Amazing good news: Mom did have to have general anesthetic, but when she woke up she was fairly lucid. She asked when the operation would be done, so she knew what she was there for. She said she had more pain than before, which is normal, since they had to cut through a lot of tissue to get to the hip bone.

She also told Bill she wants to go home tonight! Not yet, he said, it will take time to heal.

Mom has no idea how long, which is just as well.

But I am really relieved that she came thourgh it and she is not any more addled than before ...

Now I hope recovery goes fast and she can stsrt on rehabilitation ....

Love,

martha

Excellent!!! Whew!!!! Let the celebration begin!!!!!

So happy to hear your good and amazing news!

Hugs - Barbara :D

GREAT NEWS !! Excellent !!!! May Mum stay unfogged too !!!

Keep us updated

Hugs
Sally

this evening Mom is agitated, yelling at all the nurses, wanting the 'bandage off and let me go home."

She says the bandage is too tight and she feels throbbing. no one can convince her it is only the normal pain of a new operation. I hope they sedate her. Bill is there and getting agitated himself.

He says the rehab will be 21 days max, then home. medicare will not pay for longer, or for a NH...

M

I'm so happy your mom came through the surgery ok. What a relief, eh?

If medicare won't pay for a nursing home, what about further rehab in the home? Mom will probably need much more than 21 days of care. Of course I'm thinking of my husband's two hip replacement surgeries. I imagine she will need more help with rehab and stuff because of her age and dementia.

What about Medicaid? If your mom qualifies, she could receive some help there.

Are you still planning to go to NY?

Love, Barb

Bill, Anna and Ingrid went back later and Mom was HUNGRY. The hospital supper came and again they spoon fed her because she is lying down. She ate meat, potatoes, vegetables, coffee, dessert, and drank water .. lots of water. She is in pain but not bad (drugs). NOT any more confused or strange than before, the same, in Bill's opinion. She says she is ready to start rehab. "Bring it on. I will get through this too," she says.

Amazing .. Mom has always been my role model and once again, in spite of falling, breaking a hip, getting surgery and having dementia, she had good advice and was a shining example for all of us .."I will get through this too!"

I am in awe.

Love,

Martha

Hi Martha,

I am so glad that your mom came thru the operation so well. Does sound like she needed to be medicated for pain and for anxiety or something like that! I am sure she is thoroughly confused in the hospital!

Why wouldnt Medicare take care of the NH. I thought that is one of the things they did? I too think she will need further physical therapy. Because she is older and the alzheimers too. I hope that she get well and back to whatever she was before - still knowing who you and brother and SIL are.

Right back when you learn more! Love, Wannabe

I've asked Bill to inquire with the hospital social worder about Medicare coverage. Mom doesn't qualify for Medicaid because her assetts are just over the limit.

Today he called and I spoke to Mom also: she was sitting in a chair, having WALKED (well, shuffled, between 2 nurses) 4 steps from bed to chair. She was exhausted and not very coherent. She said he has a lot of pain and hopes to go home tomorrow.

Actually she will be in the hospital at least 4 more days, bringing us up to Saturday, and if possible go right to a rehab center after that.

Bill thinks she will then be relaeased to home, providing there are no unexpected complications. Since he has to work full time (after a 3 month leave of absence) the week of October 10 to 15, I may have to go to NY to be with Mom at his house if she does go home that early (I kind of doubt it.) She was supposed to be with E in Ohio for that time. But, it is a great time to visit NY and I would like to go ..one way or another. I heard from friends in Flushing where I used to work and they'd be glad to see me too. I would stay long enough so that Bill is back at home (this is just a 1 week job, but 12 hrs a day) and I can take tyhe train into Queens or Manhattan.

I think it's wonderful that they get a person up out of bed the next day. That prevents some of the bad complications of yesteryear like bood clots and pneumonia from developing.

Mom is on pain meds (infustion) so is not sufferng that much. In her mind they 'fixed' the hip and she's going home any day now. I don't think anyone has told her about rehab yet, which is fine....

We are all amazed and proud of her for getting through this so well ...only on the night of admission and after waking up from surgery was she 'difficult. ' Now she is cooperating.

Love,

Martha

I'm glad she's cooperating. Has Bill talked to the social worker at the hospital about mom's finances? They may be able to get some sort of assistance for her that you and Bill may not be aware of.

In any case, I'm really happy that mom got through the surgery and that she's in a good mood.

And she's eating well. As you know, it can be difficult to get someone to eat so well so soon after surgery. I know the last thing I wanted after my last major surgery was food. I didn't eat much more than jello for a few days after my surgery.

Love, Barb

Hi Martha,

What excellent news! You couldn't ask for better from someone your mom's age and with her diagnoses. Who would have thought she'd do so well? Again, thanks be to God!

I agree that the social workers or whatever name they have in that hospital should look into what resources are available for your mother with her post-op status and at her age. Do you think Bill will plan for her to return to his home after all of this? What's the plan if she must be in a wheelchair?

Hope all will come round right as the Shakers used to sing.

Blessings - Barbara :)

Hi Martha,

I am so glad for you and your family - that your mom came thru with flying colors!!! It sounds like she is doing better, than I could/would in the same situation! I am a pansy when it comes to pain and exercise!!

That would be nice if you could go to New York in October. You have not seen your mom for a while and you would get a little trip too. The doctors and nurses and rehab. people, do wonders now a days. They will probably have her up and walking with a walker at the very least. May even graduate to a cane! My dad likes his canes better than his walker.

I bet you are really relieved at the good outcome of your moms operation! May your good luck hold out! Of course, it could be the good drs. and the good nurses and your very strong mother!

Take care. Love, Wannabe

just received from Bill:

Greetings:

Good thing I was there yesterday evening.

The meds nurse comes in with one pill for Mom, and gives it to her in a little cup. "What's this for?, I ask innocently. "Glucosin (?) , for her diabetes."

"WRONG. Stop. Don't take the pill." I say.

After a recheck, the nurse says, Oh, yeah, wrong patient. Don't worry, your Mom hasn't been given anything wrong. I see here that she only takes vitamins.

I walk out with her, and confront her. (I KNOW that they have all her meds listed on her chart, I rechecked the list myself when she was admitted.) I give the nurse the list, which I carry with me. "Really? She says she only takes vitamins."

I had a fit. She also thinks she'll walk out of here tomorrow. You KNOW she has dementia. That's ON HER CHART too!

"Really? She seems so rational. I believed her."

So the idiot meds nurse now reads the chart, sees her error, and Mom gets the right meds.

It was just luck, just a coincidence, that Mom was almost given the diabetic med, or this whole conversation would have never come up. Or, as Deepak Chopra would say, there are no coincidences...


I wonder what a drug meant for a diabetic would have done to Mom?

M

Hi Martha!

What a mercy that Bill asked the right question at the right time! Wise he keeps a list of her meds, too. So glad that didn't happen! Where I worked that would have been a medication error and it goes on the nurse's record. She should have checked you mother's armband and compared it to the list and the label on the pill. Tsk, tsk!

My dad had also had a near error in medication while in the hospital 26 years ago. He was almost given a heart pill and my mother asked the same question. You cannot be too careful!

Somebody said: "A coincidence is a little miracle where God chooses to remain anonymous."

Hope today is a good day for your mom!

Hugs - Barbara :)

Martha -

It's been so long since I've been able to check the board--so I only just found the "miracle" post about your Mom--that she not only came through her operation so well--but that she now needs only vitamins!!! LOL!! :rolleyes:

I can't tell you what a warm, happy feeling went through me when I read of her recovery--and her relative friskiness! :D Like my Mom did, your Mom defies all the odds...and leaves the doctors gasping! Do you remember that song with the rather appropriate line: "Like a rubber ball, I'll come bouncing back to you!" ??

You give her a big hug from me! :jester:

On a serious note---we, too, had a frightening incident when a doctor was treating my Mom in the rehab unit of a hospital, here (a doctor who reminded me of the type that my old summer camp would hire--someone just this side of sanity. Or...a few ants short of a picnic! Let's just say that my Mom, even with her dementia, seemed less spacey than her doctor!!)

The incident: we walked into Mom's room one day to find her completely changed from the day before....she was abnormally sleepy, unresponsive, almost comatose. The nurses kept telling my sister and I that this was probably "it"--she wasn't going to make it. And we kept pleading--"but she was FINE last night--what HAPPENED??" (They insisted that the tests showed nothing abnormal--that her body has just "run down".)

To keep this long story short (and my blood pressure low--even now, after 6 years, this memory still makes it shoot up!)--"what happened" was a total mess-up with her medication. She'd been taken off a vital medicine--that produced this almost coma-like state. And, within a hour of taking it....she was fine again.

So--please--Martha and everybody reading--when your family member goes into a hospital or rehab--make certain that your see the chart of medications they are on. My Mom's own geriatrician was not allowed to see her at this rehab, as the case got reassigned for the duration of her two-month stay. And, this new doctor had not only prescribed a wrong medication--but discontinued her Arricpet!!

We learned this only when, in total despair that no one was listening to us, we finally just barged into the closed doctors and nurses offices, that afternoon, and demanded to see the chart. And that's when we recognized the errors.

So, Martha, I am so glad that your Mom's "diabetes" medication was caught in time! Isn't this crazy that we can't trust the doctors and nurses to get it right?! (Part of the problem, of course, is the terrible shortage of nurses in the NYC hospitals. No matter how good the hospital is--without enough good nurses--the caregiving is rushed and intermittent.)

Anyway, Martha, you must be so emotionally exhausted by now. Sometimes, getting the info on the sidelines, from far away, is worse than being there. You worry 24/7, waiting for progress reports!

Okay, I'll be back to check on her (and you). (She'll probably be climbing in the Shawangunks by next week! LOL!)

A big hello to you and the others on this board who know
me. (Hey, Sally--better get your degree fast--and wing your way to this city! We need you!!) :D

love, lynn :wave:

Hi all ..welcome back TwinLynn ..how are you??

Mom is having her lungs x-rayed today, and if they are clear, she may go to rehabilitation as soon as tomorrow or Friday.

I just spoke to her at the hospital, then to Bill.

Mom says she gets no pain meds, in the middle of the night she rang for a nurse and got one Tylenol.

Bill says she still has a constant infusion of pain meds, some kind of morphine.

Mom says she thinks the worst is over. Now she can go home. The hip is healed.

Of course we know it will be weeks before it is healed, my broken wrist 2 years ago took 7 weeks and was then immobile and swollen ..it took weeks and weeks of physical therapy and still isn't perfect now. I imagine a hip takes longer .. but it's good if Mom is optimistic.

Bill's neighbor works at a nearby rehab clinic and that's where Mom will go; it is in Woodbury NY (Long Island too, not too far from them.)

Other news: he decided not to go back to the model train shop as a sales person, which has been his PT job since retiring from teaching. He will still pick up broken trains at the shop and repair them at home, but no more counter duty. He wants to be there himself when Mom first gets home from Rehab .. he is over 6 ' tall and much stronger than I am when it comes to helping her up the stairs, etc ....

They are still considering a home health aide to do some of the cleaning up, personal hygiene type of work... it will not be easy to get her into the tub shower after this .. maybe a sponge bath is all they can manage.

Nevertheless, this is all incredible news after thinking "this is it, her end is near." All within 3 days since I heard the news early Sunday morning ... this is only Day 2 after surgery and they may release her to Rehab on Day 3 ... incredible. People used to lie in bed for 10 days - with dire consequences....

Love to all,

Martha

Hi Martha,

What good news about your mom! I would encourage you to tell Bill that the 3rd day post-op is often the worst - whether people are just eager to be better so do too much and have more pain or take too little pain medicine too soon. My vote would be for mom to stay in the hospital until day 4 post-op. As all must remember, what she says may not be totally accurate.

When Rob's grandmother (your mom's junior by only 3 years) moved in with a daughter a few years ago, they had one bathroom's tub removed and replaced with a walk-in shower where Mama has a shower chair and hand-held nozzle. It works well. If a wheelchair becomes necessary, a roll-in shower is a possibility, too. The PTs and OTs from rehab will have all that kind of information and will make suggestions.

I do think a home health aide is advisable. Moo can tote that note!

Since Bill will be at home, will you still go to NYC for a visit in October?

Ah, isn't it amazing what a few days make in your plans and outlook?! Joy!

Cheers! Barbara :)

Hello Friends!

Today, on the third day after surgery (!) Mom was moved to a rehabilitation center nearby.

Medicare & her supplement will cover 20 days completely. After that, the cost to Mom will be $117 a day co-payment, for days #21-100. Then coverage ends.

I hope Bill will agree to let her stay there a couple of weeks longer. She can use some of her own money for that, and she will be readier to return to his house by then.

But we have to wait and see what kind of progess she will make.

I find it VERY early to leave the hospital, but the beds are expensive and in great demand .. no wonder nurses are overworked .. they have ONLY acutely needy patients nowadays!

I am glad it went this well .. I was pretty convinced she would not leave that hospital alive. I was wrong!!!

Love,

Martha

Bill may also want to consider having mom's bedroom downstairs, at least temporarily. Hopefully that would minimize the chance of mom trying to do stairs.

I hope Bill also considers that mom's mood will probably change when she comes off the morphine. My hubby (he had hip replacement surgery twice) was a BEAR after he got off the morphine! The pain was horrible for him.

Hip replacement is worse I think than a broken hip. But since your mom may not be able to express that she has pain or understand that she has it, it may be pretty difficult. I'm worried that her optimism may turn into trying to do too much too soon. I pray that's not the case.

I'm glad that she got into a rehab center. I think that's the best thing for her.

Are you still thinking of going to NY?

Have to go now. Severe storms coming this way. There's a tornado warning in the county west of us and it looks like that storm is coming this way.

Love, Barb

Barb, we've had thunder storms and storm watches and warnings on and off all day. Quite a bit of much needed rain too. I keep going on and off the computer when lightning is around.

I hope they will keep giving Mom pain meds ..there is no chance of her becoming addicted, after all!

I am sure they can arrange for her to sleep on a sofa bed, or get a hospital bed for awhile if necessary. I am not planning a NY trip right now .. will see how it goes.

Today Mom was happy. I hope that such days outnumber the other kind ..

Bill says she has a nice, positive room mate.

Love,

Martha

That's great having a nice room mate. It makes things a lot more bearable I'm sure. It sounds like your mom is very positive about this too. She's a very strong person now. I suppose she's always been a very strong person.

Love, Barb

yes, she had always been strong, brave, determined. That's what made it so hard for me to cope with the dementia when it first began. I couldn't believe it. No one ever thought Mom would lose her rationality.

Now we'll see how the rehab goes..she says she is going to get through it, and I believe she really willl!!! :)

Love,

Martha

Hi Martha,

Glad your mother is doing so well in the face of this injury, surgery, and all! She is so special! It almost seems like this has brought her back to reality in a way. Amazing! Her active life has served her well! Way to go, Mom!!!

Glad, too, that this is not the sad, upsetting trauma for you that it seemed to be just a bit less than a week ago. Who'd a thunk it??! Thanks be to God!

Hugs, friend!! Barbara :)

Yes Barbara .. it is very mysterious. It almost seems that she is more rational than before her accident. Or is it again being on best behavior for a while when in the company of strangers and new people?

Bill sent another email this morning I just feel I must copy here - since this is a dementia patient we are speaking about. It is incredible to me ..of the people she mentioned, one, Ella, died a few years ago and Mom seems to know that ...

Here it is:

Greetings:

I got to Cold Spring Hills at 10AM, carrying 10 days worth of clothing. They will do the laundry there; each piece will be labeled with Mom's name by them. Mom is dressed, washed and sitting in her wheelchair, talking with other residents (there are no "patients"). She is no longer on any pain meds.

I ask her how she is doing. "Wonderful. I had a revelation".

Mom saw, while half in and half out of sleep early this morning, a group of people gathered around her. Present were David, Frank & Ingrid, Emma (from the farm), and Ella Schilling, along with others. "Ella came from the other side", Mom said to me.. Emma then says: "You weren't kicked in the head by a horse, you know. You'll get better. Just hang in there and keep working at it." Everyone else chimes in, yeah, hang in there and you'll be as good as new.

Mom then looks out the window and there are hundreds of stars shining. (It was a clear night, the sky IS visible from her bed, but Mom has trouble seeing the stars with her eyesight, even upstate.) The group of people are gone. The night nurse comes in to check on her, and she tells her the story. "For the first time, I really believe I'll get well and go home."

Mom and I went for a wheelchair walk outside. There are lots of flowers and trees around, so we saw and touched and smelled them. We were out maybe an hour. I brought her in around 11:30; lunch is at noon. She'll be eating in the dining hall with her new friends.

Also, Mom now uses the regular toilet, with help. There is no pain at rest, but the leg hurts badly when she uses it. She is determined to get well; the pain will not stop her.

B

Love,

Martha

Oh Martha!

How wonderful! Isn't that so amazing? Who's to say the good wishes and people praying for her, along with other loved ones, didn't materialize in some way to bolster you mother's spirits? You notice that she could see and recognize each of them without her glasses, too!

Enjoy all the good news!

Hugs, friend!! Barbara :)

That gives me chills...sure makes me think, there's nothing more important than being glad for each good moment. So glad your mom is doing so well!

Glad to see Mum is recovering nicely .... hope she stays well behaved!! LOL .... She's probably using the toilet with help, because there is somebody 24/7 to check her and get her there in time! That's ok too!!

But spooky stuff for sure!

Big hugs
Sally

Martha, thank you for sharing Nill's e-mail with us! It brought tears to my eyes. It gives hope to us who have loved ones affected by this disease to know that there can bright spots. And it makes me think that after all your mom has gone through at her age, to have the attitude she has is a miracle in itself. Most people might just give up at that age. Not your mom! No no....she's still got that spirit you thought was gone. Those very things that made your mom who she was are still there. What a blessing!

Love, Barb

Hi Martha,

I am so glad that your mom is doing so well! And that you and your brother and SIL are getting a little respite! What great news!!!

I know that was really scary and you were worried when your mom first broke her hip! My dad or FIL will probably fall sometime and maybe do the same thing. In fact, my FIL has fallen several times in the last 3 yrs. But all he gets are big bruises!!!

It is also a blessing that your mom has such a good attitude. For everyone and herself! I hope that she has a speedy recovery and that you and your brother and SIL do not stress too much.

Take care of you, too. Love, Wannabe