Mom is doing better mentally again

She is with it mentally again. She called me this morning (it has been well over a week since I talked to her on the phone) She did not get the TPN since Wednesday or Thursday. She got PPN (partial nutrition) over the weekend. Today is her first day back on the TPN so I expect her mind to go again in a few days. Apparently there is nothing that she can take to replace the TPN, so she is going to have to be out of it until she can get off the TPN. Also the doctors don't think the TPN is causing it since all of the bloodwork is fine. They think it is just a crazy coincidence that EVERY time she is off the TPN her memory comes back. Not really sure what else we can do.
Hopefully she will be able to go to rehab in the next day or two

Mom got the port put in

Mom got the port yesterday. So hopefully this means that she will not be able to pull the TPN line out anymore. And hopefully today she will be transferred to a rehab as well.

Mom is still at Georgetown

She was admitted to Georgetown Wednesday night. They put in an IV and she pulled it out a few hours later. She got evaluated by PT and OT who were both really pleased with her progress. They think she is strong enough to go to an acute rehab facility. But we are not sure if any of the acute facilities will take TPN. She was supposed to get a port put in yesterday that would make it easier for them to put the line back in when she pulls it out. But her blood work was questionable (they thought she might have an infection) so they did not do it. They put in an IV line and were giving her fluids and PPN (we think, Dad is not sure). They also put some gloves on her that are supposed to keep her from scratching and pulling out the line. When Dad got there this morning, she had pulled out the line again, and her gloves were bloody. Dad asked them to give her some benadryl since she is so itchy. We will see if that helps. Now there is more concern about infection. Once again, I am not sure what is going to happen.

Mom is at Georgetown

Since she pulled the PICC line, they discharged her from Layhill Rehab. She is in the Georgetown ER to be evaluated and most likely admitted.

Mom pulled out her picc line

Mom's memory has been going down-hill the past few days. We (the family) think it is due to the TPN (IV nutrients) but we are not sure. So she has been getting fuzzier (mentally) and Nicole just sent a message that she pulled out her picc line.
We are not sure what the next step is.

Mom stood up and took a few steps today

I just got a message from Nicole that says that Mom stood up with the walker and pivoted to the bed and back to the wheelchair a couple times and then wheeled her self a few steps down the hall using the walker. I talked to Mom and she said that she needed help to get out of the bed, but was able to take the steps without assistance! She said it was really really hard but she did it! How amazing is that!

Good Mom update

Mom is doing so much better. She is in the hospital, and she is mentally back to normal. We saw her on Friday after she went to the hospital and she was more with it that she had been. But she did not remember being sick and did not know why she was in the rehab and why she could not walk and why she could not use the bathroom. So that was hard. And then she had more rectal bleeding on Saturday morning. And she called my dad to tell him, the rehab place did not. And when Dad got there, her feet were on the floor, because she was getting ready to try and leave. I was heading to a play-date, so Greg went over there for a few hours and convinced Mom that she had to stay in the hospital and also explained what happened over the last 3 months. And so Mom got so sad, and I talked to her on the phone and she was apologizing for what we went through and so sad. Joey and Jamie went to visit her last night and stayed for 4 hours because Joey did not want to leave since it was the first time that Mom was with it in so long.

We went back to visit yesterday morning, and she is even better! She totally knew what was going on. She knew where she was and what day of the week and the date. She is doing isometric exercises every hour on her own. She knows that she can't drink and was reminding a nurse of it. It is absolutely amazing. Sara was sitting on the bed with her and they were singing head, shoulders, knees, and toes, and hugging and playing. It was just amazing. I called Joey and we were both crying on the phone, just talking about how absolutely amazing it was to have our mom back. She asked my dad to bring back her cell phone because she wants to start talking to people again. My brother brought her some soup cans to use as weights and she is now using those with her arm exercises. And she should be going back to rehab today if all goes well. And she can feel the gas in her stomach and is passing gas sometime (all good and was not happening before). So I am not sure what the hell happened. It is like a miracle or something. I totally can't believe it. So if you are the praying type- please pray that this continues, if you are not- I'll take good thoughts, anything you want to send our way.

I just got off the phone with Mom (Yay!) and she said that the nurse is there and going to help her get ready. Sara and I are planning on going there to visit today. Oh and she does have her phone with her, so if you want to call and say hi, she would love that!

Mom update- back in hospital

So on Friday at about 1am(or so) Mom got sent to Georgetown ER. We are still not entirely sure why. It seems that the doctor at the rehab facility saw the report from Mom for the day (ileus and all) and got scared and did not realize that this was the same thing that she has been dealing with for the past 3.5 months. So they sent her off. Luckily while she was there they were able to put her picc line back in. She got back to the rehab place yesterday during the day. It turns out that the staff at the rehab facility was also giving her ice chips. A few ice chips were fine, but Joey got there and she had a 16 oz. cup filled with ice. No wonder her stomach is a big balloon.
We went yesterday to visit her and she was really with it mentally. For the first time in a long time I felt like I was talking to my mom. Of course she was pissed that she could not walk or use the bathroom. And she did not understand why. She went to PT and was able to stand (with assistance) 3 times for about 30 seconds each time which is great. And the PT said that she might start to take steps next week, which is great.

Dad just sent an update and Mom is at Montgomery General in Olney. Apparently Mom is having rectal bleeding and they sent her to the hospital. And did not call Dad. Mom called Dad to tell him, so he is on his way there now. I will post when I have more information. Hopefully she will still be able to go to rehab, because it really does seem to be helping and making her stronger.

Mom update

Sorry it has been so long. Mom pulled out her pic line on Sunday. They were able to put it back in on Monday, but someone from a radiology place had to come and do it. She pulled it out again yesterday. It seems that she is going to need to go to the hospital to have it put back tomorrow. And apparently if she pulls it out a third time, she will be kicked out of the rehab facility and have to go back to the hospital. So I am not really sure what the next step is. If anyone knows about medicaid and other entitlements, please contact me.

Mom update July 3

So Mom is at rehab. She was transferred late Wednesday afternoon. OT and speech therapy came to evaluate her yesterday and PT should be coming today. Nicole was there yesterday and said that she sat up in bed for 45 minutes, which is great and that she was able to answer a bunch of questions about herself and her family. Sara, Greg and I went for a visit last evening and she started out really with it, and then a doctor came and started asking questions and she had no idea. at all. The doctor asked how many children she had, she said two. Name Michael and Joseph. I asked who I was and she said Stacy, and then asked how I was related and said her daughter. Her mind is just not making connections that it should. For awhile she thought I was Robin (her sister) and then that I was Toni and she also called me Grandma. It was the most out of it that I have seen her in awhile. It was almost like she was saying whatever name came into her mind because she did not know who I was. The only person she seemed to know the entire time was Sara. She always knew her name and that she was her granddaughter. So I am not sure what is going on mentally. Oh and she still thinks she is at Shady Grove Hospital.
So I think she is getting better physically, and most of the time mentally, but the times that she is out of it mentally, she is really out of it.

Mom update- Yay!!!!!!!!

What an up and down day! I just called Dad and he said that Blue Cross decided to approve her for a week of rehab! So she will be going today! I am so excited I can't handle it! I guess the discharge person filed some emergency petition or something to Blue Cross. So she is scheduled to leave the hospital today at 3pm.

I will post when she is actually transported as well.

Mom update- Out of my mind frustrated

So Mom is doing better. She is peeing on her own for the first time in months. She was moved from the cardiac unit to a step down unit. We had a treatment meeting on Friday and all of her team think that she is ready to move to a sub-acute rehab facility. They were hoping she would be there on Monday. There is actually a rehab facility that specializes in difficult cases and has a bed and has accepted her.

Dad still works full-time so he has Blue Cross Insurance. Unfortunately, Blue Cross will not cover sub-acute rehab. She does have Medicare, but it will take weeks before Medicare will decide if they will cover it since it is her secondary insurance.

So essentially, Mom is ready for rehab finally and her insurance won't pay for it. They will however pay to keep her in the hospital where she is not getting better. Dad was talking about paying out of pocket if it comes to it, but I don't think he would be able to afford more than a few days to a week and she needs much much more.

Dad is staying at the hospital today to see if there is anything else that can be done. For the first time since this whole ordeal started I am really feeling hopeless. I mean, there is no way for us to get her the care she needed, without bankrupting my parents. I honestly don't know what to do now. Sorry this is such a downer update, but I am just at my wits end.