Update on Colleen

[mdlbear]

Yesterday (Monday) she fell trying to go from her walker to the bed -- got herself into an awkward position and seemed confused when I tried to tell her how to get out of it. Rather than simply having the EMTs put her back in bed we decided to use the opportunity to get her to the ER and have her looked at. Which turned out to have been the right thing to do.

She had been getting weaker and weaker over the last two weeks. They put her on oxygen and it seems to be helping, but she's still weak, still rather confused, still sleeping too much, and still having trouble breathing. She seems to have gotten markedly worse since this morning when I started writing this post. (Update at 5pm - using a mask instead of a nasal canula for O2 seems to have helped.)

In addition to her usual UTI there's a yeast infection and apparently some right-side heart damage. The weakness, shortness of breath, sleepiness, and swolen legs are at least consistent with partial heart failure, but I only had one conversation with the ER doctor, who seemed to know what was going on. The (female) NP who came in yesterday was helpful; the (male) one who's on this week isn't -- he seems detached and condescending (near as I can tell; I'm no good at reading people). He asked whether she'd been on dialysis -- she hasn't. we (V and I) couldn't pin him down on whether she should be getting it now.

The CT yesterday didn't show a fistula, though, and that's something, and she's getting a CT of her head (as I write, and I'm trying not to think of "you haul him home and you scan his head" from "Stuck Here") which hopefully won't show any signs of stroke. We'll see what that shows. Probably won't know anything until tomorrow.

She'll almost certainly end up back in rehab again after she's discharged. I'm very worried about the mental confusion and the weakness, although getting more oxygen into her seems to have helped.

I'm not getting a damned thing done on $GIG the last few days; that's probably not surprising but is a matter for concern.

Comments

[acelightning]

Weakness and mental confusion, and sleeping a lot, can be caused by heart failure and/or arrhythmia (atrial fibrillation, which often happens during heart failure). Heart failure causes pulmonary edema, and combine that with the heart not pumping efficiently enough, the muscles and the brain don't get as much oxygen as they're supposed to. The fact that she improves when she gets O2 indicates that this may be the case. And if she does have an infectionI, that can make the symptoms worse because it weakens the entire body (especially if she has a fever) Also,if she needs dialysis, this means that her body is poisoning itself, which can lead to confusion as well.

I had all those symptoms myself a year ago, and I did have a small stroke (that'll show up on the brain CT). My heart failure and atrial fibrillation are partly controlled with medication. I became unable to eat or drink, due to distress from the kidney stone that first sent me to the ER. Until I was able to eat normal amounts of food, and drink water, I didn't recover very much at all - and they prescribed medical cannabis for me, which made it possible for me to eat and drink, and after that I got better very fast. Make sure the doctors who are treating her know how important it is to improve her appetite.

I can bathe, dress myself, and cook, and write reasonably coherent journal comments. I had physical therapy for a while, and I'm now taking T'ai Chi lessons in order to help restore my balance and coordination. I'm living proof that RECOVERY IS POSSIBLE.

[mdlbear]

Thanks for the encouragement!

[acelightning]

You're entirely welcome. My husband was afraid I ws going to die. But I insisted on getting out of bed, managed to pee on one of the young, helpful male student nurses, and started to get better. Tell Colleen the story of my medical misadventures (that began about this time last year), and tell her that I said she should get well so she can stay out of hospitals; because hospitals are full of SICK people. (And find out whether any of her doctors think medical cannabis would do her any good, for any of her conditions; my official prescription is for "treatment of anxiety". Research is indicating that it's useful for lots of ailments.)

And like the Mary Ellen Carter, we rise again!

[archangelbeth]

UTIs also can cause a lot of confusion, it turns out. So fingers crossed on that front.

*offers electronic hugs, for what they're worth*

[mdlbear]

Thanks! She's had UTIs, but I don't remember her having quite this much confusion before. And as far as I can tell she never had a fever with it, which I know can cause confusion. Well, more info as I find it.

[gingicat]

Best wishes.

[mdlbear]

Thanks

[madfilkentist]

I don't really know what to say, but I hope there's a good outcome.

[mdlbear]

Thanks

[tibicina]

Anything that makes getting oxygen to the brain difficult will add to confusion. It sounds like she's got multiple things impacting oxygen to brain. Hopefully, getting more oxygen into her system and beginning to address some of those things will help.

But yes, any time you're dealing with someone and they're having a hard time thinking, especially if there are falls or swelling or pain or other issues going on, they should get taken to medical care sooner rather than later. You very much did the right thing.

I hope her medical issues are addressed quickly and she gets rehab and then home as soon as possible.

[mdlbear]

I'm worried that we should have done it sooner.

[spiffyvoxel]

Sending you both lots of warm fuzzies. Your post reminds me of the various people who came into our home last year to help care for my Dad—most of them were great, but a few either didn't understand or didn't care sufficiently, we felt. :( And yes, no surprise that you don't have much energy (mental or physical) left to do much else. That was me for most of last year.

[mdlbear]

Thanks.

[jcfiala]

Best wishes and good luck.

[mdlbear]

thanks

[we_are_spc]

Accept my well wishes.

also accept that I still read, though I'm not commenting much. We're having a hard mental time of it right now...and we're not used to the severity enough to work through it.

We're lucky to have people who get it/get us...and it helps.

-Fallon~

[librarygeek]

I dislike the nasal canula and actively fight and try to pull off the oxygen mask. Even during labor with baby in distress, or in recovery after open heart surgery. Infant had NICU oxygen tent after birth, I needed someone I knew talking to me so I would stop fighting. :-/

It's definitely a sensory issue for me, and the oxygen need doesn't seem to affect my panicking.

Virtual hugs sent, these things are tough on everyone, sick, caregiver, and other loved ones.