking.
Here are a few things she did today, kinda letting you know how she acts and responds.
The nurse was giving her a heparin shot and told her she was sorry because she knew that they stung. I looked at Mom and told her a sting was better than getting a blood clot and she looked at me and smiled and nodded her head yes a bit.
Warning.....explicit details coming up
She had her sheet off and her left leg up and was moving it around. Her gown had come up and I told her that her hoo-hoo was showing. She looked down and then proceeded to straighten out her gown and smile at me. Good thing poor Jeff wasn't there for that one!
We are under a winter storm advisory til Wednesday night....Yuk
Bunches of Love,
Angela
babiak3@yahoo.com
www.kindredhospitalsyc.com
www.payitforwardhouse.org
This evening when I reached down to hug Mom goodnight she put her arm all the way around me and hugged me back, tight!!! She held on for a few minutes too. Then she rubbed my face and played with my hair. I stayed a bit longer because the nurse came in to do her thingy and I hugged her again before leaving and I got another hug again. Made me cry.
Still on the aerosol oxygen and having good numbers. She wore the talker valve today, but she didn't talk. I think that she will have to relearn that.
The cardio was in and said the heart is still great. I did ask him about if down the road she should have her carotid artery cleaned out. He said in the future, but now is not a priority. She had that big ole smile for him again.
The RT remindeed her this evening that tomorrow would be 72 hours off the vent which means that they take it out of the room. I reminded her that last time that happened is when she had problems and maybe they could just keep it in the corner for now. I was serious, but I think she thought I was joking.
Here are a few things she did today, kinda letting you know how she acts and responds.
The nurse was giving her a heparin shot and told her she was sorry because she knew that they stung. I looked at Mom and told her a sting was better than getting a blood clot and she looked at me and smiled and nodded her head yes a bit.
Warning.....explicit details coming up
She had her sheet off and her left leg up and was moving it around. Her gown had come up and I told her that her hoo-hoo was showing. She looked down and then proceeded to straighten out her gown and smile at me. Good thing poor Jeff wasn't there for that one!
We are under a winter storm advisory til Wednesday night....Yuk
Bunches of Love,
Angela
babiak3@yahoo.com
www.kindredhospitalsyc.com
www.payitforwardhouse.org
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
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
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
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
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
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