Today I arrived about 8:30 to find that my mom had just had a breathing treatment...she always seems a bit clearer after the treatment...it increases her oxygen level to about 99%. She still had her breakfast, she had not eaten much...I had brought a yoghurt and asked her if she wanted that so she ate a bit eventually eating the whole container, but not much else. She seems to be drinking ok but if someone isn't there then she wouldn't drink. The newspaper was delivered and my mom tried to read it but kept falling asleep. It seems that she dreams because she opens her eyes, says something and then is fast asleep again.
The doctor came in and said that the influenza tests were negative so we could stop wearing the masks - thank goodness they are really uncomfortable - he also looked perplexed when trying to figure out what is going on...he asked her a few questions and she answered them pretty well only missing a couple. He moved her a little and she said ouch around her neck area....she has had a stiff neck so he ordered a ct scan to see if anything was going on...it came back negative. They did a chest xray and found that she had congestion so he ordered meds to rid her body of fluids. I asked him if the cause of the seizures could end up being a mystery and he said yes. That is annoying as if it were something else then that could probably be treated but if is unknown then what??
She is weak but was able to stand with assistance when physical therapy moved her from the bed to a chair...she sat there for almost 2 hours...she did fall asleep a lot but sat there just the same. I still feel that some of the weakness is related to her oxygen situation but they have not done another blood gas test to check her Co2's. I think I am really going to ask a lot tomorrow about doing a blood gas. She did get a little morphine about 11am which could account for some of her sleepiness but it shouldn't still be in affect at 8 pm should it??
For lunch and dinner she didn't each much either...but she did eat almost another container of yoghurt - at least there is protein in yoghurt. It is hard to force a person to eat...but she must eat in order to get stronger.
The patient care coordinator came in today again....we talked about the idea of my mom going home with help as well as the possibility of going back to a SNF for rehab - that is a hard one. But I am not sure what all is available if she goes home. I do know that she needs a lot right now and I wish they could keep her in the hospital until she was a lot stronger...so she could go home. I just really think that her best chance to heal will be at home but the logistics of it all is a bit overwhelming and confusing. I also talked to Shirley about the "what if" my mom can't go home .....what are the options...I am not totally sure - I just really hope that she can go home to herself.
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