baronessekat (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
baronessekat) wrote2007-02-10 01:21 am
baronessekat) wrote2007-02-10 01:21 am
Update
For those who did not see ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
dicea's post, my mother was rushed to the hospital today. My sister who talks to her every day or every other day had not been able to reach her since they talked on Tuesday. Mom normally returns calls since she knows sis gets worried if she doesn't. So when the return calls never came, sis called a neighbor who went and checked on my mom.
They found her in bed and not very responsive. It appeared that she had been there for a couple days. They called the ambulance and rushed her to ECMC.
I actually got to the hospital before she did. I told the check in that I was there and they said I should hear something in 45 minutes. Hour goes by and I get told she's being seen by the doctor. Dicea came to sit with me while I waited another 3 hours until I go back to the triage desk and say "45 minutes has been 4 hours. When is someone going to tell me what is happening with my mother. Even a we are running tests so we can figure out what happened would be nice."
I got escorted back and spoke briefly with the NP assigned to my mother. She had a "bleeding event" on her brain. But is was NOT a stroke. She's ventilated and they are waiting for a room in ICU. I get asked if I knew what pharmacy she used - NOT what meds I knew she was on. I volunteer anyway what medications I know she's on. Though they never asked what she was allergic to. I say I have the pharmacy number out in the waiting room as it's on my inhalor with Dicea. I get phone number and give to Triage and told that someone will come out in a bit to update me.
An hour later I go ask if I can see her again. After some calling back they say she's moving to ICU. It's now 10:30.
Dicea and I walked down to the ICU waiting room and I call and let them know I am down there. Unfortunatley Dicea had to leave as she has to work at OH GOD Early. So I sat and watched Who's line then House. It felt weird watching House as I waited to be told what was wrong with my mother.
Finally at 12:30 the attending on duty comes in and I find out more. They are treating it like an anurysm (or however you spell it). She had a CT and they did a angiography in which they make a 3D image of the vessels in her brain. Some internal pressure but both pupils are equal and reactive. THis is GOOD. It means No Stroke. They have to wait until morning for the neuro team to come on and review the CT and angiography (which apparently takes a couple hours to process) and I should get a call in the morning. Luckily the AoD warned me that the Neuro-surgeon calls at like 7am.
Finally at almost 1 I got to go back and see her for more than 2 seconds. And it was the nurse that asked me if she was allergic to anything. Yes... Codine and Biaxin. Both ones you need to know about.
I came home as there really isn't anything I could do but sleep in the waiting room since technically visiting hours are over. I told mom she was loved and she had to get better because Sis is flying home tomorrow and she knows how Terri gets around hospitals. So she just better get well cuz I can't deal with my sister like that. I'm going to believe that the glimmer I saw in her eye was a smile and not a trick of the light.
Tomorrow I will go over to mom's house and collect up medications, find any documentation for health care proxies even though I know mom's wishes and make calls to relatives who I didn't have numbers for at the hospital. Visiting hours are Noon to 2, 5-6 and 7:30-8. I'll go back to the hospital for an hour at noon but leave at 1 so i can pick Sis up from the airport.
She is stable, resting and in good hands.
But I ask all of my friends, if you have not already done so, sit down with friends and family and let them know your wishes for health care, DNR, no heroic measure, etc so that if something happens like an unexpected brain bleed, they know what you would want to happen. Get a health care proxy signed and kept some place safe. And don't think "Oh I'm in my 20's or 30's. What's going to happen to me?" Anna Nicole was 39. Car accidents happen. Wierd birth defects long dormant surface. If not for yourself, then for those who love you and will have to deal with too many other things in a time ofhigh stress and crisis.
I['m going to go try to get some sleep and I will update as I can.
dicea's post, my mother was rushed to the hospital today. My sister who talks to her every day or every other day had not been able to reach her since they talked on Tuesday. Mom normally returns calls since she knows sis gets worried if she doesn't. So when the return calls never came, sis called a neighbor who went and checked on my mom.They found her in bed and not very responsive. It appeared that she had been there for a couple days. They called the ambulance and rushed her to ECMC.
I actually got to the hospital before she did. I told the check in that I was there and they said I should hear something in 45 minutes. Hour goes by and I get told she's being seen by the doctor. Dicea came to sit with me while I waited another 3 hours until I go back to the triage desk and say "45 minutes has been 4 hours. When is someone going to tell me what is happening with my mother. Even a we are running tests so we can figure out what happened would be nice."
I got escorted back and spoke briefly with the NP assigned to my mother. She had a "bleeding event" on her brain. But is was NOT a stroke. She's ventilated and they are waiting for a room in ICU. I get asked if I knew what pharmacy she used - NOT what meds I knew she was on. I volunteer anyway what medications I know she's on. Though they never asked what she was allergic to. I say I have the pharmacy number out in the waiting room as it's on my inhalor with Dicea. I get phone number and give to Triage and told that someone will come out in a bit to update me.
An hour later I go ask if I can see her again. After some calling back they say she's moving to ICU. It's now 10:30.
Dicea and I walked down to the ICU waiting room and I call and let them know I am down there. Unfortunatley Dicea had to leave as she has to work at OH GOD Early. So I sat and watched Who's line then House. It felt weird watching House as I waited to be told what was wrong with my mother.
Finally at 12:30 the attending on duty comes in and I find out more. They are treating it like an anurysm (or however you spell it). She had a CT and they did a angiography in which they make a 3D image of the vessels in her brain. Some internal pressure but both pupils are equal and reactive. THis is GOOD. It means No Stroke. They have to wait until morning for the neuro team to come on and review the CT and angiography (which apparently takes a couple hours to process) and I should get a call in the morning. Luckily the AoD warned me that the Neuro-surgeon calls at like 7am.
Finally at almost 1 I got to go back and see her for more than 2 seconds. And it was the nurse that asked me if she was allergic to anything. Yes... Codine and Biaxin. Both ones you need to know about.
I came home as there really isn't anything I could do but sleep in the waiting room since technically visiting hours are over. I told mom she was loved and she had to get better because Sis is flying home tomorrow and she knows how Terri gets around hospitals. So she just better get well cuz I can't deal with my sister like that. I'm going to believe that the glimmer I saw in her eye was a smile and not a trick of the light.
Tomorrow I will go over to mom's house and collect up medications, find any documentation for health care proxies even though I know mom's wishes and make calls to relatives who I didn't have numbers for at the hospital. Visiting hours are Noon to 2, 5-6 and 7:30-8. I'll go back to the hospital for an hour at noon but leave at 1 so i can pick Sis up from the airport.
She is stable, resting and in good hands.
But I ask all of my friends, if you have not already done so, sit down with friends and family and let them know your wishes for health care, DNR, no heroic measure, etc so that if something happens like an unexpected brain bleed, they know what you would want to happen. Get a health care proxy signed and kept some place safe. And don't think "Oh I'm in my 20's or 30's. What's going to happen to me?" Anna Nicole was 39. Car accidents happen. Wierd birth defects long dormant surface. If not for yourself, then for those who love you and will have to deal with too many other things in a time ofhigh stress and crisis.
I['m going to go try to get some sleep and I will update as I can.