Mother was brought back from the nearly dead by clever medical intervention from rapid onset pulmonary oedema. This Saturday morning a professor no less called me and explained the issue and how, in my words, it was a 50/50 bet as to whether she would recover. Mother is wondering why she being paid such attention by so many doctors.
I alerted my siblings and Ex Sis in Law about the call from the professor.
Ex Sis in Law and her three children, Fire Fighting Nephew, Oldest Niece and Hippie Niece all visited Mother this Saturday and found her in good spirits, so pleased to see her grandchildren and hear them banter between each other. Jo, her youngest grandchild will see Mother tomorrow in the company of Bone Doctor.
My voice has cracked a bit when talking to my siblings, but they would barely notice. I am being strong and logical.
Over the course of day I have told R about all that is going on, but it is rather hard to remember detail from nine phone conversations in one day.
Meanwhile R with his new smart watch is concerned about his heart beat rising from 65 to 90. Thankfully his new watch doesn't measure blood pressure...oh, it does, but he hasn't set it up yet.
Mother is rather concerned about her hair. We have been brushing it and using a spray dry shampoo but we can't do much about the grey. Her latest demands are for barley sugar that is not hard to unwrap and a bright, deep pink nail polish.
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That's amazing she wants nail polish and sugar. Why I love your stories about your family.
ReplyDeleteStrayer, I used to think she was the glue that held the family together, but I have come to realise that she hasn't been as she became very old and frail. The family glue is good.
DeleteI'm with Strayer and wish you and yours all the best.
DeleteThanks Darla.
DeleteYour mother's current focus is a tribute to the care she is receiving. How well I remember those days. My heart goes out to you.
ReplyDeleteThanks EC. We are steeled for bad news, but that won't make it easier when it comes. But who knows, she could go on for quite a while yet.
DeleteOf course mum is pleased to see her grandchildren. Bless their hearts.
ReplyDeleteHels, the grandchildren love their Nanna Fud (fuddy duddy), and even some of her great grandchildren will remember her.
DeleteWhat a roller coaster for you at the moment. Don't borrow R's watch just yet.
ReplyDeleteSuch sensible advice, Jaycee.
DeleteR is much more stressy than I am.
DeleteIn my experience, the best mood lifting drug is putting lipstick on for older ladies. There is a high probability of delayed onset delirium if she pulls through the episode. Best wishes to her.
ReplyDeleteIt seems she has pulled through Roentare. Palliative care now with no harsh intervention. Oxygen levels now now into the low nineties.
DeleteBarley sugar and pink nail polish. Easy done! It is great that family are visiting her. This will keep her spirits up and stop her dwelling too much on why she is there. The next step will be where to from here if she recovers enough to be discharged. Have you started looking at aged care facilities?
ReplyDeleteCaro, we have only vaguely looked. Casey has both rehab care and nursing home care. There are high level care places in the area. We haven't done more than just look. MECWA is her aged care provider and might look after care.
DeleteYou still need to check out facilities, Andrew. Otherwise hospitals take the first available bed in places that can be less than.
DeleteI see Caro. Your advice is noted, thanks.
DeleteWhen you are really ill there is always plenty of medical staff to keep an eye on you and treat you.
ReplyDeleteIt's a sad time, but yet your dear Mother wants her nail polish, trying to look her best, bless her...
Take care Andrew, hugs..
Margaret, her medical care is good but somewhat remote where doctors look at a lot of stats about patients on their screens. Mother has always been rather vain about her looks.
DeleteI dropped by on one of my infrequent visits to find that your mum is in a bad way.
ReplyDeleteI wish you peace and the making of good memories xo
Thanks Kylie. That is kind of you.
DeleteThere are spray on hair colours in many different shades, perhaps mother might like a teal? a fuschia? with nail colour to match?
ReplyDeleteI'd be worried if my heart rate went up as R's did, tell him I said he should get a check up.
River, I've been thinking about hair colour. I remember perhaps twenty years ago a woman telling me about spray on black hair dye to brush through. I will look at this.
DeleteR sees his doctor often enough and is well monitored for his health. I'm afraid I don't really trust what a watch tells you about medical matters.
Interesting contrast between your mother, who doesn't understand the fuss being made over her, and R, who I believe is the more healthier of the two by a long shot, concerned about what his watch says about his heartbeat.
ReplyDeleteKirk, it was an indicator of his stress levels. Things Sister writes and says irritates him and he says she'll will have her dead and buried tomorrow. Sister is also stressed and at times being a bit irrational.
DeleteBarley sugar and nail polish! What spirit and how good to hear.
ReplyDeleteWhat was R doing when he noticed his heart rate increasing?
JB, he was sitting in Prahran Square with me as we each ate a salad roll and drank fine cups of coffee, totally relaxed. I don't trust phone indicators.
DeleteI'm just catching up in the middle of my night. Reading your and your Mum's situation has made me realise that sitting in bed in pain feeling rather sorry for myself is as nothing at all. I feel for you and your family.
ReplyDeleteNot really Graham, but thank you. She is at the end of her life. You in pain and the the trevails you've been through is not insignificant, but I see you are now home which must be such a relief.
DeletePersonally I feel the same way about electronic watches etc as I do about those ‘automatic pump up’ BP machines that always give elevated readings- much higher than ‘manual pump up’ ones ones GPs use.
ReplyDeleteCathy, we have a now rarely used BP pump. I didn't know they were so inaccurate. I've always thought that they should be calibrated every so often, but no one does.
DeleteEnjoy the good days, indulge her whims.
ReplyDeleteYep TP, that is what we are doing.
DeleteThanks for the update. By the sound of it, your mother enjoys defying expectations. She's not going to give in without a fight.
ReplyDeleteQuite so buddy. She won't die without having lots to complain about.
DeleteSorry to hear about your Mom issues! It's going around, apparently. I'm concerned about R's heart rate! What's up with that?!
ReplyDeleteSteve, our mothers dying at similar dates is not really a connection I want to have with you. R's smart phone is in danger of turning him into a hypochondriac. I'm sure there isn't a problem.
DeleteSmart watch, that should be.
DeleteYour mother is a special case, half dead then fully alive she worries about her beauty ! Congratulations ! If nobody can dye her hair, buy a wig ! My mother in her last years always wore a wig, because she had thin hairs and the wig made her look much younger ! Pay attention with R ! Rick used to play with his blood pressure, I say play, because it was really like a game, all minutes he checked his blood pressure and got on my nerves. Unfortunately for him it was always normal.
ReplyDeleteGattina, my mother is obsessive about her blood pressure, which is rather erratic. Generally all doctors tell you after taking your blood pressure is whether it is ok, but Mother insists on knowing the figures.
DeleteGlad to know that mom is good spirits. The visit by the family would definitely have helped. Wishing her speedy recovery.
ReplyDeletePradeep she does enjoy having visitors, some more people to listen to her tales of woe. Thanks.
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