On my way to Fairfax Hospital as soon as Joyce gets here. My sister called my mom this morning, her speech was slurred, she couldn't see out of one eye and had extreme pain in her head. My nephew rushed over and took her to the ER in Manassas. After doing cat scan, they have medivacced her to Fairfax for emergency brain surgery - they found bleeding in her brain.
Please pray for her. Her name is Irene. I won't be back until who knows when but I'll let you all know what's going on when I can.
Prayers for my mom please!
So sorry to hear this news. Holding Irene and her family in thoughts and prayers.
Hart, so sorry to hear about your mom. I'll be praying that everything will be ok.
{{{{Hugs}}}} for you and your mom. Wishing you all the best.
Hart so sorry, you and your Mother are in our thoughts and prayers.
Thanks, everyone. Just got home. Mom is doing okay. They opted not to do the surgery today. The doctor said they hope the bleeding will stop on its own, if not they will have to do the surgery. Now just waiting to see if she's over the worst or not.
She's in the Neuroscience ICU unit, she's basically a stroke patient plus the blood in the brain issue. She is able to talk and her limbs all seem to be okay but she has some confusion and things she's not remembering. Her vision has been pretty seriously affected, especially on the left side. They were afraid she might have a tumor causing the bleeding but didn't see any tumor after doing an MRI at Fairfax.
The doctor said luckily the areas of her brain affected are redundant so she's better off than some stroke patients. They'll be doing another scan early tomorrow morning to see if the bleeding has slowed. He blood pressure was off the charts blow a gasket high but was better by the time I got there. My SIL, who works at Fairfax in the heart unit, said her heart was doing some wonky stuff too but that might have been because of the extremely high BP.
She did enjoy her helicopter ride and said she was looking out the window to see what she could see. LOL I told her no more helicopter riding adventures for a while, please.
I have the address if anyone would like to send her a card.
Inova Fairfax Hospital
3300 Gallows Road
NSICU-6 Irene Dellinger
22042
Hart, I'm saying a prayer for your Mom. I hope things go well. It's so nice you can be there for her. I worry about my dad, he's in Florida, and I can't always be there for him, which worries me. He's 80 this year and still working 32 hrs. a week in the Home Depot garden terrace in New Port Richey, Florida. He and I, are all that are left of the family, we are just to stubborn to give up. Ric
OMG Diane...I didn't even see this yesterday...will respond to your dmail...needless to say prayers are started....hugs
Hart
I am so sorry to hear about your Mom. I hope she is doing better. She and you and your family will be in my prayers.
Thank you so much everyone. Your prayers mean a lot. She's doing pretty well, has spells of agitation. Apparently she just forgets why she's in a hospital and wants to get up and go home, dagnabit!
Ric, my mom is a little fireball too. That energy isn't doing her any good right now when she needs to rest and recover however in the long run I think it will help her recover. But I know what you mean about your dad. It's really hard when they live where you can't keep an eye on them.
Apparently her left arm is showing effects today. Her legs both seem to be okay so far. I don't know if she'll recover the vision in her left eye but they told me yesterday, for now nothing on her left side exists for her and that's because of the stroke.
I'm still scared to death. Did a little research on this last night and statistics aren't good for this type of stroke. I'm praying my tough little fireball of a mama's gumption will get her through this. She is in pretty good spirits, thank God, and not depressed like Daddy was after his stroke.
Hi Hart, Just wanted to tell you that you are in my thoughts tonight.
Oh hart! I just found this thread tonight, and am SO sorry to hear what you and your Mom are dealing with.
Lots of prayers and good thoughts coming your way tonight, and as long as you need them. Thanks for keeping us posted.
Hugs, Barb
Thanks, Holly. Her left eye dilated today and that's a good sign that maybe she'll get at least some of the vision back in that eye. I've been thinking about you all today too. I hope Ric's hand is doing better.
We cross posted, Barb. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers too.
This message was edited Jul 2, 2009 9:06 PM
I do believe what the bible says regarding where 2 or more believers come together in prayer.... I'd like to ask all you believers - to take a moment tomorrow morning (Fri) - lets say 9AM (if ok with you all?)...and pray that God would put His arms around Irene and heal her....His hand upon her doctor and bless him/her with wisdom in treating her....and his presence with Diane and her family to provide them with peace: "Fear not...I am with thee - thou art Mine."
Diane, We're still with you, in our hearts and prayers. Hugs Ric
Thanks, everyone. Chantell, what you said above really hit me. Getting ready to go back up this morning. My sister and I have been taking turns calling the nurses to get updates. She said Mom did know this morning what year it is and that Obama is president. That's a real positive sign, I think. Still a lot of agitation, which is normal with this kind of stroke, but I'm worried that they're talking about moving her to another room when she keeps getting agitated and trying to get out of the bed.
I talked to her this morning. She's still a little confused. She knows she had a stroke, thinks it was today and doesn't remember us all being there Wednesday or my nephew Michael taking her to the hospital. She was worried about her house but felt better after I told her Michael went by and made sure everything was okay at the house. She understood it was me, not my sister Debra, that both of us were coming today and that Debra would be a lot later than me because she has such a long drive.
Hart, sorry! My head is still so fuzzy trying to recover from this "crud" I didn't even see this thread! Sending hugs to you and will be thinking of you and your family and praying for more positive signs today :)
I too am really sorry to hear this news Hart. Things do sound as though she is making progress, even though very slowly. How wonderful that she has lived this long and from the sounds of it, still been able to enjoy some things in life, that many her age cannot. Spitfire is a good description.
I now admonish you to take good care of yourself also. I can remember how hard it is to keep up visitation when our loved ones are in the hospital. Please don't over do and make your self sick. I hope that you will have more good reports when you next post.
Ruby
Prayers for continued healing for your mom and sense of peace for your family.
Continuing to keep your family in thoughts and prayers. Hoping for a full recovery for Irene -- sounds like some positive signs.
Great news, Diane...prayers continuing...please let us know any updates as you can.
Sending healing thoughts to your mom, Hart. I'm very sorry that this happened; glad she was in good spirits over the helicopter ride though. She sounds like a great lady.
Big hugs
-w
Just got home from going to see her. She's better, not as agitated today although I think she may be ready for bear tonight. She slept almost the whole time I was there. She passed her swallowing test today - that's a big, big, big deal. One of Daddy's worst problems after his stroke was being able to eat and drink because he couldn't swallow. Even water had to be given to him in a slushy form so he could swallow it.
She didn't do so well when the physical therapist tested to see if she could be in a wheelchair. She's still seeing little or nothing out of her left eye and that makes her unable to keep her balance.
I'll write more tomorrow. I'm bushed tonight.
sorry I missed this till now! Add me to the list of thoughts and prayers- Guidance and comfort, comfort for your whole family. A recovery is still very possible and that spitfire attitude helps. You all be careful driving.
Opppsss....dmailed you first Diane. Thank you for being so good at updating us!!!
Hart that is good news, yes the swallowing is a big big deal. I think sometimes PT push a little to much to fast for some patients. PT is excellent for healing but you do have to be careful and I think sometimes they don't listen to their patients. I understand that they hear "I can't" all the time and that they must push their patients to get them to do the work that will help them recover. I just remember my Grandmother, she kept telling her PT that she couldn't do the arm exercises that they hurt too much and the PT kept pushing her and telling us that we needed to make her do them. Luckily we listened to Grandma and found out that she had bone cancer and there were small breaks all along her arm.
I hope you all know how much I appreciate your thoughts and prayers.
Mom is probably a bit more confused than she was Wednesday. She doesn't remember anything about that day at all. She kept telling me yesterday she'd had a stroke yesterday morning in the hospital. After they gave her another CAT scan, she changed that to having a stroke in the hospital while they were taking her picture. At least she's remembering things and incorporating them into her story. LOL
She was worse last night. My sister got there after I left and she didn't know her, kept telling her she was not Debra. She had a bad headache, which the nurses said was to be expected until that blood in her brain clears, and kept saying she was getting out of there today because she's had enough of this place. My cousin Pat, who is more like a sister than a cousin, is coming up from Richmond today and will stay at the house with my sister for a few days.
I thought I'd wait until I hear from Debra today instead of calling the nurses to see how she's doing. They might move her out of ICU, but she will still be in a room where she'd be monitored 24/7 with a nurse and helper stationed in the room with her and three other patients.
The drive hasn't been too bad, Sally, just long. We were afraid we'd have a lot of traffic yesterday because of the holiday but it wasn't bad at all either way. I think most people are going out of the city so were going in the opposite direction from us.
My gosh, Holly, that's horrible! They weren't doing therapy with her yesteday, just testing to see how much she's been affected physically. Her limbs do seem to be okay except her left arm doesn't have quite the grip strength as the right. That's very good. The vision I'm worried about but they did say her left eye dilated yesterday morning so that makes me hopeful.
Thanks heavens for some good signs although that all sounds worrisome as heck about the confusion.
Maybe it's a blessing in disguise about the traffic, this happening just before the holiday. Small consolation but take ;em where you can find em.
"That's my story and I'm sticking to it " LOL
We expect to see the confusion and the agitation. She had a pretty good chunk of her brain affected by the blood. This isn't quite the same as a regular stroke but the effects are similar. It's lucky, really, that she doesn't have worse damage. No paralysis in her limbs and her being able to speak and swallow are HUGE. The vision is the biggest worry. She lays there with her eyes closed a lot even when she's awake, I think because it bothers her so much that she can't see right.
I just talked to the nurse, she's sleeping and stable. Debra and Pat were in the car on the way to the hospital.
Hart, My GM had excellent care, just that they hadn't found the bone cancer and the PT was just following what she thought was the care program. I know your mother is still confused, but my experience has made me very aware of the importance of listening to the injured. I have put her on my Aunts prayer list, if anyone can pray someone well it is my aunts.
Just now saw this thread. Please add my thoughts and prayers for your mom and you, as well as the rest of your family. Having a parent in the hospital is an awful place to be. I hope all turns out well.
Hugs, Shirley
I understand, Holly. They weren't hurting her, just testing to see what she could do. Thank you so much for asking your aunts to pray for her. I think aunts' prayers are pretty awesome.
Hey there Holly. I might call upon your aunt's services the next time I find myself in a pickle. They sound like people that I want on my side. haha Thanks for sharing about them, I got a good chuckle.
Hello to all you great group of women. It is good to see so many familiar faces. I don't usually spend very much time on Mid Atlantic Gardeners board much these days, so it is always special to read what everyone has written.
Hart, I do not envy the position that you and your sister are in. My dad too had a stroke many years ago and even though I was ill myself at the time, I played nurse maid a lot for him. Continue to take good care of yourself so that you are up to whatever part you may end up playing in her recovery.
I hope that the upcoming week will bring more good progress reports.
Ruby
I talked to her on the phone last night and she sounded good - her speech was a lot less slurred and she was mostly understanding what was going on. She knew that her blood pressure spiking caused it (or at least had something to do with it.) But then she also kept saying my father, who died two years ago, was coming to see her tomorrow and that we had to tell him what had happened. Now, earlier in the day she had told my sister she was glad he wasn't alive to see her like this and this morning she was telling the nurse what a good husband she had and what a good builder he was. So this comes and goes.
When I tried to tell her Daddy wasn't here, she said, "I know - he's coming tomorrow!" :>) Can't argue with that logic.
Anyway, she's doing better. They'll be moving her today if they have a bed either to the regular stroke or neuroscience unit.
Oh, and she'll have a treat today. My cousin Pat, who is a hairdresser, is taking what she needs to the hospital to do her hair for her today. Nothing makes a lady feel better like having your hair done.
Shirley, thanks so much. Ruby, Mom is doing so much better than Daddy was after his stroke, but yes, we know there's more to face after she gets out of the hospital. I haven't mentioned my brother, but he's not dealing with this well at all and I may have to keep my sister from wringing his neck. LOL
Hart: I just saw this. I hope she pulls through this ok. I'll be thinking about you.
Hart, glad to hear that her speech has improved even though she's still confused :) My grandmother never suffered a stroke but once she climbed past 90 there were often confusing moments for her. At her age she was still a little feisty and I learned it was easier most of the time to just agree with her! LOL
Oh gosh Hart...I hope that your siblings will behave. Poor men of this world. They are for some reason not very well equipped to act in emergencies.
I agree with your statement on nothing like a hair styling to lift one's spirits. All of my life I watched my mother go to the beautry shop at least once a week to have her hair fixed and a lot times twice a week in order to have it touched up in between regular appointments. She alwasys said that seeing the haridresser was one of the only things that she made sure that she did for herself.
Here is wishng everyone a good week coming up. Take care all.
Ruby
Glad to hear the continuing good news, Diane! I think you're correct re the confusion and blood/brain...certainly wouldn't help. I'm sure once the fluid decreases her confusion will become less and less...hugs, my friend!
Chantell, I'll keep you posted on the room change. Presumably she can have real flowers once she's moved.
I think my mom went to the hairdresser every week as much for indulging in the real romance magazines, which she wouldn't be caught dead with in the house - as for the hair. LOL But she always did the same. Remember those magazines? They had such lurid covers and such mundane stories. Her hairdresser always had stacks of them.
Pat did her hair for her when she came up for Easter dinner and Mom really enjoyed that.
Debbie, they think now that a lot of that confusion isn't just old age but can be from mini strokes. Women are so much fiestier when they're older than men, I wonder why? I hope I'm as fiesty as Mom when I get older. I plan to be. LOL
Ruby, don't get me started.