Need prayers and good thoughts.

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Scarred_for_life
Veteran Member

Date Joined Jul 2008
Total Posts : 1387

Posted 11/25/2009 2:52 AM (GMT -6)

Okay all there is a bunch going on with my mom. As most of you know from my other post my mom is not well. She went to the ER on Thursday with fluid on her lungs and could not breath. Well, they diagonsed her as having Cardiac problems then and they wanted her to stay in the hospital for a few days. But my mom being a very stubborn woman refused and left AMA. So on friday morning she headed to her reg. doc to see if he could determine what was going on. He gave her Lasix, Predisone and a heavy duty antibiotic for the infection. Scheduled her too for a stress test to see what was wrong with her heart. She did quite well over the weekend and on Monday while I was sitting having my morning coffee with my mother-in-law my sister called me to inform me that she was taking her back to the ER. She was complaining of chest pains and said she did not feel right. The ER said she was in cardiac failure and admitted her.

She saw a cardiologist that evening and he wanted to do a heart cath to see what was going on. Late last evening around 5pm MST my mom underwent a heart cath. I paced and worried while she was in, being as though I'm 900 miles away its really stressful. Sis called me to let me know that mom is in bad health. Her heart which should have three valves only has two and the bottom of her heart is damaged and isn't even pumping very well. She is being scheduled for open heart surgery! Oh gawd...my nightmare has come true!

Okay.....the plan of attack. Yours truly will be flying home as soon as my mom is released from the hospital and will be spending two weeks helping my sister with our mom. I can't do much as I told my sis, but I feel I should be there to help care for her when she needs it the most and I will have help from mom's boyfriend as well as my sister and my nieces and nephews. I'm going to be very careful of my back during this but I do need to be there.

Anyway, that's what is going on. I'll have to rearrange my schedule as far as knee doc and psych but I'm only going to be there for ten days as I feel that is all the time I can handle. Since my sister works, this too will give her the time she needs to do whatever she needs to do before she has to take over by her lonesome. I'm going to pose a question to mom and sis about maybe too getting a helper in the home for the heavy lifting things as I am unable to do any of this.

Hugssss

Scarred

What doesn't kill us only makes us fight back harder! :P

Two level fusion on S1- L4 in 2000. One level fusion on L3-L4 in 2003 and revision on L3-L4 6 months later. This led to a diagnose of failed back syndrome, nerve pain and Chronic Pain. Two bi-lateral patellar realignments on both knees last one in 1988. Overall...I'm in great health.

straydog
Forum Moderator

Date Joined Feb 2003
Total Posts : 6436

Posted 11/25/2009 3:21 AM (GMT -6)

Hey gal, so very sorry to hear about your Mom. What kind of surgery is being planned for your Mom? So, it sounds like your Mom had a birth defect with only two valaes all these years. Makes you wonder how she made it this long before having problems. I will say lots of prayers for her. I have been thru the surgery with my Dad and then again with my brother. My brother was only 52 when they replaced his aortic valve. Both of them had high BP out of control for years and it damaged the valves. I have followed in their foot steps with valve problems relating to the uncontrolled BP.

My sister came and helped take care of my brother after he was released from the hospital. He just needed help with meals and things like that. My sis fixed his breakfast and lunch then the wife cooked dinner. I think you will be ok, I don't see how you would have to liift. For one thing when people have open hear surgery another person cannot pull on them, it would kill them with the pain, their sternum is cracked open. Before being allowed to go home your Mom will be taught how to get out of bed on her own and how to get up from a chair. My brother woke up with a teddy bear on his chest and he was taught how to put the bear to his chest when he moved around. The pressure against the chest helped him not hurt when he moved around. Before my other friends were shown how to hug a pillow to their chest. I think the bear worked better. By the way, my brother still has his bear. He used him for about 3 months. Because my brother's bed was high off the floor he slept on the couch in a sitting up position, it was more comfortable than trying to lay down.

If there is any other kind of lifting involved save it for one of the other family members to do when they get there. Trust me if you tried to pull or push on your Mom after open heart surgery, she would shoot you, lol. take care and keep us posted about your Mom. Hugs.

[color=blue>

<FONT>crohns disease dx 2002 & small bowel resection, still looking for remission whatever that is, chronic pain 22 yrs, added ulcerative colitis 6-05 to the mix, high blood pressure 28 yrs, aortic heart valve insuffiency, depression, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis lumbar spine, scoliosis lumbar spine, peripheral neuropathy hands & feet, COPD & on oxygen therapy, lupus & psoriasis and psoratic arthritis. Several other health issues just not enough room to list it all. Too many surgeries to list and too many medications to list. Currently on 17 different daily medications. Intrathecal pain pump implanted June 05.

bluejet2
Regular Member

Date Joined Feb 2009
Total Posts : 463

Posted 11/25/2009 3:38 AM (GMT -6)

Hi Scarred:

I am so sorry to hear about your Mom, I will keep her and you and your family in my thoughts & prayers. Please do be careful while you are there helping out - you can't be good to anyone if you injure yourself further.

Please keep us updated as you are able.

Lorie

bsjaguar
Veteran Member

Date Joined Jun 2009
Total Posts : 815

Posted 11/25/2009 7:00 AM (GMT -6)

Scarred, maybe you could check at the hospital to see if your mom may be eligible for a visiting nurse and home health aide to come into the home after your moms surgery. This can be very helpful so your mom doesn't have to leave the house for basic check ups or blood draws and the home health aide could assist your mom with personal care and some housework.

Hope you have a safe trip, take care!!!

---Jag---

DDD, osteoarthritis, fusion surgeries C-5/7 & L-4/5 both in 2006, torn meniscus left knee 2000 & 2002, buldging disc L-2/3

Screaming Eagle
Veteran Member

Date Joined Sep 2009
Total Posts : 1248

Posted 11/25/2009 9:16 AM (GMT -6)

Scarred...sorry to hear about your Mom....and I will keep you and her in my prayer's ....Keep us posted on whats going on please.

Michael

Chartreux
Veteran Member

Date Joined Aug 2006
Total Posts : 3094

Posted 11/25/2009 9:16 AM (GMT -6)

Oh my gosh Scarred, so very sorry to hear this, you and your mom will be in my thoughts and prayers...
Lots of soft hugz and do what the others say and look into getting a visiting nurse as that helps...
((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((Scarred))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
hugz and prayers

**********************************************
* Asthma, Allergies, Osteoarthritis, Spinal Stenosis, Degenative Disc (Lower Lumbar S1-L3 and Cervical C5,C6, C8 and T1), Fibromyalgia, Gerd,
Enlarged Pituitary Gland, Sjogren's, Ocular Migraines, mild carpel tunnel, ect.... "Would be nice if we could use the edit button in real life"...

********>^..^<********>^..^<********>^..^<********

Gretchen1
Veteran Member

Date Joined Jan 2007
Total Posts : 2500

Posted 11/25/2009 9:19 AM (GMT -6)

I am sending prayers and good thoughts your way. Hang in there and keep us posted.

Gretchen ~ diagnosed with MS July 2006

I have no lesions on my soul and so I will live with no limits.

PAlady
Veteran Member

Date Joined Nov 2007
Total Posts : 6664

Posted 11/25/2009 1:39 PM (GMT -6)

Scarred,
Like everyone, I'm sorry to hear about your Mom's illness, but glad you're going to spend some time with her. I do think that will be important for you, since you're so far away.

But do take care of yourself - and get a social worker to help with all discharge arrangements so that home services can be set up. They need to know you and your sister can't do everything.

Take care,

PaLady

mrsm123
Veteran Member

Date Joined Dec 2007
Total Posts : 600

Posted 11/25/2009 5:56 PM (GMT -6)

Of course, your mom and your family have all of the good thoughts and prayers that I can muster from here.....

I'm sorry that she is so ill right now, but have faith in the doctors and the technology available now for handling heart problems. They can do so much more than they have ever been able to do to treat heart diseases.

I hope that you can post to keep us up to date and let us know how you are and how your mom is doing.

Best wishes to you all,

Sandi

PLIF/TLIF Fusion w/Instrumentation L4-5 Spondololysthesis L4-5.Laminectomies L4-5, foraminal stenosis L3-4, L4-5, L5-S1, herniations L3-4, L4-5, L5-S1, central canal stenosis L3-4, L4-5 and L5-S1

POST OP CES 3/30-06

Neurogenic Bladder and Bowel, bilateral numbness legs and feet

Revision for failed Back surgery, pseudoarthrosis L4-5, hemilaminectomies L3-4, L4-5, L5-S1, bmp added to revision fusion, replaced two bent screws that were reversing out of vertebrae - August 2, 2007

On going back pain and neuropathic pain, failed back surgery, consult for scs, decided not to do that at this point.

Adhesive Arachnoiditis also......just what I didn't need..9/08- adding bilateral ulnar neuropathy with severe compression to the mix. They want me to see a surgeon for ulnar nerve surgery, but I'm not biting.

I've seen enough surgeons over the last few years.

Avascular necrosis of left wrist- maybe hips too

Pete trips again!
Veteran Member

Date Joined Nov 2006
Total Posts : 1626

Posted 11/25/2009 8:19 PM (GMT -6)

Hey Lil Sis,
I'm so sorry to hear about your Mom!!! You are a good daughter and are doing the right thing going down there to be w/ her! I'll keep you and your mom at the top of my prayer list!!! Please take care of yourself and remember that when something like this happens, you very well may not feel the pain that you are used to and may over do it if you are not carefull!
Stay well and keep us updated if you can!!!
luv & Hugz>
big Bro Pete!!

When I was young & stupid I broke almost every bone in my body and I'm paying a heavy price now but I'm still here and so glad to see my two sons grow up to be fine young men. They are both serving in the US Navy, My oldest Joe is serving on the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stenis out in the P-ocean on manuvers!! The other Pete Jr. is on the USS Battan an Asault Ship "The Jaws of the Fleet" On his way back to the States from the Persian Gulf for the Hollidays> Both will be home 1/1/10!!!! I am one very proud (what they call me)> Big Pops!

privey
Regular Member

Date Joined Oct 2009
Total Posts : 401

Posted 11/25/2009 8:34 PM (GMT -6)

Scarred,

I hope your mom does well and that you do well also. Take care of yourself and becareful not to hurt you!! Your mom will be in my thoughts and prayers and I hope everything goes well for her.

Cathy

Heart Attack 1985; Open Heart Surgery w/4 bypasses June 2007

Gastric ByPass January 2002

Bilateral Knee replacement 11/06; c-spine surgery iliac strut C 5-6 10/07

Lumbar Surgery January 2008; Septic February w/renal failure 2008

Open lumbar wound because of Sepsis from Feb 2008 until June 2009

C-diff May 2009 due to being on an Antibiotic for Back wound

Hardware removal from Lumbar June 2009 to close Lumbar

UC with Respiratory and Renal shut down because of toxic bowels

Ileostomy late June 2009; I&D of Abcess in stomach August 2009

FunnyGurl
Regular Member

Date Joined Nov 2009
Total Posts : 173

Posted 11/25/2009 10:04 PM (GMT -6)

Scarred

Hope everything goes well with your moms health. You are a nice daughter to go and care for her. Best wishes on a speedy recovery.

Humour is always the Best Medicine!

Fibromyalgia, DDD, 2 herniated Lumbar discs, OsteoArthritis Lumbar, Migraine, Dysthmic Disorder, Anxiey, Panic Attacks, OsteoArthritis Knee, Carpal Tunnel both hands, Currently Double Depression

Scarred_for_life
Veteran Member

Date Joined Jul 2008
Total Posts : 1387

Posted 11/25/2009 11:33 PM (GMT -6)

Hey all I want to thank you for your thoughts and prayers. I have asked sis about maybe getting a aide into the house to help us and sis said she would check into it. They both know that I cannot lift or do anything strenuious so that is a good thing. Her surgery is scheduled for Monday and I will be in contact with the hospital as well as my sister around the clock until mom is out of surgery and safe from anything else going on.

Anyway....Huuugs my friends. Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

Scarred

What doesn't kill us only makes us fight back harder! :P

White Beard
Forum Moderator

Date Joined Feb 2009
Total Posts : 1833

Posted 11/26/2009 12:12 AM (GMT -6)

Scarred

I am sorry to hear about your mom, I know tough and stressfull it is to be far away from a loved one when they are ill! I do hope everything works out alright with your mom! I will keep both you and your mom in my prayers! Please be carefull while you are there, caring for her, and if you can please try to keep us informed on how you and your mom are doing!

I wish you and your mom and all your family all the best and hope you all have a very Happy ThanksGiving

You are a very cherrished member of our family here Scarred so Please take care!

White Beard

Moderator Chronic Pain

After spending nearly 22 1/2 years in the USAF I retired in Sept, 1990. I then went back to school and became an licensed RN in 1994, and I I worked on Oncology and then a Med Surg Unit, I became disabled in late 1999 and was approved SSD in early 2002!-- DDD, With herniated Disk at T-12 and L4-5. C5-C6 ACDF in Sep 2009, C6-C7 ACDF in Mar 1985, Osteoarthritis, Ulcerative colitis, Chronic Pain, Fibromyalgia, Complex Sleep Apnea, and host of other things to spice up my life!(NOT!) Medications: Oxycontin, Percocet, Baclofen, Sulfasalazine, Metoprolol, Folic Acid, Supplemental O2 at 3lpm with VPAP Adapt SV I reside in East Central Illinois, and I am in FaceBook,(Just look up White Beard)

I am White Beard with a White Beard!

babycakes-
Regular Member

Date Joined Nov 2009
Total Posts : 94

Posted 11/26/2009 3:15 AM (GMT -6)

Scarred

~~ GOOD THOUGHTS COMING YOUR WAY ~~

Dealing with this, ontop of constant pain. Your a trooper :)

Love Erin

XOXO

~ Love Always; Erin_xo

Loin Pain Haematuria Syndrome - A Painful & Rare Kidney Disease .

^-^

Finish Each Day & Be Done With It. You Have Done What You Could. You've Tried Your Best.

Tomorrows A New Day; Begin It With A Smile

punchfit
Regular Member

Date Joined Nov 2009
Total Posts : 89

Posted 11/26/2009 6:47 AM (GMT -6)

Scarred,

My thoughts & prayers are with you and you family.
I am sorry to hear that you are going through this difficult time.

Please look after your mum and yourself, and hope that you are having a pain free day.
Keep your chin up & embrace each other with lots of love & cuddles.
The best medicine in the world is LOVE...
Hope you have a happy thanks giving day.

Thinking of you from Down Under
Punchfit x

painsince91
Regular Member

Date Joined Apr 2007
Total Posts : 76

Posted 11/26/2009 3:56 PM (GMT -6)

I will be saying prayers for you and your Mom also. I hope everything will be fine.

Chartreux
Veteran Member

Date Joined Aug 2006
Total Posts : 3094

Posted 11/27/2009 7:07 PM (GMT -6)

Scarred,
Still thinking of you and your mom and sending lots of Prayers...
Hope things go well...Lots of soft hugz
((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((Scarred))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Scarred_for_life
Veteran Member

Date Joined Jul 2008
Total Posts : 1387

Posted 11/29/2009 8:57 PM (GMT -6)

Hey everyone. Thank you soooo much for all your prayers and thoughts. I wish I could relay to each of you how much each and every one of you mean to me and how much I do wish that all of you were completely out of pain and did not have to deal with what you all are dealing with. Since my last post I have gotten the Christmas tree up and the house is ready for X-mas. Though I won't get to enjoy it for long and won't be back in my own home until the 20th, it's nice to have the house decorated for Christmas and makes my stress level a little lower. I have also confirmed and paid for a plane ticket back home for the 10th and am now preparing for the trip. Getting things together for the flight, packing my bags and arranging my medications so that I have enough to last through the 1st (that's just in case I get snowed in or something horrible should happen). Mom is stressing, as well as my baby sister on this the night before her big surgery and I too can't help but worry about her. I have done some reading on post-op care for heart patients so that I am prepared for anything that should come up and I have prepared the other family that is close by for any thing that I need as far as help and guidance. My nephew said he'd help as much as he could as he is going to be there a lot. Also my sister will have time to help me too and I have already told her that I will not comprimise my health for anything and that she too needs to help me with mom as well. She is ready for that as well. I guess the best way I can describe this sitution is that I am going to be mom's guide or babysitter really. I will be responsible for getting her whatever she needs, water, food and whatever else comes up as well as assisting her to the bathroom, but not any lifting at all is required of me.

I plan to help as much as I can, but remembering that I have to keep myself healthy as well. I think my sister is going to find out that I'm not much help. I can't lift, nor can I stand for any length of time....oh well, we will deal with it as it comes along. Depression is one thing that I know will happen with mom and I am gonna try to keep her spirits up as much as I can.

Anyway, I will be keeping you all up to date as the days go by while I am there and maybe someone will have some ideas as problems come up. I know I can look to you all for guidance so....get ready for lots of questions LOL.

Hugssssssssssss

Scarred

What doesn't kill us only makes us fight back harder! :P

PAlady
Veteran Member

Date Joined Nov 2007
Total Posts : 6664

Posted 11/30/2009 12:13 AM (GMT -6)

Scarred,
Just wanted you to know I'll be thinking of you, especially tomorrow. Please let us know when you can how your Mom's surgery went.

Hugs,

PaLady

bsjaguar
Veteran Member

Date Joined Jun 2009
Total Posts : 815

Posted 11/30/2009 7:15 AM (GMT -6)

Hope everything goes well with your moms surgery today. Let us know how everything turns out. Will be thinking of you as well today!!

---Jag---

DDD, osteoarthritis, fusion surgeries C-5/7 & L-4/5 both in 2006, torn meniscus left knee 2000 & 2002, buldging disc L-2/3

Scarred_for_life
Veteran Member

Date Joined Jul 2008
Total Posts : 1387

Posted 11/30/2009 9:00 AM (GMT -6)

Hey all. Well today is the day! She goes in at 7:30am mtn time, which is in about 39 minutes from now. I will be in contact with my sister from now until she gets out of surgery and we are both a bundle of nerves right now. I wish I could be there right now to hold my sister's hand and tell her everything is going to be okay, but I can't and she is okay with that. It's times like this that makes every day precious to me and I want to live each day to the fullest.

Anyway, Hugsssss to all of you! Wish each of you could give me a real hug but virtual hugs are just as good

Love,

Scarred/ Vickie

What doesn't kill us only makes us fight back harder! :P

Piercings
Regular Member

Date Joined Aug 2008
Total Posts : 326

Posted 11/30/2009 4:06 PM (GMT -6)

Scarred, I'm so sorry that I'm late to this party. I'm hoping that you know something soon. It should be about 2pm mtn and I'm crossing my fingers that the reason we haven't heard anything yet is because the surgery is done and you're busy with planning for her recovery. I'm so so sending any positive thoughts that I can. It's not easy being on that edge waiting for an answer. I hope that you can have some good answers soon.

Curious people are interesting people...I wonder why that is.
~Bill Maher

Screaming Eagle
Veteran Member

Date Joined Sep 2009
Total Posts : 1248

Posted 11/30/2009 4:15 PM (GMT -6)

Scarred....I'm with the rest and wish your mom well...and will be waiting for some news when you get it.

Scarred_for_life
Veteran Member

Date Joined Jul 2008
Total Posts : 1387

Posted 12/1/2009 6:03 AM (GMT -6)

Morning my friends! Sorry I did not get back to ya'll sooner, but I have been busy trying to get ready for my trip next week and finalizing all the plans with my sister.

Now for the great news! Mom made it through surgery just great!!!! I was so relieved when my sister told me that I almost did a dance, but you know bad back and all LOL!!! The doctor told my sister that they had to replace an artery that was blocked and also they built her a valve so that her heart is now pumping like its suppose to! She went straight to ICU from there and was slowly waking up, but in a lot of pain. She still has the breathing tube and a whole bunch of tubes coming out of her. But she is OKAY!

I want to thank each of you for your kind thoughts and many prayers. Without you all I think this stressful situation would have gotten too me a lot more then it did. I send hugssss to each of you!

Will update more later.

Hugsssssssssssssss

Scarred/Vickie

What doesn't kill us only makes us fight back harder! :P

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