Long overdue status update. My mom is getting better. She was released from the hospital on Friday, but instead of coming home, she went into a skilled nursing facility. She had a severe UTI, which was one reason for all the confusion and disorientation she had, but in the last couple of months she suffered from a series of mini strokes, with one being recent and more severe. That is what seemed to cause the acute dementia. She doesn't have Alzheimers or any other kind of dementia that we think of when getting older. Her behavior change was almost overnight. I hope with some OT and more PT she will be almost back to her baseline. Having said that, we cannot provide that at home. The last few weeks or so, I was worn thin and bending over backwards to meet her needs. I let a lot slide but having her home is/was my choice and I wanted to provide her a safe place to be after my dad died. Right now, she's in skilled nursing. I am so devastated about that. I feel guilty and like I failed. After her last fall, the doctors wanted her to go to a SNF instead of home. No one diagnosed the mini-strokes at the time. They didn't do a CT scan then and she was reasonably together at the time. After the surgery we noticed she was dragging her leg-- the PT at the hospital said it wasn't anything out of the ordinary-- I can't remember what she said, but I didn't question it. She continued to drag it but after working with the home health PT it got stronger and was less apparent. Then the behavior changes started about a month ago and David and I thought maybe it had been a mini-stroke. My research said that they often go unnoticed.
I called her Nurse Practitioner and set up an appointment with a geriatric doctor for a full work up, but she cancelled because of an emergency. So we saw a couple doctors at the clinic. They didn't think it was necessary to test her for a UTI because the symptoms had been going on for more than a week. She has trouble having phone conversations and remembering things. None of this is normal. I expressed that in the doctor's visit.
Because of her age and the pandemic, they didn't think we needed to do a CT or other tests. I was going to wait till we saw the specialist. They just dismissed it as dementia and let us go, with the offers of further help if I needed something and said they'd arrange for more home health. In fact, the case worker in the office was supposed to call to get more nursing help and she didn't. That woman in that office has dropped the ball so many times with follow-up help I am not surprised she didn't call. I'd probably switch doctors if I didn't love her NP so much. She's awesome.
We go home. I'm disheartened but it is what it is. On the way home, Mom insists on getting "money" so she can buy cosmetics and other things. I have explained about the virus so many times and stores limiting customers to her so many times. She always forgets. She gets angry with me all the time because I have to set her straight or continue to tell her no.
Friday, she's not any better but not worse. She continues to rant and rave. She gets upset, cries and yells. Then apologizes.
Saturday, she goes off the rails. I end up texting her NP and we talk and ultimately I called 911. The whole crew came out for a wellness check and finally after a while two very nice, cool paramedics convince her to go to the hospital to get checked. I can't remember if that night they determined she'd had the mini strokes or if it was just the UTI. They kept her and over the next few days they diagnosed her. She was impossible at times, but finally settled down.
I don't know how long she'll be there, but in the meantime we need to find out what is next: Assisted Living or home care with a caregiver.
Anyone want to buy a house?
No comments:
Post a Comment