Do you ever wonder; am doing the right thing, or am I over reacting? Well I do all the time! I would say I question myself daily with should I or shouldn't I do this or that. And then feel guilt about my decision second guessing myself. Last Wednesday night however I was extremely glad I just went with the prompting to do it and didn't question and have not had guilt or regret.
Lets see if I can give you a quick update and story. I am not very good a quick when it comes to a story but lets see ;-0
So my mom aka Grandma Troy had surgery at the end of January. She had a sphincter that was too tight and not letting food into her stomach. The food was getting caught in her chest and so she really wasn't eating because it was too painful. The Surgery was to fix this, it went ok. She did suffer some major bruising from the intubation tube on her tongue, and more bruising around her neck, chin and forehead which was from them anesthesiologists trying to get the tube in. This trauma was more painful than the abdominal surgery.
She went in for her post op appointment 1 week post surgery and had blood work done at the same time. Mom really wasn't feeling well at all this day, it was by far the worst day after surgery and it was day 8. She told the dr and they decided that she may have had a stroke so sent her for a head CT. Rachel was with her. When they got home my mom's stomach was really hurting, what could this be? "GAS?! That is what it must be", my mom said. So I ran and got some medicament's for that to get the ball rolling down there but still no relief. Rachel left and the pain started getting worse, much sharper! I spoke with the dr about her head CT and everything was great there. But he really didn't have any answers about the abdominal pain. He said I would have to decide about bringing her into the ER because it is so hard to diagnose abdominal pain over the phone. I thought she was starting to get some relief and doing ok until she called me on my cell from upstairs and when I answer all she said is "Charity, help!" I run up there and she is moaning 'it hurts, it hurts'. I just start getting her dressed and we went to the ER.
They were great got us right in did a bunch of tests and we waited. Mom was pretty uncomfortable and was continuing to ask for more pain med, which they gave her. At one point she said just roll me like a baby and pull my butt out to help relieve this pressure. ( it was hilarious the way she said it) So I rolled her and she was facing away from me. The pain meds were starting to make her pretty loopy. Still in pain but very loopy. She started singing to the wall ' 3 little monkey's jumping on the bed one fell off and bumped his head...." she ended up singing this like 20 times. I asked her why are you singing mom? she answered oh I am? I don't know. Then continued right were she left off. Drugs are a funny and wonderful tool.
Eventually it was so determined she was having some bleeding around the surgery site and in her liver. We were in the ER all night, it was crazy, transfusions of whole blood and platelets, touch and go diagnosis', anxiety attacks and we are in the same room Grandpa John was in just 6 months ago when he passed. Not good for the stress or anxiety level of the patient especially when your symptoms are mimicking your deceased spouse of only 6 months! She finally made it out of the ER and into the ICU were she is now.
She has a significant amount of blood in her abdomen that the dr's are monitoring waiting for the body to take care of it. They were thinking of doing surgery but thought it was too risky for now. We did find out that this complication was probably due to the blood thinners she needs to take, to avoid a stroke, and they cause her to bruise very easily. So when she had surgery and they needed to move her liver to get to her stomach the liver got bruised. Then when she was back on the blood thinners the bruise broke open and she started bleeding filling her abdomen with blood and this caused the severe pain. She has needed another transfusion since being transferred from the ER to ICU. Today they say tests came back she has MRSA not anything to be alarmed about and it's not a set back she is probably just a carrier. So visitors and hospital staff need to gown up to see her. Seriously! How much more does my mother have to go through!
Even so, no regrets or guilt here for taking her to the ER. She kept apologizing all the way to the hospital "I am so sorry, it's probably just gas, I am just sending you on a wild goose chase!" Doctors said it was really good we brought her in when we did or the outcome may not have been the same!
Okay, so that wasn't very quick but there is a lot packed into this post....so glad mom is still here!
