A Little Hospital Time

I called mom this morning to see what time Dan needed to pick her up to get fluids at the chemo center.  I could not believe how badly she sounded.  She totally lost her voice but she was able to tell me she couldn't swallow.  I was VERY concerned to say the least and a little shaken up by this. My gut was telling me something was wrong and it was more than what Elisa told me last night.

I called Dan and told him how scared I was and I told him I was leaving work to go with him because I had a bad feeling and felt she may be admitted to the hospital.

When I got home, I called the clinic to let them know what was going on.  This was 9:30.  She was scheduled to get fluids at 11am. My gut was telling me not to wait.  I told the doctor what was going on and he said to bring mom in right away.

When we got there, they took her vitals.  She lost more wait (currently 39 pounds lost now), her blood pressure was 118/78, her heart rate was high at 132 and she had a temperature of 100.  They wanted to get her blood work done and get fluids in her stat.  She was so dehydrated, it took them 45 minutes to find a vein they could use. It was so painful for her as they kept trying different sites on her arms and hands.  Her platelets were so low too that her blood would not coagulate, she bled too easily.  At one point after they got the needle in, she was bleeding out and it got on the nurses' pant leg and all over the floor and of course mom's hand. 

She went through an entire liter of fluids before she felt the need to use the bathroom.  They gave her saline and also potassium fluids.

The doctor came in to ask mom some standard questions and to discuss what she had eaten/drank since Monday which wasn't much at all.  The doctor and I encouraged mom to stay overnight in the hospital as we all felt it was in her best interest.  This way they can give her pain meds to help her eat as her throat was so very sore she couldn't swallow.  And if they needed to, they would feed her intraveneously. The doctor feels she may have an infection. 

Mom was admitted to the hospital today.  What is unnerving is that she is only a few doors down from where the room her brother passed away in a couple of years ago.  She said that she remembers walking down this hallway every day to visit Wayne and remembering seeing everyone in their rooms and never thought in a million years, she would end up as a resident herself.  

Mom will spend a couple of nights there.  She will be receiving a platelet transfusion and possibly a blood transfusion as well.  Visitors must wear masks as mom has nothing in her body to ward off infections.  The nurses must wear masks, gloves and a gown.  Mom doesn't want any visitors, so please don't ask me what room she is in.  Nor is she taking any calls right now.

I had to leave mom as Dan and I were with her all day talking with doctors, getting her blood work done, fluids in, getting things from her house for the hospital stay...and the dogs had to be let out.  We didn't get home until 5pm.  I'm glad she was admitted to get the care she so desperately needs but I'm also sad because she is not home.  I feel like she is far away although I know, realistically, she is not.  I miss her already.

Elisa has the next two days off which is good.  At least she can visit mom during the day and I can go visit her after work.

Hopefully this will end up being a good thing for mom.  She needs to get better.  At least she will have round-the-clock care for the next 48 hours....