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We took my mother into the hospital via ER last Friday, which resulted in a week’s stay in there MICU and finally being released out from the Pulminary Unit late last night. After a long four month wait for an apt that we never made it to (and hoping for answers and beginning treatment for her what was first called “Pulminary Hypertension”,) we finally have a diagnosis of a Primary Emphysema with COPD. After a nightmare in the first half of the week with talks of life support, etc she made an incredible miraculous turn around hat shocked everyone including he doctors! So very thankful to bring her home and begin in home care but many questions are still unanswered.
To make an even longer story short, I am concerned about the changes in her brain function (she’s still very sharp) as there are ticks and moments where she says goofy things (much like with Alzheimer’s or Dementia.) I am aware now that when she has spikes of high O2 levels, these are indicators and symptoms, dizziness, loopiness, etc but then a touch remains after using the CPAP at night. When she is clear the following morning, she hardly remembers these episodes. I guess I’m concerned as she is too, is this fogginess something that will eventually subside or is this her new norm to say the least?
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I think I am so tired, I didn’t realize how I’ve repeated myself so much. I’m sorry to anyone reading these..
November 20, 2017 - 8:36pmThis Comment
Hi again,
No problem. I have been known to repeat myself at times... though I'll always deny it! lol
Take care!
Helena
November 21, 2017 - 5:59pmThis Comment
Hello. Thank you for your message.
I'm glad your mother was able to come home. We cannot know if this fogginess as you call it, will remain or is it just that she has been through so much. Your doctor would be the best person to give insight on this. I do hope she continues to progress as much as she can.
Keep us updated.
Helena
November 18, 2017 - 2:08pmThis Comment
Thank you Helena and anyone who has read my post. I’m sure it was a bit confusing as I have been on “auto pilot,” for most of the last two weeks trying to keep my father together and stay strong for my mother. It was most certainly both a blessing and miracle that we brought her home but still many questions are left unanaswered. I guess we will work through them as best we can. I feel very fortunate to have much of our family in this area to be able to help one another through these tough times.
We won’t see our director for a follow up for another week or two, and the time between we are adjusting to a home nurse and PT schedule.. just hoping that she continues to work with the CPAP at night in order to have the strength in the following day. As long as she braves the anxiety of the mask at night, we seem to have really good mornings but her energy is spent. It has taken a lot out her I know, and heart breaking to watch my mother struggle with a walker, a wheel chair and being tethered to Oxygen. (But grateful regardless as it is saving her life!)
How do you adjust to a new way of life? I worry too for my dad who has been under this incredible amount of stress. I’m 35, have helped them with both sides of caregiving to their mothers (her mother still in nursing home and she was there every day up until a month ago.) I guess we always knew at some point she would have a problem having smoked for 40 years, I just wasn’t ever ready to see it go this way and so fast. It’s as if she turned into her own mother overnight..
Thanks for letting me ramble if you made it this far.
November 20, 2017 - 2:56pmThis Comment