Not what I was expecting...

[Beap52 587]

"This is not what I was expecting nor how quickly it to happen to me.",  my 88 year old mother told me yesterday as we were walking the the hallway of the assisted living home we had just moved her into.  Since August 16, mom has been in the ER or the clinic pretty much every 2nd or 3rd day.  She has endured 4 UTI's (Urinary Tract Infection), a mild case of Covid and this week a she will have an MRI of her liver.  She is on her 6th or 7th antibody.  I didn't realize how much UTI's affect the elderly (no pain like we would expect but intense confusion and forgetfulness).  I mention this because our older parents can suffer physical and mental issues so quickly and their quality of life can degrade right before our eyes.  It behooves each of us to be vigilant of the people who loved us unwaveringly.

 

Mom has been very active.  Until a couple of month's ago, she lived alone and mowed and maintained her 1 1/2 acre yard.  She still gardened and would jump in he pickup to head to the city to shop a will.  Mom did most of the driving to the family farm three hours away when we went there earlier this summer. 

 

We are hoping that rehab and careful watch care in the assisted living home will restore mom's health and mental function so she can return to her home.  She is looking forward to getting the keys back to her pickup (She and I agreed that the keys and medicine she was taking should be removed from her grasp while the UTI induced confusion challenged her  judgement.) so she regain some of the freedom she is accustom to having.

 

May I suggest:  Keep a close eye on our elderly folks!

 

By the way, for those of you who pray, her name is Erma.

[Easton Rich 178]

Wow. I’m very sorry, she will be in my prayers

[oliver2-44 8,868]

Prayers sent.

 

@Easton Rich Be vigilant about monitoring the Assisted Living Facility.

A few years ago my elderly mom had a fall at home.  After some hospitalization she was sent to a good Assisted Living Facility for a short rehab.  She soon became confused and was going down hill and her rehab stay was extended.  We were all perplexed by this and Dr had no answer.  By coincidence we caught that when she was transferred from the hospital to the facility they mistakenly added a 0 to the dosage of one of her medicines (ie 100 instead of 10) in the computer.  Got her med straightened out and she was back to normal in no time.  

[953 nut 51,829]

Dear Lord we pray that You bless Erma with Your loving care, renew her strength, and guide the medical personnel who are helping her. Help them fine answers to Erma’s medical needs and restore her health.

We ask this in the name of Your son Jesus Christ

[dalez 136]

True stuff about the UTI. My father in law went into assisted living and was transferred to memory care. Someone figured out he had a uti and bingo he was mentally back to normal. 

[Beap52 587]

Thanks for all the kind replies.  Mom is doing MUCH better.  We've had more testing this week and no UTI and other results are coming back good as well.  She seems to be enjoying folks she has met and in better spirits.  For sure she is eating much better that when at home.  i suspect she will be cleared to begin driving her pickup next week. We've cleared all of the food from her home (gave it to the grandkids) and are slowly setting up her apartment at the assisted living.  I suspect she will be staying in assisted living as long as her health permits.  We will keep her home with it's furnishings until next spring before making any decisions about it.

 

 

[953 nut 51,829]

10 hours ago, Beap52 said:

  We will keep her home with it's furnishings until next spring before making any decisions about it

Having her home is probably very important to your Mom, even if she isn't living in it. Will the assisted living facility allow you to bring in some of her furnishings to make it seem more like home?

[Horse Newbie 6,877]

I just want to say prayers for Emma and thank you @953 nut for the prayer you said for us to join together in the spirit.

I will pray for her tonight as well here in just a few minutes.

When I had my mom’s 2sisters in an assisted living facility the staff there was very vigilant about checking for UTI’s immediately when any of their residents started displaying unusual signs.

God Bless Emma and let’s all pray for her continued recovery.

[Beap52 587]

The saga continues.  Mom was doing well at the assisted living.  She even got the keys back to her pickup last Friday and drove to Walmart shopping on Sunday.  Monday I drove her to hospital for liver biopsy. An MRI showed a small spot the doctors wanted to look at. On way to hospital, we talked about Thanksgiving, Christmas and birthday cards mom was going to mail.  She walked into the hospital but following her biopsy, returned to her room on morphine.  The pain was intolerable.  Ultimately, the doctor did surgery on her, cutting from just below rib cage to below belly button.  They removed her stomach and intestines looking for a hole that allowed feces into her cavity.  They left her incision open overnight and three surgeons continued the search the  next day.  They even filled her cavity with a solution and injected air into her stomach hoping to find bubbles--not unlike what we do in looking for holes in inner tubes.   So far no hole has been found, although the doctors say it could be sealed up.  Bile is still showing up in one of the four drain tubes so tomorrow they may be sending a scope down her throat with possibility of a stint in her liver.  The biopsy in mom's liver came back "inclusive" so a larger piece was removed and I assume sent to a larger hospital for examination.  I suspect the liver is badly damaged or cancerous.  I have watched the doctors repack mom's incision.  They have sewn the muscles inside but because of swelling, she has an inch wide and inch deep gash that gets repacked twice a day.  Mom has taken this beating. She and I had good talks today.  She hasn't complained about how life is unfair. She told me it sure would have been easier on all of us if the Lord had taken her home but that's not her decision.  She is on a temporary feeding tube until we decide if her liver is healthy or not.  If her liver is healthy,  then we expect she can return to assisted living in a couple of months--provided everything goes well.  If it's not healthy and she faces similar situation in the near future, then we have other decisions to make.  Life can be hard.  Fortunately, all of us have folks that we love and have been part of our lives and they can surely set the bar high when we find ourselves in there situation.  I have appreciated the kind thoughts and prayers.  You all are fine group of folks!

[Horse Newbie 6,877]

I will say more prayers for Emma, and would ask all who read this to join with me in doing the same.

Heavenly Father,

If it is your will, please heal Emma in any manner you see fit, whether it is through miracles, or the doctors hands and minds.

We pray Lord that whatever you decide, may it bring healing, comfort, hope, and peace, to Emma and her loved ones…

In your son Jesus’s Holy name we ask thee,

Amen

[rjg854 10,757]

Amen  

[Beap52 587]

Mom is in a nursing home and expected to start physical therapy tomorrow.  She is able to get into a wheel chair and be pushed to cafeteria for her meals. Fortunately, she doesn't have any pain. The biopsy of her liver came back noncancerous.  It's amazing the medical procedures that can be accomplished. She is planning on returning to assisted living.  I doubt that she will be able to return to her house and five acres where she has lived for the past 12 years. At her age, and with what she has been through, physical health can take a nose dive overnight.  Thanks to all. 

[rjg854 10,757]

Thanks for the update.

[953 nut 51,829]

On 11/11/2023 at 8:45 PM, Beap52 said:

She hasn't complained about how life is unfair. She told me it sure would have been easier on all of us if the Lord had taken her home but that's not her decision.

I pray that God will guide the hands and hearts of all of the caregivers who are looking out for Emma. Please make her healing from a major incision as painless as possible and guard her from any infection.

Your Mom is an inspiration to all of us. I am having Physical Therapy three days a week and have found that the older patents are the most cooperative and appreciative of the work being done by the therapists.

God bless you as you continue on this journey with your Mom.