Mom would have come home earlier but she contracted C-Diff (sp?) in the hospital. She bullied the doctor into sending her home because the symptoms had mitigated. The problem is that C-Diff has resurfaced (or probably never went away, the symptoms were just masked from the meds). I'm not sure what to do about her because there is no way that she wants to go back to the hospital but I'm afraid if we let her stay home that she won't just go back to the hospital, she may end up in ICU again. She also developed a urinary track infection. She has drugs for both conditions along with something for nausea. She hasn't been eating for a few days because she can't keep anything down.
I hear imaginary sirens going off.
The problem is that Mom doesn't pay attention to her symptoms very well and if the nurse who visits her twice a week doesn't specifically ask about something that is wrong, the nurse may not get the whole story. Dad is no help in this regard, either. The nurse accidentally discovered Mom was urinating all the time which led to the discovery of the urinary track infection, thank God! She would have ended up back in ICU for sure if that went unchecked.
I feel like my parents think that Mom's out of the woods just because she's sick at home and not in the hospital. I'm to the point of being a complete nag but it doesn't seem to be doing any good. Luckily, my cousin, Kim, who lives near them is an RN and checks my Mom on a regular basis. Kim works for the same company who sends Mom's home care nurse so Kim is working behind the scenes to keep Mom as safe as possible.
The problem with going back to the hospital besides the obvious -- Mom doesn't want to go back -- is that you get sick when you're in the hospital. That's how she got C-Diff and all the other bugs (MERCER, pneumonia, and more).
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Monday, October 8, 2007
Oct 8 - HOME!
Mom was released from Select hospital today to go home! She was supposed to go home last Friday but she managed to pick up a hospital acquired flu like cold that made her a little weak. The doc wasn't all too keen on Mom going home today but she put her foot down. She was ready to go home!
Dave, my husband, and I helped her get home. She's doing well. She can maneuver from room to room without incident. They have a walk in shower with a built-in seat so she's all set.
I checked in with her later in the day. She was exhausted. What she accomplished in an 8x8' room in the hospital, she is now accomplishing in a large ranch house so she's having to walk a lot more than in the hospital. As long as she doesn't push herself too hard, I think it's great that she's having to work a little harder... we just need to make sure that Dad doesn't try to help her too much so that he gets worn out, too.
The family will be taking meals to her. A few people have suggested Meals on Wheels. I know that Mom would make sure that I had meals so until it gets too hard to take her meals, we'll skip Meals on Wheels. But, never say never.
So, let's pray and cross our fingers that she continues to move towards full recovery. What we don't want is for her to wind up back in the hospital. And, if she does, this time I'll probably take her to Ann Arbor UM Hospital ER. We might as well get her in the best hospital and skip the Flint hospitals -- we were all far from happy with them. Although, I have to say, Select was a great "sub-hospital". The problem is that I believe you need a referral from another hospital to be admitted there -- I could be wrong on that point.
Cheers!
Dave, my husband, and I helped her get home. She's doing well. She can maneuver from room to room without incident. They have a walk in shower with a built-in seat so she's all set.
I checked in with her later in the day. She was exhausted. What she accomplished in an 8x8' room in the hospital, she is now accomplishing in a large ranch house so she's having to walk a lot more than in the hospital. As long as she doesn't push herself too hard, I think it's great that she's having to work a little harder... we just need to make sure that Dad doesn't try to help her too much so that he gets worn out, too.
The family will be taking meals to her. A few people have suggested Meals on Wheels. I know that Mom would make sure that I had meals so until it gets too hard to take her meals, we'll skip Meals on Wheels. But, never say never.
So, let's pray and cross our fingers that she continues to move towards full recovery. What we don't want is for her to wind up back in the hospital. And, if she does, this time I'll probably take her to Ann Arbor UM Hospital ER. We might as well get her in the best hospital and skip the Flint hospitals -- we were all far from happy with them. Although, I have to say, Select was a great "sub-hospital". The problem is that I believe you need a referral from another hospital to be admitted there -- I could be wrong on that point.
Cheers!
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