I woke this morning to the phone ringing (not usually a good thing). The doctor from the hospital who is overseeing mom’s care finally called (I had been calling and trying to reach the doctor since Monday---5 days ago). As you all know, we packed up mom’s room at the facility last night and brought everything to dad’s house (we have a mini-classroom in mom’s room). This was the 7th or 8th time we have had to do this. Anyway, the doctor called to say that we shouldn’t worry about losing her bed at the facility; he would be releasing her later today or tomorrow!!!!! Exasperating. I explained it was too late because she lost her bed and the facility already and that we packed up her room. The doctor asked why we would do that. ????? I explained that the facility said we had to. No choice was involved. The doctor plans to make a call to the facility and straighten things out for us. I doubt it. I hung up from the doctor’s call and immediately texted the building administrator of the facility to give a heads up. The administrator texted me back and said they would start to work on things for mom’s possible and hopeful return to the facility, but not until they hear from the hospital first. Good Morning!! I promptly left everything in God’s Hands and began my day.
Here’s how the bed hold situation works: Anyone who is Medicaid approved gets an annual 14 day bed hold. Mom never had a bed hold option until July when she became Medicaid approved. Before July 2011, the building administrator pulled strings to help us keep mom in the facility by holding a bed for her and/or finding one for her. However, though mom fulfills the first criteria for a bed hold (Medicaid approved), mom doesn’t have the 2nd criteria fulfilled: the facility must be 95% or more full on the day that a patient leaves the facility for a hospital. The facility was less than 95% full on Monday which was the day mom left for the hospital so no patients in the facility were eligible for a bed hold on that particular day. Crazy system!!
The procedure mom had done today went well. Mom has several stones in her kidney. One stone is stuck in the tube that runs from her kidney to her bladder. This stone is blocking the flow of urine and therefore causing an infection. Today, the doctor/urologist ran a catheter up that tube, through the bladder and past the stone/along side it, and up into mom’s kidney to drain the trapped, infected urine there. The stone wasn’t dislodged by doing this though. The doctor said it will most likely pass on its own. Mom had to have anesthesia for the procedure and that always makes her loopy (the last time she had it she pulled out her G-tube). The G-tube will likely stay in (according to the urologist) for precautionary measures.
Anthony came to see mom first today. He worked on having her move her legs and bend them and lift them. Dad came next and said mom did her exercises well. The hospital said that mom’s doctor here hasn’t put an order in yet to have mom moved from bed to chair and back on a daily basis, so exercise is crucial for both muscle strength, stretching and circulation.
Dad and mom watched TV and read the newspaper together.
When I arrived at mom’s room, I found mush on her lunch tray. I went to the nurse (for the 5th consecutive day) and asked for the correct consistency of food to be served. They have been giving mom thickened liquids and mush (pureed food). She hasn’t eaten that type of consistency in months!! We are worried that mush and thick liquids will end up making her go backwards again with her oral motor skills and eating abilities. I was assured (again) that mom would now receive the right food. Mom, dad and I laughed and laughed about various things. There were 4 flies in mom’s room that made us all crazy! Especially mom! I told her we could have her do “fly physical therapy” where she would have to reach out and swat the flies with her arms and hands! Mom kept trying to talk to dad but dad didn’t hear her. It was comical. We all laughed about it. I typed a word and asked mom how to spell it. She spelled it correctly and then told me to use the “spell checker.” Mom continually asks me when she will have therapy…especially PT. She misses it. She wants to work hard and go home.
The wrong food showed up again and we were told that this food was ordered by a speech therapist at the hospital who supposedly evaluated mom when she arrived and determined that she can’t have regular liquids (she has drank regular liquids for the last 2 months) and that she has to eat pureed food!!! UGH!!! She never saw a speech therapist!! We have been with her since she came here…..we managed to get her chicken salad and mom ravenously ate it (and did great chewing and swallowing). Then we went to the diner to get her a turkey and stuffing dinner with veggies. The problem is that one facility’s “mechanical soft” diet is not the same as the next facility’s interpretation of it. Here, at the hospital, a mechanical soft diet is mush/pureed food and honey consistency liquids. It is a balancing act to manage to present with the correct amount of assertion mixed with calm control.
Claudia put mom to bed tonight. Mom cried alot when it was time for Claudia to leave. Mom kept saying that she wants to be surrounded by her family and that she wants to go home. She said she doesn't want to be in the hospital any more or in the facility. She is afraid she will never get back home. Dad and we want mom home more than anything. As soon as she can go from a sitting position to standing at a walker so she can use a commode---she goes home. Dad can't change diapers and home health aides only come for a very short period of time. Claudia soothed mom and prayed with her and calmed her down a bit before leaving.
I pray she is home with us all again soon....
"Your Father knows your needs. He will give you all you need from day to day." Luke 12:30-31
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