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One step backward, another step sideways.
Oct. 13th, 2010 11:05 pmSister took mom to her doctor yesterday. Mom's short term memory was even worse than ever. Monday she was playing the piano, but five minutes later, couldn't remember what songs she had played. Memory getting steadily worse each day. Doc looked at her and said, Get thee to the hospital. Unfortunately, the ER was rather busy yesterday. Mom and sister got to the ER and checked in around 4pmish. Mom got triaged, bloods drawn for tests and sent back to the waiting room. I got there on the way home from work around 630pmish. Relieved sister from mom-sitting duty. Sister went to hospital cafeteria to get some food before they closed and then she went upstairs to visit dad in his hospital room.
She spoke to the nurses there about getting mom & dad into the same room, and the nurses indicated that this was unlikely to happen, but who knows. Sister got back down to ER waiting room, where we waited some more. Finally got called back into a treatment room. Doc examines her and looks are test results. Yup, short term memory shot, labs all look pretty normal. So, x-ray, more blood and urine tests, and a cat scan of her head. I go upstairs and visit with my dad while sister sits with mom. When I get back down, scans all done and multiple docs come to see mom. Nothing that unusual in tests, other than her high blood pressure, which she has had for years.
Admit for observation. More forms and paperworks. Finally we get rolled up to the ward. Same ward as dad is on. But it's midnight now, and dad is sound asleep. Mom is put in room three doors down from Dad. I gotta work the next day, so sister sends me home to sleep. Sister doesn't get home until 3amish.
I wake up and grog my way into work, where it takes more caffiene than usual to get me going. While I'm at work, mom gets brought to NMRI for scan of head. But doesn't get done because she can't answer the questions about metallic implants in her body that would react badly to magnetic field of scanner. Back to her room where she spends the rest of her day uneventfully. She can't figure out the TV remote control so can't watch TV. (Mom not figuring out the TV remote is normal, that's why she has husband and children, to press remote control buttons for her.) She does get a couple hours visiting with Dad down the hall, until Dad gets discharged from hospital to go to nursing home for unspecified therapy. Four of five children do visit her today. Fifth child is on other side of country and cannot afford airfare or time off from job.
MRI rescheduled for 0630 tomorrow morning. If they can't find anything wrong with that, they will discharge her home, as medicare will only pay for 48 hours of hospitalization for observation.
I catch up with LJ and e-mail now. sleep too. *yawns*
She spoke to the nurses there about getting mom & dad into the same room, and the nurses indicated that this was unlikely to happen, but who knows. Sister got back down to ER waiting room, where we waited some more. Finally got called back into a treatment room. Doc examines her and looks are test results. Yup, short term memory shot, labs all look pretty normal. So, x-ray, more blood and urine tests, and a cat scan of her head. I go upstairs and visit with my dad while sister sits with mom. When I get back down, scans all done and multiple docs come to see mom. Nothing that unusual in tests, other than her high blood pressure, which she has had for years.
Admit for observation. More forms and paperworks. Finally we get rolled up to the ward. Same ward as dad is on. But it's midnight now, and dad is sound asleep. Mom is put in room three doors down from Dad. I gotta work the next day, so sister sends me home to sleep. Sister doesn't get home until 3amish.
I wake up and grog my way into work, where it takes more caffiene than usual to get me going. While I'm at work, mom gets brought to NMRI for scan of head. But doesn't get done because she can't answer the questions about metallic implants in her body that would react badly to magnetic field of scanner. Back to her room where she spends the rest of her day uneventfully. She can't figure out the TV remote control so can't watch TV. (Mom not figuring out the TV remote is normal, that's why she has husband and children, to press remote control buttons for her.) She does get a couple hours visiting with Dad down the hall, until Dad gets discharged from hospital to go to nursing home for unspecified therapy. Four of five children do visit her today. Fifth child is on other side of country and cannot afford airfare or time off from job.
MRI rescheduled for 0630 tomorrow morning. If they can't find anything wrong with that, they will discharge her home, as medicare will only pay for 48 hours of hospitalization for observation.
I catch up with LJ and e-mail now. sleep too. *yawns*
