Sorry I am not answering post as quickly as normal

[Pat Walter]

July 14, 2007

I just wanted to tell people I am sorry that I am not answering posts as quickly as normal.  My Mother is in the ICU on a ventilator and I visit 4 times a day. She has been there over two weeks.  Her heart had stopped and they gave her a shot to get things working again.  It has been quite hectic. 

I apologize for not being available for answers.  Hopefully, the board will grow and there will be more surface hippies to help others in time.

If you want help from a large number of hippies, you can also join the Yahoo Surface Hippy Discussion Group  http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/surfacehippy/  of over 6000 members. You will get over 100 emails a day, but there is a lot of information available on the group.

Please stay with the our Hip Talk board after you have had hip resurfacing surgery. It is a great way to help others and spread the word about hip resurfacing.

Thanks for your patience.

Pat

[momzer2]

Pat,

How is your mom doing?  I'm sure I'm not the only one who would like a mini update.   

Karen

[Pat Walter]

Hi Karen

Thank You for asking about my Mom.  They actually took her off the ventilator on Monday and she is now out of the ICU.  She has a lot of catching up to do since she hasn't eaten since she has been in the hospital from July 1 until now.  She also did not eat for 8 days before the hospitalizaiton since she fell at the nursing home. They were getting ready to think about putting her in assisted living at the nursing home and two days later an aide didn't watch or help her getting out of bed and she fell very hard on her bottom. She started vomiting for 8 days straight until I insisted we get her to the hospital.  We had taken her 4 days after the fall, but they did not find what was wrong and felt she was OK. Then she began vomiting again.

Nursing homes are very slow in taking any action, you have to watch them like a hawk. The hospital found out my Mom had a partial blockage in her intestine and I am guessing the fall made it worse.  They did a temporary colostomy on her so she could eat right and not get sick anymore.  When she gets stronger, they will fix her permanently so she won't need the colostomy.

It has been a real adventure.  She aspirated stuff in her lungs while vomiting and caused pneumonia. So they had to put her on the ventilator.  When they took her off, a day later blood clots in her legs broke lose with small pieces and probably went to her lungs.  She stopped breathing and her heart stopped.  They immediately put her on a ventilator again and gave her a shot to start her heart.  It was a stop gap to try to hold her until we got there to say Goodbye.  She, howver,  decided not to leave us - she is a tough cookie for 85.  The hospital doctors and nurses were amazed that she has survived and is doing so well.  I guess modern medicine can really help in some cases if you have a strong will to live.

So she is on the mend, out of the ICU and starting to eat real food again. It has been a really difficult time running to the hospital 3 times a day, watching her die and then watching her recover!!

I hope she can continue to do well, but at 85 it is much more difficult to overcome such problems. 

Thanks again for asking!

Pat

[momzer2]

Pat,

So happy to hear that your mom is almost back to normal.  If there is such a thing.     And, yes, it is amazing what technology can do and the strength of the human mind and body.  How well I know.  I've seen some pretty injured people come back and it is truly uplifting.  By the way, 85 is still young.  We have a patient who will have his 102 birthday in Sept.  He is still a little spitfire.  He is the cutest guy, and only recently, like 6 months ago, went into an assisted living facility.  He is truly inspiring.  So your mom may still have about 15-20 more years to bless this earth.  Send her my best wishes and keep us posted.  I'll by waiting to hear that she has moved out of her hospital room!   

Take care,

Karen

[Pat Walter]

Hi Karen

Thanks for your concern.

Acutally the hospital discharged my Mom back to the nursing home yesterday.  She is not on oxygen or IV's.

She was very happy to get back "home".  Everyone was giving her hugs and welcomes. She is glad to be back and looking forward to getting her PT again and start walking.  I think that will takes a few days.  She is eating and eating.  She hadn't been able to eat since she fell almost 28 days ago.

So all is well for now.  I hate to have her in the nursing home, but she requires a lot of care.  I can't lift and move her very well myself since I have had my new BHR and back problems. So I just let them do the lifting and moving and I just visit a lot.  Take her favorite foods to her often.

Thanks for everyones well wishes and prayers.

Pat

[momzer2]

Hi Pat,

Glad to hear your mom is back 'home' and eating like crazy!!   
As a nurse I see a lot of patients having to keep their parents in nursing homes.  In all fairness to you, it really is the safest environment for both you and your mom.  She is cared for 24/7, given meals, etc. and with you visiting quite often it is the best thing.  I know you must feel some 'guilt', but you shouldn't. 

You must have an unending supply of energy.. keeping up with our posts, your own home, visiting you mom numerous times a day.  You are amazing.  Give yourself a pat on the back!!

Karen

[Pat Walter]

Hi Karen

Thanks for your kind words.  I do feel guilty, but I do realize she needs much more care than my husband and I could ever give her.  Plus we are not trained medically in any way.

I don't know about the energy - I am on empty right now.  Hopefully, just like hip surgery, my energy level will come back soon.  Stress is almost as difficult as surgery on your body.

Fortunately I don't have much family except for my husband and our 15 dogs.  They are a lot of work. I do websites for rescue groups and shelters and ended up with too many that could not find homes.  We have the blind and crippled, along with a bunch of old guys too.  Sometimes I tell my Mom we are going to leave a few at the nursing home with her!  We do take them to visit sometimes - only one at a time!

Thanks again for your support. I appreciate it.  I do hope all goes well for you too.

Pat

[kriyamon]

God be with you.  Thanks for being here when you can.

[Pat Walter]

Thank You for your concern and kind words.

My Mom is doing better and getting a little bit stronger.  So I only go to the nursing home once a day now.

I have time to be back home in my computer room and working on my websites again.

The nursing home experience is quite a learning experience-  just like learning about hip resurfacing.  I guess there are a lot of things in this world we don't know about until we have to face them.

I am just starting a new website about nursing homes  called   Nursing Home Diaries   http://www.nursinghomediaries.com      I will have a nice discussion group on it for people to talk with each other and offer support. 

The internet is a great way to exchange information and talk with other people with the same interest and problems.

Pat