Mom’s Status: 2010-08-03
06:15 AM: Well, here we are in a new day, which I hope will bring some improvement to Mom’s condition.
10:30 AM: Sister Jojo probably visited Mom when she went to work this morning. But she did not call with any updates. So I’m hoping that means that Mom’s condition hasn’t deteriorated further over night.
11:00 AM: They have a better idea on the type of infection Mom has but we’re still unclear on the prognosis. Mom’s temperature is still high at 102 degrees but no further information is available right now. Stand by.
07:00 PM: Information gleaned from this afternoon’s visit to Mom follows:
- The type of bacteria Mom is infected with is MRSA, and because of this, all her visitors must don gowns and gloves before entering her unit.
- Growths of MRSA have been found in her foot, left arm, and in her heart.
- Unfortunately, while they may be able to eradicate the infection from her blood and most of the rest of her body, they cannot remove the bacterial vegetation from her heart valves without replacing the valves through surgery. But this is not a good option for Mom, as the heart surgeon who performed her last valve replacement told us that she’d not likely survive any other heart surgeries.
- So her prognosis is poor. She could recover. But the chances of that at this point are remote.
- Her temperature held at 100.6 degrees throughout our visit; which is down significantly from yesterday’s 102.3 reading.
- She talked more and with clearer speech today. But she still appears distressed and uncomfortable when awake; though not so much as yesterday.
- They’ve bound her hands to the side rails of her bed so she does not remove her oxygen tube or pick at a sore in her nose. She’s also been deemed a “fall risk.” So she’s not to get out of bed without assistance.
- Her breaths seem softer, deeper, and more regular today. In many regards, she looks to be improving.
- Her oxygen reading is a bit low at 91 to 93; low but not terribly low. However, it does rise to 98 when she breathes more deeply; such as when she wakes up and moves around.
- She’s also experiencing significant pains in her stomach. This could be because she hasn’t eaten solid food for a few days.
More details will be posted as they surface. Please do not call the hospital for updates, as we do not wish to over tax the nursing staff. Relevant information will be posted on this blog. So check here when you desire to know up-to-the-minute news on how Mom is making out. Thanks much.
Take care.