The day began with a call I put in to the hospital social worker. I inquired about who wrote on mom’s discharge papers that she is totally vent dependent and will never be able to be weaned from the vent. I was told it was, “probably a nurse” and that the social worker would find out who wrote it and get back to me. Obviously, this report is not true, considering the fact that mom was just on a trach collar yesterday. I let the social worker know that I did NOT want that in any of mom’s discharge papers and that we want a copy of the paperwork. I don’t have a copy yet. I asked the social worker if mom’s being on a trach collar and staying on one changes her options and the social worker thought so but said someone would get back to me on that too. I also inquired about the confusing discharge times/days---seconds---and was told that the social worker would be talking to the neurosurgeon and then would get back to me.
I then called the facility mom used to be at and spoke to the Admissions person who told me that the social worker from the hospital was very rude and yelled yesterday. I was told there are still no beds at the old facility.
Dad went to see the facility in the next county from us which is where “Grammy” used to be for 3 weeks before she died. Grammy is mom’s mother. At the time Grammy was there, the place was a dive. Dad says that it is all redecorated and renovated and is beautiful now. Dad had a tour of the entire facility and when he got to the vent unit---he met one of the people from mom’s old facility. This therapist and 3 others from mom’s old facility all work at both this and the other facility. Small world. This made dad feel so at home and safe there. One of the people is someone dad really likes a lot—nice person but I find the person lacks hope and always says things like, “Your mom may have to be on the vent forever, even though that’s not what you want to hear…” etc. Sally Sunshine!! Haha! Dad said the place has 24 hour respiratory care and many therapists on staff at once. He wants us to go see the place with him tomorrow morning. He said mom was awake when he arrived today.
Anthony was with mom early in the morning and stayed until the afternoon. He said that mom was asleep at first but then woke around midday when he woke her and opened her eyelids. He said that when she opened her eyes, she was smiling and happy to see him and was wide eyed and alert. He said that her demeanor was the old mom again!!! He was so happy. He said she didn’t talk much, just sat smiling and listening to him talk. He told her Sammy graduates tonight and she said, “Ohhhh….” And smiled. He told her about the Yankees losing and she smiled and said, “Really?” She sounded sort of conversational for the first time even though she can’t keep the conversation going…she listens and comments now. Anthony said mom listened to Con talk to her on the phone and commented a few times. He said she moved her arms around a lot and very well…easily wiping her eyes or nose or whatever. Anthony has his own business---he is a draftsman and a really great one—but that’s why he can make time to see mom during the day.
The doctor/neurosurgeon came to talk to Anthony and Dad and said her lungs are fine. She is doing well with the trach collar and weaning but since the shunt, her blood pressure gets low sometimes so they took her off the trach collar and put her back on the vent because the low blood pressure made her labor too much on the collar and also made her have a lot of secretions. They will try the collar again though. They put mom on an IV to hydrate her and her blood pressure went back up and the doctor was happy about that. The surgeon said mom will be in the hospital a day or 2 to be monitored more and the Admissions person at the old facility said that it is doubtful anyone will talk a new patient over the weekend. Hopefully, mom will stay put now. Though, mom may be moved back to the NSCU later today.
I was planning to go upstate with Lenny but dad asked me to stay with him until mom gets settled…he never asks for anything, so of course I will stay with him. Claudia, John, Jean and I went to see mom tonight. Mom was amazing!!!!!! She was awake and alert. Dad had just left her. I said, "Mom, look who came to see you!!!" pointing to John and Jean and said, "Who is this? What's his name?" Mom said, "John Bonavita" She also said his nickname. She named Jean with only a phonemic cue "Jjjjjjj....." and then Jean told her he graduated college saying, "Nonny, guess what? I graduated college!" Mom opened her eyes widely, stared at Jean in surprise with a huge smile and then a teary looking face and grabbed his hand in both of hers and kissed it then she clasped her hands together as if in prayer and shook them back and forth in thanks to God!!!! We cried. Jean sang to her and she laughed. Claudia goofed around and mom laughed some more. Finally, mom said, "Oh my back hurts"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is the first time in a year that she was able to tell us how she felt!! Claudia got the nurse and told mom the nurse was coming with medication for her and then asked mom, "Does your back hurt from coughing so much?" (mom was back on the trach collar and doing well but coughing a lot and secretions) and mom said, "No, from laughing" and we all laughed and the nurse said then no medication is needed for laughing. Claudia and John cried they were so glad and mom said, "What's wrong?" and CLaudia said, "Nothing...it's just that we waited a year for you to get better and come back to us" and mom looked shocked and said, "A YEAR?????!!!!!" John sang to mom and held her hand and he asked her about shows they did together. He said, "Mom, what show was it that you and me were in and Lou played somebody whose last name was 'Detroit.' What was his first name?? Something Detroit" and mom said, "Nathan." Then John said, "Yeah right!!! Right!!Who did you play?" Mom said, "Adelaide" and then John asked who he was and said he sang the song "Sit down you're rocking the boat" and mom said, "Nicely Nicely." They reminisced for a long while about their shows and mom knew all the answers and even many without prompts. She played tic tac toe with Claudia too. She kept asking for Jeanie as she calls him and listened to us all intently as we spoke to her. She did sooooooo much in 2 hours it is too much to write here. We called Aunt Carol and mom put the phone to her ear and answered, "Hello" when Aunt Carol said hello. We spoke to the surgeon who said she is amazing compared to last year and we told him all we've been doing for mom and he couldn't believe it. The surgeon said mom will be in the hospital through Sunday and maybe even Monday too. He wants to watch and observe her a bit. PTL!!!!
"Taste and see that the Lord is good" Psalm 34:8
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