The last week. Reliving the details. (Mom Update 7-14-12)

The last week has been HELL.  I don’t know how else to describe it.  I know it could be a lot worse, but it has been a pretty rough week.  I think it is all hitting me now.  I have tried pretty hard to keep it all together.  Emotionally and physically.  We have had to have a lot of serious conversations this week.   There have been so many people praying for our family and I know God has had his hands wrapped around us this week. 

So, I thought I would just give a recap of the last week.  Just in case you want to know how we got to where we are today. 

Over the last few weeks, Mom’s condition seemed to be worsening.  Her edema was BAD.  She had put on about 20 pounds.  She was having a hard time getting around and was spending her entire days in the bed.  She was so weak.  She had pretty much quit taking medicine and had quite the foggy brain.  Last Thursday, she fell twice.  Once in the bathroom hitting her head on the corner of the wall by the shower in the extra bathroom.  And the other in her bedroom behind her bedroom door making it very difficult for anyone to get in there to her.  The second time was in the middle of the night and I am not sure how long she was there before Robin discovered her.  I think she might have broken her toe this time.  It definitely looks broken.   I am so thankful she hasn’t broken something a lot worse!

Friday morning we decided she needed to go to the hospital.  So, we called the ambulance to come and transport her to Greenville.  Friday was spent getting her through the ER, started on IV diuretics, and into an “observation” room as they called it.  Dad came home that evening thinking she was doing ok.  Well, about 1:00 AM that night (Saturday morning), he got a phone call from the hospital stating that Mom had taken a turn for the worse and he probably needed to come up there.  Robin and I followed suit.  When we got there they shared that Mom had “coded” and they had to do a lot of suction, medicines, and intubation to get her back.  They actually think she aspirated which led to the code.  Her kidneys had pretty much shut down at that point as well.  Even with the diuretics, she was not producing urine.  So, when we spoke with the doctors/nurses, they were pretty grim with not a lot of hope.  

When we got into ICU to see her, she was fighting the tube but they quickly sedated her and she slept for most of the next two days.  Her blood pressure was low, heart rate was low, and she was not breathing any on her own.  We were pretty scared.  But, her kidneys seemed to kick back into gear and start working some. 

Also, on Friday my aunt had my granddaddy (who lived in Las Vegas) transported to the hospital.  He was persistent to go ahead and attend a ball game the night before but woke up Friday morning not being able to move.  He was not feeling real well the days before that.  Anyway, they ended up treating him for a heat stroke/dehydration on Friday and sending him home that evening.  Saturday morning he was not doing well and not keeping anything down, so she had the ambulance take him back to the hospital.  (Same day Mom coded.)

Also, on Saturday, Jeff and I were returning from lunch to go back to the hospital to see Mom when Jeff’s mom called (who had Hayden) saying that Jeff’s daddy was being transported to the hospital because he passed out.  Jeff drove to Tyler to be with his Daddy.  Later we figure out Don had a “life threatening” irregular heartbeat and ended up having a pacemaker put in on Monday.  Praise the Lord he is doing better!

Granddaddy continues to worsen Sunday and Monday and is becoming quite swollen and possibly over-hydrated.  He was having delirious thoughts, breathing became strange, and just wasn’t with it. 

Monday, Mom’s life support tube was removed and we weren’t real positive what the outcome was going to be.   We were trying to prepare ourselves for the worst but praying for the best.  Her stats continued to stay low all day.  Blood pressure, heart rate, and MAP (kidney functions directly related to blood pressure).  But, she was breathing well on her own and starting to talk to us and wanting to know what happened to her.  She asked several times what happened to her and we continued to tell her throughout that day.  She doesn’t remember anything from several days before.

That night, we got the call from Aunt Kathy that my Granddaddy (Mom’s Dad) had taken his last breaths.  So hard.  But, thankfully, he went quickly and without pain.  

Tuesday, Don came home from the hospital, Mom continued to improve, and Aunt Kathy was working on getting Granddaddy back to Texas.  We did not share the news about Granddaddy with Mom at this point. 

Aunt Kathy got in during the wee hours Wednesday morning and then came to the hospital and that is when we shared the news about Granddaddy with Mom.   It was hard but Mom did as well as could be expected.  Or, maybe even better.  She had a lot to take in that day.  She had to make her own DNR decisions now that she was aware of what was going on and take in the news of loosing her Daddy.   She was moved out of ICU into a room on the telemetry floor so they could continue to monitor her closely. 

Wednesday afternoon, Aunt Kathy, Bubba, and I went to Ft. Worth to finalize the arrangements for Granddaddy.

Thursday, Mom had a pretty good day.  This might have been her best day yet.  Friday, her swelling started getting worse again and remains that way today.  They are riding on a fine line trying to keep her kidneys and heart functioning with the diuretic medicines they are giving her.  But, her Creatinine levels are starting to go back up (3.0 this AM) which means her kidneys are not functioning like they should.  They told us that if her blood pressure stayed low then her kidneys would start to loose function (related to that MAP number I was telling you about earlier).  But her BP has actually been higher the last few days.  

The doctor told her a couple of days ago that if she could walk a few steps that he would give her a furlough and allow her to attend Granddaddy’s funeral on Monday.  But, today the doctor came in and said that at this point, she would not be able to go.  This BREAKS. MY. HEART.  We are trying to figure out a way to Skype if we can. 

Granddaddy’s visitation is tomorrow. (Mine and Jeff’s birthday). Then, his funeral is at 11:30 Monday and his burial will be at 2:30 at the DFW National Cemetery.

Thankfully, Jeff has an understanding job and was able to take off  of work to be with his family, my family, and Hayden throughout this week. 

I of course want to ask you to pray.  But, where do I begin when asking you to pray?  I feel so selfish asking for so many prayers.  Pray for peace.  Pray for comfort.  Pray for strength.  Pray for mom’s swelling to go down.  Pray for her emotions through the next few days as she is not able to attend the funeral.  Pray for the doctors.  Pray for safe travel.  I don’t know.  Just pray for our family as we continue to stay strong for Mom.  Pray for God’s will to be done in all things…

I heard this song early this week and knew God was speaking to me.  He Said by Group1Crew.  Listen to it if you have a chance. 

I think I can. I think I can.  I think I can.  I know I can…..