Mom's in hospital since 12/11 pancreatitius, uti, gallstones, high potassium

[ODAT]

Mom woke up with severe pain about 7:30am on 12/11. Her aid just got there and called my sister. Sis told aid to give mom nitro. Mom said pain was in her chest and back. Sis got there and the nitro didn't work so on mom's doctors orders, she called for an ambulance. Blood pressure was good and the ENT's didn't think it was her heart. They told them that it could be a stomach anurysm. I called mom's neph because she did have an appointment that afternoon. I told him symptoms and he said sounds like gallbladder. (but just picture Dracula saying 'Gallbladder' sorry, I tell him I like his accent ...)

Took her to a different hospital (the one we were at 4 times was code red, but I don't think we'd have gone there anyway - going to be tough though because mom's new doctor - my doctor! - is out of same hospital).

I'll try to keep this short. Your pancreas enzymes are normally 300. Mom's was 14,000 ! Her potassium was 5.9 and I think they like it at 5.6? They gave her something to drink for that and warned her that it smelled good but tasted bad. She downed it like a sailor with a shivery shake at the end. The gallstone that was in her duct passed and so did the intense pain (by the time they got her to ER pain was gone). But, when they pushed on her stomach to see where it hurt, sis said she about jumped to the ceiling.

Did a chest xray and ultrasound then determined gallstones and pancreatitus. Her pancreas was too swollen to see the gallbladder so they did an MRCA - an MRI of the stomach and saw the gallstones.

Tomorrow she will have the gallstones sucked out of her gallbladder. She will have her gallbladder removed. We are trying to get them to do it while she is there. They said 'it depended on the surgeons schedule.

Mom's procedure is at either 2:00 pm or 3:00 pm tomorrow. Mine is at the same hospital at 5:10pm. Yup, having tubes put in my ears. I have PET Patent Eustachian Tube - the symptoms include a “plugged ear,” stuffiness, or dullness of sound tone. Under normal conditions the Eustachian tube is closed and only opens intermittently during swallowing or yawning and sneezing; permitting the air pressure in the middle ear to equalize with atmospheric pressure. In the patent (or patulous) state, the Eustachian tube doesn’t close, allowing respiratory and vocal sounds to be transmitted through the isthmus of the tube to the sound conducting structures of the middle ear (no wonder I can’t sing). Been living with this for years and before I get too old, want to see if getting T-tubes put in my ears will alleviate this.

I hope to catch up to everything that's been going on in my IHD neighborhood. Take care!

I did see the thread okarol started about the avatars. I think I know what would be said about mine, PUT YOU and YOUR MOM back up!

[Sluff]

Oh dear, I have had pancreatitis and it is very painful. It is not anything anyone wants to experience and the only way to get over that is no food and no drink. Hope she gets better quick.

[jessup]

  
for you and your Mum

Get well wishes to both of you
and to a speedy recovery

 

[monrein]

Your poor Mom.  And of course, her caregivers too.   

[willieandwinnie]

ODAT, 

[paris]

Well, your family keeps having one thing after another.   I am so sorry for both you and your Mom.   I hope all the surgeries go well.  Saying lots of prayers for both of you.   

[ODAT]

I am home today. A little ambitious to think I'd make it to work. Maybe if the procedure was earlier than 4:30 I would have been able to rest more. The anesthesia made me  on the way home in the car. Good thing we had a bag in the car. This morning I felt ill again and went back to bed. My ears were very painful and in recovery they first gave me motrin, then vicodine, then stuff through my iv. I was sitting there listening to see if I could notice a difference yet. My doctor said I would notice an immediate difference. Well, it all sounded muffled. I didn't say anything because I thought I wasn't thinking clearly. Then it was said that I had cotton in my ears!  Prior to the procedure the doctor looked at the nurse and said 'We are putting in one tube.' She looked at her chart, I looked at him and he says "one long tube that goes from one ear to the other!' The nurse said he gets her everytime.

Mom did well and when I was done they wheeled me up to her room and we visited for 20 minutes. They said one of the gallstones was really big. My mom never gets numbers, oh well. We are waiting to see if they will take her gallbladder while she's there. thanks for the well wishes. Got to catch up with homework. I'm trying to rest but my robe was still in storage so I had to do a load of clothes, and while I'm downstairs, wrap a few Christmas presents.

[The Wife]

Sending love....

[thegrammalady]

glad you're home. hope everything keeps moving along smoothly      

[jessup]

Prior to the procedure the doctor looked at the nurse and said 'We are putting in one tube.' She looked at her chart, I looked at him and he says "one long tube that goes from one ear to the other!' The nurse said he gets her everytime.

Thanks for the update
Glad all went well for you both
Lots of love and 

[ODAT]

When they did the MRCP on mom, they got a stone out of her bile duct. She still has one in her pancreatic duct. So they think they have to do surgery not laposcopy (sp). They are going to do it on Friday. Our family Christmas party is going to be rescheduled from this Saturday to whenever mom is up to it. Hard times for most of my family this year. Physically and financially. I wish I made enough to help them. Like I told my sister once, "I could give you $20 here and there, but you need it more than that and I just can't do it."

Anyway, my ears are doing pretty good. Haven't had to pop them, but my left ear is a bit sore. Time for sleeping! Nite all

[pelagia]

 

[Sunny]

Odat,
Glad to know your ear surgery went well. I hope your Mom pulls through nicely with her surgery too. Hope you both get a speedy recovery.

[ODAT]

When I talked to the doctor, he said that with the surgery mom had a higher risk for kidney failure. He said it may or may not reverse. Although there is no dye involved, it is due to her blood pressure being low during surgery. Does anyone know of any instances of this?

[ODAT]

Mom is still in the hospital. They thought she might go home last night, but her creatine and sugar are too high.

She was able to have the lap procedure to remove her gallbladder. The doctor told me it took him an hour and a half. He was having trouble finding it. The pancreas was still swollen. I asked him if he got the right organ  he laughed. He said it went well and there are three incisions. I asked how many gallstones and he said about 30. My sister had said that everyone has gallstones and that it just doesn't bother some people. I asked him and he said that's not true.

When mom came in on 12/11, her creatine was 2.9. Yesterday, day after surgery it was 3.2. Today it is 3.4. Her sugar is 300. When she woke up this morning it was 250. They are going to give her 5 units of a longer acting insulin. this is in reference to iv's...She has such small veins. It's been days of one try after another. Even before she ended up in the hospital at her heart stress test, it took three times! Today they had to put in a new one. Nurse put one in when sis was there and thought all was well. Mom complained to sis that it stung and nurse came back and had to take it out - it was puffing up. IV specialist got it, but on second try. Poor mommy.

Her stitches were bothering her and I told her not to wait too long if she was in pain. She asked nurse and got two vicodin. Hopefully she can go home tomorrow.

I had taken her down to see the player piano and gorgeous 'gold' Christmas tree a few days ago. It was after 8pm and the woman at the information desk said it automatically shut off at 8 and even if she turned it on it would only play one song. So I thanked her anyway and me and mom went and talked by the tree which was next to the piano. After a few minutes, she came over and said ' let's see if we can't get this to play at least one song.' It actually played four and was still playing but we had to get back to mom's room. Today I saw the woman at the desk again. There's a little great cafe with huge Christmas cookies. I bought one and brought it to her. I told her 'you did something very nice for me the other day and I just wanted to bring you this cookie.' She asked me how mom was and we wished each other a Merry Christmas. Little things mean a lot. In tough financial times, which a lot of us seem to be having, remember too what TW said (you'll have to go to Just Sharing to see it  ).

[boxman55]

wishing your Mom all the best...Boxman

[Mimi]

Odat I am so sorry to read all this about your mom and you, too.  My thoughts are with you both
and prayers are going up now.

Love, Mimi

[The Wife]

You touched my heart with the story of the Christmas tree and songs Odat.  And then I read my name.

I pray that your mom is home for Christmas, that brighter days are ahead.  They may be difficult ones, but the light can always shine and song, always sings.  For you, I hold deep gratitude that you will get to spend Christmas with your mother.