Try Not To Get Sick During What is Effectively a Holiday Weekend - Page 10

Griff · 04-28-2007, 10:34 AM

Wolf, make sure you monitor yourself as you go through this with Mom. Sometimes we can mess up our own health focusing on others. Good luck lady.

elSicomoro · 04-30-2007, 03:02 PM

Good to hear that Momwolf is okay. I echo Griff's sentiments.

wolf · 08-31-2007, 01:06 AM

So, here we are coming up on Labor Day.

A year and a smidge has passed since Mom's last hospitalization.

Yeah, the bright ones among you caught it ... MomWolf is back in the hospital, this time for a blood clot in her leg. The fancy medical name for it is "DVT" or Deep Vein Thrombosis.

I took her to the PCP today for something else, entirely. She's been using a topical cream ordered by her dermatologist to treat a small skin lesion, but that hasn't been going well. She had a bad reaction, he's on vacation, and his nurse said "Go to the PCP." Good thing she did, really.

MomWolf's mentioned in passing that her left leg was swollen, and the doc thought that she should have an ultrasound to rule out a clot. I drove her over to the hospital, and with hardly any waiting, we had an answer. Blood clot, all right, but in the RIGHT leg, which wasn't swollen. They still don't know why the left leg is swollen, but hopefully they'll come up with something ...

08-31-2007, 01:08 AM

I am really sorry to hear that. I hope all goes as well as it can.
My thoughts are with you.

Griff · 08-31-2007, 07:03 AM

Sounds like you caught a thorough Doc wolf. I hope Mom is doing better.

Clodfobble · 08-31-2007, 09:49 AM

Your mom is lucky to have you, wolf. Don't forget to take care of yourself on occasion too.

Shawnee123 · 08-31-2007, 09:50 AM

Sending warm wishes your way, wolf.

limey · 09-01-2007, 06:39 AM

Your mum is very lucky to have you, make sure you look after yourself, too, Wolf.

wolf · 09-16-2007, 09:56 PM

Here we go again ... on Wednesday, momWolf saw the dermatologist, who announced that all looked well with her forehead. Last Thursday mom saw her PCP, was told that all was well, some minor adjustments to the blood thinner medication for the DVT.

She was very perky, and had been enjoying the fact that wolfSibling and the kitties were down for a visit to help with the packing, and to finally get momWolf over to the new abode to check the place out.

We were going to do that yesterday.

I was awakened too early Saturday morning to hear momWolf calling for my sister. My first thought was, "Well, that shows who really rates, doesn't it?" and rolled over. She then started calling for me.

We both went downstairs to find her gasping like a fish and saying she wasn't feeling well.

wolf: Mom, I'm calling an ambulance.

momWolf: Do you have to? Can't you just take my blood pressure?

wolf: Okay, then I'll call the ambulance.

(it is not easy to try to take the blood pressure of a woman who continues to try to talk to you while you are listening very hard to hear the Korotkoff sounds (that's when the little thumpy-thumpy noises start and stop))

wolf: Hello, 911 dispatcher. I need an ambulance.

momWolf: Can't you just drive me?

wolf: No! Sorry about that 911 dispatcher, I need an ambulance for a 76 y.o. female, history of HTN, DVT, CHF, presenting with SOB, chest pain, and BP 220/110. Thank you. (ends call) As I was saying Mom, I can't drive you, unless you want me to just shove your dead body out on the side of the road when your heart stops.

momWolf: Is it that serious?

wolf: Yes.

Great response time on the paramedics, they were at the house in less than 10 minutes.

My sister and I left the house shortly after they did, and we saw the rig that transported my mom returning to the station as we were about 2/3 of the way to the hospital.

Rough time in the ER, as she wasn't responding to the medication she was initially given, heart rate through the roof, respirations scary high, and her blood pressure was starting to come down, but not by much. She was finally given an injection of some stuff that I can't recall the name of, but which worked very quickly, and within 10 minutes she was relatively stable, had good color, and was breathing normally. Apparently she had another episode of congestive heart failure, which may have been brought on by something that she does when she has a doctor's appointment ... she's on a diuretic, which makes her pee a lot, and she'll skip it if she has to go somewhere, like the doctor, so she stays drier.

Oh, and then she had a Cup O' Soup for dinner one night, chased it down with a half a pack of saltines, according to my sister who dropped the dime on her to the doctor. Your basic recipe for medical disaster.

She's much better today, ensconced on the cardiac telemetry floor at the same hospital she was in for the month of July last year. It's her favorite floor, and the nurses who cared for her at that time remember her, and me.

So, if I seem distracted or irritable, that's why.

Incidentally, I have the coolest BP cuff in Southeastern Pennsylavnia.

limey · 09-17-2007, 01:46 AM

Sorry to hear that your going through it again Wolf. [hugs]

Griff · 09-17-2007, 06:13 AM

Bummer wolf. Keep on keeping on.

skysidhe · 09-17-2007, 08:00 AM

Your mom is lucky she has a great daughter in you.

LabRat · 09-17-2007, 01:48 PM

Just saw this thread, missed the labor day posts. I can't believe her bp was that high!!! (normal is < 120/80) Glad to hear things are OK after that scare, yikes. Good luck to all of you!

Shawnee123 · 09-17-2007, 03:09 PM

Thinking of you, wolf. And your BP cuff rocks!

wolf · 10-22-2007, 12:45 PM

Well, no holiday weekend involved, but momWolf was back in the hospital last week. At first the concern was that she was showing blood in her stool (yeah, TMI, I won't get any more specific than that), which is a serious side effect of the blood thinner ...

After much discussion, a transfusion, and a horrifying test involving tubing down her throat, it has been determined that instead of a terrible, potentially fatal upper GI bleed, she has an ulcer. Not that the ulcer isn't bad enough, but it could have been worse ...

So, I go to the pharmacy to fill the script for the antacid/antibiotic combo, and learn two things ... first, if she didn't have insurance this stuff would cost over $400.

Second, the insurance company wouldn't authorize filling the script because of a potentially fatal interaction with her other meds.

Good on the insurance company, incidentally. As it happened, my regular pharmacy didn't have the med in stock, so I went to a different pharmacy. They had the combo meds, but halted the sale per the insurer based on the other meds they're paying for.

momWolf will be starting the meds on Wednesday, but she has to discontinue and wash out of the one that will kill her before starting the one that will cure the ulcer.

So, that's what I've been dealing with for the last week or so.

04-28-2007, 10:34 AM	#1
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	Wolf, make sure you monitor yourself as you go through this with Mom. Sometimes we can mess up our own health focusing on others. Good luck lady. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

08-31-2007, 01:06 AM	#3
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	Another Holiday Weekend, Another Trip to the Hospital So, here we are coming up on Labor Day. A year and a smidge has passed since Mom's last hospitalization. Yeah, the bright ones among you caught it ... MomWolf is back in the hospital, this time for a blood clot in her leg. The fancy medical name for it is "DVT" or Deep Vein Thrombosis. I took her to the PCP today for something else, entirely. She's been using a topical cream ordered by her dermatologist to treat a small skin lesion, but that hasn't been going well. She had a bad reaction, he's on vacation, and his nurse said "Go to the PCP." Good thing she did, really. MomWolf's mentioned in passing that her left leg was swollen, and the doc thought that she should have an ultrasound to rule out a clot. I drove her over to the hospital, and with hardly any waiting, we had an answer. Blood clot, all right, but in the RIGHT leg, which wasn't swollen. They still don't know why the left leg is swollen, but hopefully they'll come up with something ... __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

08-31-2007, 07:03 AM	#5
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	Sounds like you caught a thorough Doc wolf. I hope Mom is doing better. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

08-31-2007, 09:50 AM	#7
Shawnee123 Why, you're a regular Alfred E Einstein, ain't ya? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 21,206	Sending warm wishes your way, wolf. __________________ A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones who need the advice. --Bill Cosby

09-01-2007, 06:39 AM	#8
limey Encroaching on your decrees Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: An island within the south-west coast of Scotland Posts: 7,016	Your mum is very lucky to have you, make sure you look after yourself, too, Wolf. __________________ Living it up on the edge ... of civilisation, within the southwest coast of

04-30-2007, 03:02 PM	#2
elSicomoro Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 12,486	Good to hear that Momwolf is okay. I echo Griff's sentiments.

08-31-2007, 01:08 AM	#4
rkzenrage Guest Posts: n/a	I am really sorry to hear that. I hope all goes as well as it can. My thoughts are with you.

08-31-2007, 09:49 AM	#6
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	Your mom is lucky to have you, wolf. Don't forget to take care of yourself on occasion too.

09-16-2007, 09:56 PM	#9
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	Here we go again ... on Wednesday, momWolf saw the dermatologist, who announced that all looked well with her forehead. Last Thursday mom saw her PCP, was told that all was well, some minor adjustments to the blood thinner medication for the DVT. She was very perky, and had been enjoying the fact that wolfSibling and the kitties were down for a visit to help with the packing, and to finally get momWolf over to the new abode to check the place out. We were going to do that yesterday. I was awakened too early Saturday morning to hear momWolf calling for my sister. My first thought was, "Well, that shows who really rates, doesn't it?" and rolled over. She then started calling for me. We both went downstairs to find her gasping like a fish and saying she wasn't feeling well. wolf: Mom, I'm calling an ambulance. momWolf: Do you have to? Can't you just take my blood pressure? wolf: Okay, then I'll call the ambulance. (it is not easy to try to take the blood pressure of a woman who continues to try to talk to you while you are listening very hard to hear the Korotkoff sounds (that's when the little thumpy-thumpy noises start and stop)) wolf: Hello, 911 dispatcher. I need an ambulance. momWolf: Can't you just drive me? wolf: No! Sorry about that 911 dispatcher, I need an ambulance for a 76 y.o. female, history of HTN, DVT, CHF, presenting with SOB, chest pain, and BP 220/110. Thank you. (ends call) As I was saying Mom, I can't drive you, unless you want me to just shove your dead body out on the side of the road when your heart stops. momWolf: Is it that serious? wolf: Yes. Great response time on the paramedics, they were at the house in less than 10 minutes. My sister and I left the house shortly after they did, and we saw the rig that transported my mom returning to the station as we were about 2/3 of the way to the hospital. Rough time in the ER, as she wasn't responding to the medication she was initially given, heart rate through the roof, respirations scary high, and her blood pressure was starting to come down, but not by much. She was finally given an injection of some stuff that I can't recall the name of, but which worked very quickly, and within 10 minutes she was relatively stable, had good color, and was breathing normally. Apparently she had another episode of congestive heart failure, which may have been brought on by something that she does when she has a doctor's appointment ... she's on a diuretic, which makes her pee a lot, and she'll skip it if she has to go somewhere, like the doctor, so she stays drier. Oh, and then she had a Cup O' Soup for dinner one night, chased it down with a half a pack of saltines, according to my sister who dropped the dime on her to the doctor. Your basic recipe for medical disaster. She's much better today, ensconced on the cardiac telemetry floor at the same hospital she was in for the month of July last year. It's her favorite floor, and the nurses who cared for her at that time remember her, and me. So, if I seem distracted or irritable, that's why. Incidentally, I have the coolest BP cuff in Southeastern Pennsylavnia. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

09-17-2007, 01:46 AM	#10
limey Encroaching on your decrees Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: An island within the south-west coast of Scotland Posts: 7,016	Sorry to hear that your going through it again Wolf. [hugs] __________________ Living it up on the edge ... of civilisation, within the southwest coast of

09-17-2007, 06:13 AM	#11
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	Bummer wolf. Keep on keeping on. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

09-17-2007, 08:00 AM	#12
skysidhe ~~Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.~~ Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 6,828	Your mom is lucky she has a great daughter in you.

09-17-2007, 01:48 PM	#13
LabRat twatfaced two legged bumhole Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 3,143	Just saw this thread, missed the labor day posts. I can't believe her bp was that high!!! (normal is < 120/80) Glad to hear things are OK after that scare, yikes. Good luck to all of you! __________________ Strength does not come from how much weight you can lift, or how many miles you can run. It comes from knowing that you set a goal, and rose to the challenge. Strength comes from within.

09-17-2007, 03:09 PM	#14
Shawnee123 Why, you're a regular Alfred E Einstein, ain't ya? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 21,206	Thinking of you, wolf. And your BP cuff rocks! __________________ A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones who need the advice. --Bill Cosby

10-22-2007, 12:45 PM	#15
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	Well, no holiday weekend involved, but momWolf was back in the hospital last week. At first the concern was that she was showing blood in her stool (yeah, TMI, I won't get any more specific than that), which is a serious side effect of the blood thinner ... After much discussion, a transfusion, and a horrifying test involving tubing down her throat, it has been determined that instead of a terrible, potentially fatal upper GI bleed, she has an ulcer. Not that the ulcer isn't bad enough, but it could have been worse ... So, I go to the pharmacy to fill the script for the antacid/antibiotic combo, and learn two things ... first, if she didn't have insurance this stuff would cost over $400. Second, the insurance company wouldn't authorize filling the script because of a potentially fatal interaction with her other meds. Good on the insurance company, incidentally. As it happened, my regular pharmacy didn't have the med in stock, so I went to a different pharmacy. They had the combo meds, but halted the sale per the insurer based on the other meds they're paying for. momWolf will be starting the meds on Wednesday, but she has to discontinue and wash out of the one that will kill her before starting the one that will cure the ulcer. So, that's what I've been dealing with for the last week or so. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

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