Saturday, May 22

Time for an Update


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I was finally able to get up to the hospital and see Mom on Thursday. She seemed to be in good spirits while we were there, but phoned later in the afternoon and seemed a bit depressed. The doctor had been in and told her that IF the spot on her ovary was cancer whether she would want chemo and/or radiation or if she just wanted to let it take her life. I freaked out! What right does this woman have asking my mother such a question when no diagnosis has been made. I can see her asking if a diagnosis of cancer had already been made, but they don't even know for sure what the spot is. She's been waiting 2 weeks to have another catscan. She was also to be getting therapy for her leg, but nothing had been done about that either. She was just lying in the hospital doing nothing. So, impatient person that I am, I called the hospital administrator's office.

They were not happy to hear from me. First I blasted them for the doctor asking Mom about the chemo...well, not so much that as the way she put it to her. Made me madder than a wet hen. Secondly, they didn't like hearing that Mom had been in there 3 weeks and hasn't received any therapy. Within an hour, she was moved to the therapy floor. Today she has a nice male nurse and sounds more like her old self. I think she was getting depressed because they weren't doing anything for her. She is also getting better care for her bladder on the therapy floor, so I guess I did the right thing.

I am getting a little stronger each day, but walking the halls to find Mom's room on Thursday really tired me out. I have been tired ever since and today being cloudy and raining...a gloomy day...hasn't helped. I'm hoping to feel better tomorrow. Yesterday I rested and slept a lot, but that is part of it. I go to the cardiologist on Tuesday for my post op checkup, so may have more news then.

Josh has been going through a phase of anger, which the specialists tell my brother is normal. He did enjoy a nice visit from his girlfriend the other night. She came and spent 4 hours and the staff said he was certainly in a better mood the next day. I'm sure he thought she had deserted him but she is going to school and working two jobs, which takes up a lot of her time. I'm hoping to get to see him in the near future, but it's a 30 minute drive to the hospital he's in so it won't be for a while yet.

This is the Victoria Day weekend here in Canada. Wishing all my Canadian friends a safe holiday.

16 comments:

  1. Hi Mary,
    You did good in speaking up for your Mom. A good family advocate is often helpful!
    About the anger Josh is having, I can tell you it's very normal. When I worked in the hospital, I worked on the neurology floor and almost all of our head injury patients went through a period of anger and often agitation.
    Hope you have a good holiday weekend!

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  2. Happy Victoria Day Weekend! I hope you can catch up on your rest and get outside a little, not at the same time though!
    I'm so glad you were able to visit your Mom, and thank God that you were able to get her the help she needed. That is crazy to ask her such a question and I would be a mad hatter too. You did good...;p

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  3. Mary,I am glad that you spoke up for your Mom,I wonder abouth the health of the medical system when patients sre being treated this way.Big Time Hug.

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  4. Prayers continue for your family, love you.

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  5. Love to you and your family, Mary...and the best part, prayers in Him♥

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  6. You certainly seem to be an effective advocate. Hope you feel less tired today.

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  7. You did good!!!

    It seems a lot of times the 'aged' patients are so very neglected.

    Got your email...will try and respond later if I get back online.

    REST!!

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  8. Yes, you did well to phone the Administration Office but I'm glad to hear you were able to visit your Mom just the same.

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  9. You absolutely did the right thing. Too often patients are simply 'overlooked.' Especially the elderly. When I have to have a procedeure that puts me in the hospital or in the care of doctors and nurses I am so relieved to have three daughters who will look out for me and say what they think. God bless then for it!
    I do pray that things will calm down for you and that your coming appointment will show that you are doing great.
    God bless you and yours.
    HUGS!!!!

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  10. Missed you! Hurry and get well.
    Mama Bear

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  11. I think doctors are trained to do this now.. last time mama was in the hospital, the doctor asked my brother and me (in front of mama) "If" the xray showed something on mama's lung would we want to do anything about it. I told him that will be mama's decision. She told him as he left, "You're not going to knock me off, I'm not that sick yet."
    And he said "no, no, I'm on your side"... but we all knew exactly what he meant..

    You did exactly the right thing!

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  12. Kudos to you for speaking up for your Mom, Mary. Maybe now she'll get the care that she needs. Hope you're being careful and not tiring yourself out to much. So much is going on in your family right now, but you have to remember to take care of yourself first right now. Prayers continuing to go up for you all.
    xoxo

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  13. Thanks for the update and sounds as if everyone is getting better. I would rather hear of slow progress than no progress. Peace

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  14. hey Mary, so sorry about your mom and hope by the end of this week you'll be having some nicer warm weather there. It's turning winter-ish here and there is no more drought .

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  15. Hello dear Mary:-)

    Back from another trip, we were away for 4 days this time and very near you! We thought of dropping in to surprise you but I told Steve I didn't think you'd be up to visitors just yet so we'll try later this summer. Have had you so much in my mind!!

    Good for you for calling the hospital's administrator's office! I can't believe your poor mom has been lying there for 3 weeks with no therapy whatsoever and oh boy, I would have freaked out as well finding out about the dr. asking her about chemo and such when a cancer diagnosis hasn't even been made!!!! Just shaking my head over that.

    I do hope you soon regain your strength but this heat doesn't help, I'm like a wet rag walking around! lol Thank goodness for the air conditioner which E installed while I was away! xoxo

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  16. Hello girl.. I am so glad that you have been able to go and see your mom.. but I am so sorry what you found.... Life is just not valued any more and the older we get the less that life is worth.... I am so glad that you got on their case and got something done for your mom..... I am glad to get the update on Josh and bless his heart.. It is going to be a long recovery for him.........

    Take care girl and enjoy your summer and get your strength back...... I will try and keep in touch better.......

    Love ya!

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