justinsmama's family's roller coaster ride with Mom

[justinsmama]

How wonderful, Merry Christmas Justins !

Merry Christmas to you, too, nonesy! Yup, our family has a Christmas miracle today! Mom can have ice chips, sips of water, she had jello this morning and may have broth today!

[bleachedblack]

I am soooooo relieved! Went to the hospital to see Mom. They were preparing to get her to sit on the edge of the bed. I helped. Mom was alert and talking some! Dangled legs for a bit and then helped her lie down again. Whoooooohooooo!

That is a great Christmas present!  How did she do with the BIPAP? Did she get to keep it off for good yet?

[justinsmama]

BIPAP has stayed off!

[bleachedblack]

For the whole day? Yipeeeeee!

I would imagine they will try to transfer Mom out of ICU tomorrow. If they would let her stay another day it would be good. But it really sounds like she is doing well.

[justinsmama]

For the whole day? Yipeeeeee!

I would imagine they will try to transfer Mom out of ICU tomorrow. If they would let her stay another day it would be good. But it really sounds like she is doing well.

I was just thinking of asking about that! She asked everyone to leave her alone for awhile so she can sleep. That's a good sign, too. Keeping SIL out is the trick. Guess brother # 1 told other sibs "Welcome to my world" re: his wife's childlike nature. That brother chose to distance himself from all of us for a period of several years (he's an alcoholic and bipolar not on meds. he has always perceived slights against him when there none.). He would not provide us with his address or phone number, including our mother. It hurt her terribly. About 5 years ago, he decided to rejoin us, and we began having annual July 4th family reunions. I truly am surprised that he has not perceived our efforts to keep SIL out of Mom's room as a slight against him. He seems to understand the big picture. He even asked me to keep an eye on Mom's stats while he and SIL went in this morning to see her.

[bleachedblack]

For the whole day? Yipeeeeee!

I would imagine they will try to transfer Mom out of ICU tomorrow. If they would let her stay another day it would be good. But it really sounds like she is doing well.

I was just thinking of asking about that! She asked everyone to leave her alone for awhile so she can sleep. That's a good sign, too. Keeping SIL out is the trick. Guess brother # 1 told other sibs "Welcome to my world" re: his wife's childlike nature. That brother chose to distance himself from all of us for a period of several years (he's an alcoholic and bipolar not on meds. he has always perceived slights against him when there none.). He would not provide us with his address or phone number, including our mother. It hurt her terribly. About 5 years ago, he decided to rejoin us, and we began having annual July 4th family reunions. I truly am surprised that he has not perceived our efforts to keep SIL out of Mom's room as a slight against him. He seems to understand the big picture. He even asked me to keep an eye on Mom's stats while he and SIL went in this morning to see her.

For the whole day? Yipeeeeee!

I would imagine they will try to transfer Mom out of ICU tomorrow. If they would let her stay another day it would be good. But it really sounds like she is doing well.

I was just thinking of asking about that! She asked everyone to leave her alone for awhile so she can sleep. That's a good sign, too. Keeping SIL out is the trick. Guess brother # 1 told other sibs "Welcome to my world" re: his wife's childlike nature. That brother chose to distance himself from all of us for a period of several years (he's an alcoholic and bipolar not on meds. he has always perceived slights against him when there none.). He would not provide us with his address or phone number, including our mother. It hurt her terribly. About 5 years ago, he decided to rejoin us, and we began having annual July 4th family reunions. I truly am surprised that he has not perceived our efforts to keep SIL out of Mom's room as a slight against him. He seems to understand the big picture. He even asked me to keep an eye on Mom's stats while he and SIL went in this morning to see her.

I was just thinking of asking about that!
It wouldn't be terrible to transfer , but I prefer ICU, for the care......if they would let her stay another 24hrs it would be good but probably not necessary. She has made good headway getting off the BIPAP, but the pneumonia is still a concern. In ICU they will get her moving out-of-the-bed tomorrow, in addition to remembering to cough and deep-breath and probably receive timely nebulizer treatments from respiratory therapy.  

Guess brother # 1 told other sibs "Welcome to my world" re: his wife's childlike nature. That brother chose to distance himself from all of us for a period of several years (he's an alcoholic and bipolar not on meds. he has always perceived slights against him when there none.). He would not provide us with his address or phone number, including our mother. It hurt her terribly.
Sounds like your brother has had a difficult time dealing with his wifes disease. When you describe SIL's actions at the bedside, I can only imagine how it must have been for him. Dealing with her, and likely "medicating " his own bipolar with alcohol ..........I am sure he was numbed to the effects it had on Mom....right or wrong.

About 5 years ago, he decided to rejoin us, and we began having annual July 4th family reunions.
Good for him. Home is where the heart is..... It couldn't have been easy to mend bridges......I have a few bridges that still need mending......
Most of all, good for you a family that is willing to let water under the bridge be past..... a family that is sensitive to what his demons have been and put them behind.

[justinsmama]

The four of us have kept his demons in mind, and he has stayed for Mom. This morning, it was so good to see her face light up when he went into the room to tell her Merry Christmas and kiss her. He is her oldest, and she was practically a child when she had him, only 16 years old. BTW, I thought Mother was 74 but she is 72 years old. I was doing backwards math th calculate her age.  

[pdh3]

justins - I'm so glad your Mom is doing better now! What a great Christmas gift for your family!
I hope her recovery is steady, and that soon she can go home, and you all can get some rest.

[justinsmama]

She had the mask on overnight, but it is off again today. PT was in to work with her on her hands (lots of edema still). She will remain in ICU today with the plan to move to a regular floor tomorrow. I'd forgotten that today is Tuesday (holidays always booger up my orientation, especially when it is an extended one as Christmas is). Justin will go with his dad later today. I'll go see Mom then. I'm happy!

[tcumom]

Justins ~ I am so happy for your entire family ~ what a Christmas miracle for all of you.

[bleachedblack]

She had the mask on overnight, but it is off again today. PT was in to work with her on her hands (lots of edema still). She will remain in ICU today with the plan to move to a regular floor tomorrow. I'd forgotten that today is Tuesday (holidays always booger up my orientation, especially when it is an extended one as Christmas is). Justin will go with his dad later today. I'll go see Mom then. I'm happy!

I am glad thing are on the right track.

[bleachedblack]

Justins How is Mom today?

[justinsmama]

Justins How is Mom today?

Mom had to have a tube (NG?) put into her stomach for the bile. Puked it up twice and they finally put it through her nose. Changed anti-nausea drugs. But not working. Still in ICU. Sisters say she is resting well today and tonight. Her spirits are better, too, though she is hallucinating (side effect) Otherwise, she is good.   No BIPAP last night due to vomiting, and she did well without it. I did not see her, just went by the hospital and dropped off a card. I really want to see her, but she needs to rest and has had way too many visitors. Called her house twice today just to hear her voice on the answering machine.

[bleachedblack]

Justins How is Mom today?

Mom had to have a tube (NG?) put into her stomach for the bile. Puked it up twice and they finally put it through her nose. Changed anti-nausea drugs. But not working. Still in ICU. Sisters say she is resting well today and tonight. Her spirits are better, too, though she is hallucinating (side effect) Otherwise, she is good.   No BIPAP last night due to vomiting, and she did well without it. I did not see her, just went by the hospital and dropped off a card. I really want to see her, but she needs to rest and has had way too many visitors. Called her house twice today just to hear her voice on the answering machine.

Two steps foward one step back.......

Sometimes the pain medication can slow the return of function of the bowl post surgery....called paralytic ileus. Takes time, increased mobility helps (if tolerated). Glad to hear breathing is good.

Her spirits are better, too, though she is hallucinating
What is ICU psychosis?

ICU psychosis is a disorder in which patients in an intensive care unit (ICU) or a similar setting experience anxiety, hear voices, see things that are not there, and become paranoid, severely disoriented in time and place, very agitated, or even violent, etc. In short, patients become temporarily psychotic.

http://www.medicinenet.com/icu_psychosis/article.htm#1whatis

[Peaches]

I'm keeping you and yours close to my heart, Justins.  I am so sorry your family is in the middle of this during the holidays.  

How old is your SIL who has Huntington's?  My childhood best friend and her sister died of HC...before they were 50 as did their mother.  HC is such an unfair disease (as if any disease plays fair).  

Will pray for continued improvement for your mother.

[justinsmama]

Peaches~ How are you? Chemo was today or is it tomorrow? SIL is in her mid 40's.

Excellent news today! Mom was transferred OUT OF ICU onto a general medical floor! She has to have the NG tube for at least today. She is alert, talking clearly, in good spirits and no longer hallucinating (antinausea drugs dc'd). She is eating popsicles and she said I would not believe how good they taste! PT will be in help her. Man, do I feel good!

[A's Fever]

That's great news, Justins.  Sounds like things are going to be okay.  Your mom is quite a fighter!

[justinsmama]

That's great news, Justins.  Sounds like things are going to be okay.  Your mom is quite a fighter!

She sure is!

Oh, learned that it was diverticula that had bled out. She had been started on Plavix 1-2 weeks before the nightmare began.  

[Sam]

So glad your'e Mom is doing so much better Justinsmama. I also have diverticuli. So far so good, I hope this does not mean I may have to go through this some day.

Peaches, I hope you are doing ok.

 I never had any trouble when on the chemo . It was always after it was over that I became ill. Of course I do not know much about it. I had surgery before I was ever started on Chemo to have something called an infusaport installed. That was a great thing. It was a needle, button thingy inserted into the subclavian artery. With this thing in place they no longer had to hunt for a vein to start an IV. They just stabbed the button thingy with a needle and were in.

My chemo was called 4FU. Sounds like a dirty word huh? It was 4 days on continuous. I wore a battery pack, almost like a fanny pack with the solution inside it and it was programmed to give the dosage in small amounts I guess, for 4 days. I could hear a slight sort of pumping sound. I could still move around and do my housework etc. The infusa port had to be flushed with heparin at least once a month. After my clean bill of health in April 2006 I had it removed. But it was a blessing when I needed it.

[MsVada]

Justins

Glad to hear the good news