We were all down at my parents house for Christmas Dinner, but my mom thought she had a stomach virus.(vomiting/diarrhea) She got worse, so she was taken to the hospital, and admitted in not good condition.
Turns out it was not a stomach virus, but a severe problem with her intestines not emptying correctly. Some was backing up in her causing a distended abdomen, and a lot of pain in her abdomen area and weakness.
She has had to take enemas, and other of those liquids they make you drink similar to the preps when having a colonoscopy, but she has cat scans of the abdomen. Also IVs where she was severely dehydrated.
I ask her GI doctor what causes this to happen. He said many things, but being diabetic can cause it, and many medications can cause it, especially pain killers.
When she leaves the hospital probably Thursday, she will be given the names of mostly over the counter meds for stool softeners to work to get her system regularly functioning again.
I just thought I would mention this, because so many of us here have stomach problems, and I know myself I have plenty of regular constipation since being on one of my meds. I think I just might get me one of those to take also to help prevent something like that.
I will be glad when she is back home. I am so tired, with the holidays, and many activities even the fun ones and special ones, but just so tired, and hurting all over.
Thanks for listening
susanep :)
Susanep, {{{HUGS}}}
A good idea, to take more care of yourself, too.
Soycoffee
That must have been scary, susanep.
I'll think good thoughts - and maybe ask my Dr. about my pain meds and this issue...sigh.
I hope she makes a speedy recovery!
KellyG
{{{{{{{Susan}}}}}}} your mom will be in my thoughts and meditations.
Susanep, hope your mother is out of the hospital soon and back to her old self.
Take a breath and just exhale slowly. We do not want you to have a flare, OK?
We can have so many repercussions from the meds we take. I try to include a lot of fiber in my diet. Still, at times I fluctuate between normal, constipation and diarrhea.
We do the best that we can.
Duchess
Susan
I hope you are feeling stronger today, and that your mum is making good progess.
Kathyx
Susan,
I'm sorry your mom is having so many problems but glad she seems to be getting better.
This has to be hard on you. Please take the others advise and give yourself a much needed hug. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Blessings,
Jorja
Hi Susan,
I'm glad to see that your Mom is out of the hospital and that she'll be doing better now that the docs have figured out what the problem was - that must have been very scary!
Hugs lady, and I hope that you'll be doing better yourself soon.... And thanks for the heads up about pain killers!
Take care of yourself, okay?
Patze
(((((((((((((( Susan ))))))))))))))))
Sending many thoughts and warm hugs to help you thru this difficult time. Hoping that your Mom's health improves and that you get some relief as well.
Daisy
Thanks to all of you for your kind comments and thoughts . I will be going with my dad one more day. It is so hard for him to go alone, but he would never ask. By today we left a little earlier, but only after we knew my mom would not be going home today, and she found out later not until Friday.
On our way home, my dad discovered he lost his wallet. :( It wasn't his main wallet with all his information, drivers license, etc. He had one he got for Christmas with some money also. He was feeling so bad about it, and especially because he and mom are having a hard time. I told him not to worry, and I got him plenty of gas.
After we got home, I called back and besides having them look around in my mom's hospital room, I also called the lost and found. Security had found his wallet, and have it waiting for him with everything in it. :)
Dad is feeling better now, but very tired. I am too, but I am going over with him again in the morning, and then Friday I will not go so he can get my mom, and then together they can get things done.
His knees are so bad, his bones are just rubbing together when he walks. He won't have something done about them. He won't even tell us when he is in great pain, but I can still see it in him.
All of you stay well, get rest, and I will make it one more day, and the good thing is now that I am retired, I will get plenty of rest soon.
Hugs to all of you
susanep :)
Dear Susan,
What a terrible time for your mom, your dad, and for you. Just know that I can relate, because my dear dad had the same thing happen to him...twice.
I hope you each feel better very soon, and that Friday comes very quickly. It will be such a relief to get your mom home. Please take care of yourself.
Susan, I am glad that you mom is doing better. This is certainly something that happens to the older population quite often.
As we get older our intestines slow down and we need to make sure to drink enough fluids, take a laxative/stool softener combination and eat plenty of fiber. Then when you add the diabetes which can cause a change in the nerves in the colon resulting in constipation and impaction of stool things can get more complicated.
Also, any time a person starts taking pain medications or and/or antidepressants it is wise to make sure to take a stool softener/laxative cause both these types of meds cause huge bowel problems. I use a product put out by Walmart Equate brand. It has a red round pill on the label and if you read the information on the back it has senna and biscodyl in it. These are the stool softeners and a milder laxative. This laxative doesn't give the bad cramping that some of the others do.
Also, I am so glad that your dad's wallet was found, SUsan. It is so disheartening to lose money cause we all need every cent for our everyday living expenses and medications. HOpefully your folks will be able to settle in for the winter and be a little more comfortable. Hope you dad is able to get some pain meds to help him---at least to get some sleep at night. Irish ;D
((Susanep)) . . . you've had a very busy time lately.
I hope your Mom is feeling better and they still plan on releasing her on Friday.
That's good news that they found your Dads wallet. I'm sure he was very, very relieved to know it was found.
Take care . . . and let us know how things are going.
Hugs,
Bucky
Hi Susan,
Hope that your mom is still on the agenda to be released from the hospital tomorrow...you always feel better when you can finish recuperating at home.
Also glad to hear that they found your dad's wallet...that must have been a HUGE relief for him.
You and your family are in my thoughts...remember to take good care of yourself too!
Thanks all again, Well I stayed home today, (sore throat all over sick) and mom did not get to come home today.
Last night another doctor seen her and said the opposite the first yesterday. One saying she was so much better, and the other saying she is worse, and probably need surgery.
That alone made me and my husband furious. But, a little while ago I talk to my youngest sister who seen her today, and she had to call me back, because the were hooking mom up to a pick line. (not sure of spelling on what it's called) The line they will use to add nutrition into mom.
My sister said before she left the hospital she talked to one of the nurses, and they told her that mom's line into her stomach had not been put into the correct place. >:( That not much progress was happening due to this. That the hose kept crinkling. The doctor today told them to take that one out and put another one in correctly. >:(
I know things can happen, I really do, but does this mean she could have ended up having surgery or worse, because of not showing progress due to their lack of awareness with the hose?
MY sister said that mom didn't sleep during the night, and her blood pressure went up, and some problem with her heart. She already wears a pace maker. I just don't know what to make of this.
When my sister left she hadn't told my mom or dad yet. They will probably find out tonight. Not sure.
Take Care Everyone
susanep
Susan, A PIC line is usually used to administer antibiotics, but they can do one that administers Parenteral feeding. This is a nutritional supplement similar to Ensure, etc., but it is sterile and made specifically for intravenous nutrition.
I am wondering if your mom had a feeding tube placed into her stomach through the abdominal wall. Did they have to feed her by with an Ensure like supplement that hung on a pole like an IV? This tubing is attached to a stomach tube that has been inserted by the doctors during a surgical procedure. Also, the nurses can do the feedings with a big syringe using gravity or using the plunger to slowly push the feeding into the stomach.
I guess it would be good if you or your sister could have the nurse manager on your mom's floor call you and talk with you. Otherwise, there might be a social worker who is working on your mom's case who could fill you in on the specifics. Your dad has to give permission for the information to be given to you and he has to give both you and your sisters names.
I hope that you can get this straightened out cause I would bet your dad is really going to get confused over all this commotion. Good luck. Irish ;D
Yes irish there has been a lot of confusion. I have talked with my mom, and because I am having to rest right now and don't want her to catch anything from me, I mostly talked to my sisters.
Mom said she will be there until next Wednesday anyway. A slower process than we knew of, but I guess with the intestines that is how it is. One doctor did tell her due to many risk factors such as her age, surgery would be the last resort, so not to worry about that.
I think everyone is just tired, sick, etc. We are all getting too old. lol....
Thanks
susanep :)