Humpty Dumpty
Its strange how difficult I find it to talk about my mum's condition. I'm normally a VERY strong person when faced with family issues; I'm the one who takes the reigns and gets the ball rolling but for some reason this time it just seems like its way too much for me to handle. The only thing I can think of is that its my mind and body's way of dealing with what I don't want to face- which is how I will deal with things if and when my mum ever passes away. Every time I start thinking about what has happened, I find my mind halting the thought and feeling anxiety.
Day 2 in ICU was difficult. They decided it was time to wake my mum up so they took her off the sedation medications before we arrived and had my daughter and I stand bed side and try to wake her. Once her eyes began opening it was our job to keep her awake so they would be able to take her off the ventilator and remove the tubes from her throat. She was confused and still drugged so one minute she would smile at something said and the next her eye brows would furrow as she glanced around and started to cry. My dad lingered in the back ground wringing his hands and holding back his own tears. She came along ways though in 24 hours and by the time I went home she was starting to speak and we knew there was no brain damage but she still had something stuck in her throat that she was too weak to cough out.
As the rest of the week dragged on she gained more and more strength. Her kidneys and liver are responding well to the medication. Her angiogram showed clear so her heart is doing well. She finally came off the ICU yesterday and they moved her to a rehab location where she will have to start walking again. In the mean time she continues treatment for her kidneys and they will be watching to make sure she can swallow and her air ways don't constrict.
I'm exhausted. All I want to do is sleep and in the times in between we have to watch out over my dad since my mum is usually the one to take care of him and make sure he eats, brushes his teeth and bathes.
The most amazing thing about all this has been my daughter... she has been INCREDIABLE throughout all this. This time it was her who has handled everything with grace. She remained calm and stayed with my dad over night to make sure he was taken care of. She has been at the hospital everyday. It is as if she has suddenly grown up over night and where I have become weak- she has become strong. I am SO proud of her!
And my pops has impressed me too. He had a rough start to things but he has managed to leave the house on his own everyday after the first few days and made his way over to the hospital when we busy and he stayed on his own for the first time last night. He even went to the grocery store on his own (the first time in several years!!)
The hope is that my mum will be home by next week if all goes well. In the mean time we wait for test results and continue to visit and walk with her.
Day 2 in ICU was difficult. They decided it was time to wake my mum up so they took her off the sedation medications before we arrived and had my daughter and I stand bed side and try to wake her. Once her eyes began opening it was our job to keep her awake so they would be able to take her off the ventilator and remove the tubes from her throat. She was confused and still drugged so one minute she would smile at something said and the next her eye brows would furrow as she glanced around and started to cry. My dad lingered in the back ground wringing his hands and holding back his own tears. She came along ways though in 24 hours and by the time I went home she was starting to speak and we knew there was no brain damage but she still had something stuck in her throat that she was too weak to cough out.
As the rest of the week dragged on she gained more and more strength. Her kidneys and liver are responding well to the medication. Her angiogram showed clear so her heart is doing well. She finally came off the ICU yesterday and they moved her to a rehab location where she will have to start walking again. In the mean time she continues treatment for her kidneys and they will be watching to make sure she can swallow and her air ways don't constrict.
I'm exhausted. All I want to do is sleep and in the times in between we have to watch out over my dad since my mum is usually the one to take care of him and make sure he eats, brushes his teeth and bathes.
The most amazing thing about all this has been my daughter... she has been INCREDIABLE throughout all this. This time it was her who has handled everything with grace. She remained calm and stayed with my dad over night to make sure he was taken care of. She has been at the hospital everyday. It is as if she has suddenly grown up over night and where I have become weak- she has become strong. I am SO proud of her!
And my pops has impressed me too. He had a rough start to things but he has managed to leave the house on his own everyday after the first few days and made his way over to the hospital when we busy and he stayed on his own for the first time last night. He even went to the grocery store on his own (the first time in several years!!)
The hope is that my mum will be home by next week if all goes well. In the mean time we wait for test results and continue to visit and walk with her.