Mom
My Mom's health has been in decline for quite a while now. About a year and a half ago, she had three compression fractures in her spine and had to have them repaired. While in the hospital, she suffered from narcotic psychosis and had a long, extended recovery. She had trouble getting around after that hospitalization, but we just attributed it to post op weakness and the fact that she had no interest in rehab. Six months after that operation, her weakness in her legs became worse and she began to complain of numbness in her legs and feet. She would try to walk and her legs would just give out on her. She lives in an area about two to three hours from any real medical care and that just compounded the problem because none of the quacks where she is at were able to give her a diagnosis.
We finally got her to a neurologist in a small town about an hour and a half away. After checking her out and getting and MRI, the neurologist immediately sent her to a neurosurgeon in Memphis. Mom had a long cyst pressing against a significant area of her spinal cord. The neurosurgeon operated and was pleased with the results, but once again, mom refused rehab and went back home to the little town with no real health care available and no family that could be relied upon to help her.
She never really got better. If anything, the numbness and lack of control in her legs continued to get worse. She had to have a distant relative come live with her, but if you know my Mom, you know that's a short term solution. She is strong willed and opinionated and not really a people person. We began to formulate plans for her to move closer to me or one of my siblings. We wanted to put her in an apartment, but were afraid that it had reached the point where she couldn't live alone.
The neurosurgeon that had seen her before decided that things weren't what they should be so he had another MRI done. He told us that yhe cyst had returned and Mom's options were another surgery or basically be in a wheel chair for the rest of her life. She opted for the surgery and went into the hospital a couple of weeks ago. The doctor said that when he opened her up, it wasn't the cyst causing the problem, but scar tissue on and around the spinal cord. Post op, Mom had movement in her feet but very little sensation. After a brief recovery in the hospital, she was sent to a rehab facility to try and regain some of her mobility.
A couple of days ago, Mom began sleeping more and more. She was beginning to get confused and was unable to participate in her rehab. They sent her to the emergency room where she was diagnosed with dehydration and a urinary tract infection, but no real explanation for her confusion. They kept her in the hospital and she soon became unresponsive. My sister called a couple of hours ago. They were to do some further testing today, but Mom's breathing became ragged and they were concerned about pneumonia. The last I heard was that she was completely unresponsive and was being placed on a ventilator. I asked my sister if I should go to Memphis and she pointed out that there was nothing I could do and Mom wouldn't know I was there. I see the logic in this, but worry that my sister feels left alone to shoulder the burden of making decisions.
Boy this is tough.
We finally got her to a neurologist in a small town about an hour and a half away. After checking her out and getting and MRI, the neurologist immediately sent her to a neurosurgeon in Memphis. Mom had a long cyst pressing against a significant area of her spinal cord. The neurosurgeon operated and was pleased with the results, but once again, mom refused rehab and went back home to the little town with no real health care available and no family that could be relied upon to help her.
She never really got better. If anything, the numbness and lack of control in her legs continued to get worse. She had to have a distant relative come live with her, but if you know my Mom, you know that's a short term solution. She is strong willed and opinionated and not really a people person. We began to formulate plans for her to move closer to me or one of my siblings. We wanted to put her in an apartment, but were afraid that it had reached the point where she couldn't live alone.
The neurosurgeon that had seen her before decided that things weren't what they should be so he had another MRI done. He told us that yhe cyst had returned and Mom's options were another surgery or basically be in a wheel chair for the rest of her life. She opted for the surgery and went into the hospital a couple of weeks ago. The doctor said that when he opened her up, it wasn't the cyst causing the problem, but scar tissue on and around the spinal cord. Post op, Mom had movement in her feet but very little sensation. After a brief recovery in the hospital, she was sent to a rehab facility to try and regain some of her mobility.
A couple of days ago, Mom began sleeping more and more. She was beginning to get confused and was unable to participate in her rehab. They sent her to the emergency room where she was diagnosed with dehydration and a urinary tract infection, but no real explanation for her confusion. They kept her in the hospital and she soon became unresponsive. My sister called a couple of hours ago. They were to do some further testing today, but Mom's breathing became ragged and they were concerned about pneumonia. The last I heard was that she was completely unresponsive and was being placed on a ventilator. I asked my sister if I should go to Memphis and she pointed out that there was nothing I could do and Mom wouldn't know I was there. I see the logic in this, but worry that my sister feels left alone to shoulder the burden of making decisions.
Boy this is tough.
posted by Bat at 5:51 PM
2 Comments:
I'm really sorry to read this. I'm thinking of you and wishing you and your family well.
If you can afford to go, you should probably go to prevent any "I shudda" regrets in the future.
*hugs*
Post a Comment
<< Home