Day 4 Mom's Hospital stay

Day 4, Thursday Dec 22, 2011

Dad and I got in around 8:30am again.  Mom is awake and talkative, more alert then the last 2 mornings.  Her sodium levels are at 130 so they are stopping the DDAVP (nose spray) for the morning and will just do one spray at night.  They said that after her CT scan last night she threw up again on the way back to the room and her heart rate dropped again.  The cardiologist came in and said that we don't have to worry about her heart rate dropping when she throws up.  He said that it wouldn't cause any permanent damage.  But when the cardiologist came in Mom raised her hand to shake his hand which is the first time she has done that.  Dr. Sperry came in today and said that the CT scan last night showed a very small reduction in air and that Dr. Reichman didn't want to do surgery.  But we are still waiting to see Dr. Reichman today to talk to him.  If the air in her head is causing her to throw up, be confused and out of it then we would like to fix it.  The nurses came in and gave her anti-nausea medicine at 9:30 and then some mirolax.  Mom ate some strawberry yogart, strawberry shake, hot chocolate, her breakfast shake that they give to her at every meal & some orange juice to wash the mirolax down.  She is now trying to rest (10am).

We have had an eventful morning.  Mom was feeling very well.  She didn't rest for too long.  Dr. Reichman's PA's stopped by around 10:30 and talked to us.  We asked if having the shunt done if it would affect her osteoporosis and they said no.  They said that after getting the shunt it would take 24-48 hrs to recover in the hospital, but we are still waiting for the Dr to order the surgery.  He is very back and forth about it.  She said that he may make up his mind later tonight or maybe tomorrow morning. We asked if getting the shunt in if that would help her mental status and she said probably.

This afternoon was great, she got up and walked around twice and then got a bath.  Dad & I left when she was getting her bath and Mary came.  They ordered lunch and she ate cream of potato soup, a shake that Mary brought in, some more Italian ice and Karen brought her up some ginger ale.  She did another lap with Mary before Dad and I got back at 2pm.  Mom has been very awake and alert today, talking and asking questions.  She enjoyed opening Christmas cards and reading e-mails that people have sent.  She is napping now and we ordered 2 bowls of that potato soup for her and a strawberry shake for 6:30, after her little nap.  The PA came in again and said that they will take another CT scan tonight and then Dr. Reichman will decide in the morning if they will do surgery.  She seemed like they were leaning more towards doing the surgery.


Today Mom has been so much better.  She is talking and eating so well.  They lifted her low sodium diet today so she was able to eat her soup.  She had the Rifes visit today, Karen & Mary, & Merrill Kingston come visit.  She got a lot of e-mails which brightened her day and Sue Alder sent her a beautiful Wishes Angel.  Mom was awake enough to sign over the power of authority to Dad so that he could sign to close on their homes that they are buying in Arizona.  We are very pleased at how she is doing and just hope that when we come in tomorrow she will be the same. Her sodium levels right now are 134 which is right where they want them.  And we just found out that they gave her the steroid at 8:15 am, 40 mg orally.  Today was a great day for her, we hope for the same tomorrow.