Mom’s Status: 2010-08-30
Summary
Mom had physical therapy today and says that her legs feel stronger. Friends have called and visited lately. She’s still not eating as much as doctors would like. But she’s feeling less stressed in her new room.
Pending Objectives
- Order podiatrist for regular checkups on Mom’s feet.
- Secure a private room for Mom.
- Track Mom’s extreme weakness and loss of feeling in legs. IN PROGRESS. Preliminary indications are that she has significant nerve damage in her legs that may or may not heal. But I must get a more complete assessment from her doctors today.
- Monitor Mom’s overall pain status. We’re looking to get her pain stopped. IN PROGRESS. Her pain has been steadily decreasing over the past week, and they’re supposed to have restarted her neurontin. I’ll check that today.
- Track the dissipation of Mom’s pelvic hematoma. IN PROGRESS. This “blood lump” is shrinking, doctors say.
Completed Objectives
Log
03:00 PM: I FAXed the power-of-attorney papers requested by the facility caring for Mom.
05:00 PM: Sister Mary Ann is driving up to see Mom, and I am tagging along. Details follow:
- 05:30 PM: We arrived. Mom’s supper had also been delivered some minutes before we got there. So she had already finished eating; though she really didn’t eat very much.
- She has slightly more movement in lower legs and the pain in her thighs has all but gone — except for when she moves them a lot. They tried standing her up today. But she says she has limited sensation in her legs, and so, could not feel herself standing. She could not stand for very long. She’ll have another physical therapy session tomorrow.
- Sister Mary Ann brought pictures of our family and hung some up on Mom’s calendar board at the foot of her bed.
- She’s not to wear “footies” in bed. These mark her skin and could potentially cause other problems.
- Her stomach feels nauseous tonight. The nurse offered meds to counter this. However, she declined them; wishing not to take so many meds, she said.
- Prior to next visit, we must locate her blue-framed reading glasses.
- 07:05 PM: She’s dozing. So we’re leaving now.