Mom had trouble without me Thursday night because we had not really tested the nurse call system, since I usually go and get the nurse if Mom needs one. But it turns out the button Mom tried using didn't work and so she was all alone unable to get help for a while before a nurse stopped by and sent her to a different call button. Later last night Mom used the call button when she was experiencing more pain, and the nurse gave him medication directly through an IV.
This morning the staff took the more radical step of removing the nerve block that had been minimizing Mom's pain and the catheter that had made it possible for her not to get out of bed. Without going through all of the gory details, she wasn't able to use a bed pan (in bed - I wasn't here and I don't entirely understand how it works) and so she had to get up and - unable to make it all the way to the bathroom easily - she used a little portable bedside commode.
Since then Mom has had a little more pain and made two more trips to the commode (including one with her physical therapist helping). We've talked a little more concretely with the staff - including the doctor who visited this afternoon and the staff from Health South, the rehab clinic (pictured above) - about Mom going to rehab probably on Sunday (hopefully after I've gone to church and out with Mom's friends). Apparently Mom is on some kind of new blood thinner, which isn't as dangerous as the thinner that nearly killed her 13 years ago - but she will be on that for a week. The doctor was pushing Mom to try walking a little further than the physical therapist. Hopefully, by the time she leaves here, probably Sunday, she'll be able to make it all of the way to the bathroom.
Most of the staff today is weekend staff - so we're meeting new people - but everyone is skilled as this part of the 6th floor is a relatively new orthopedics only wing of the hospital, where they deal with the aftermath of knee and hip replacement surgery all of the time.
This morning the staff took the more radical step of removing the nerve block that had been minimizing Mom's pain and the catheter that had made it possible for her not to get out of bed. Without going through all of the gory details, she wasn't able to use a bed pan (in bed - I wasn't here and I don't entirely understand how it works) and so she had to get up and - unable to make it all the way to the bathroom easily - she used a little portable bedside commode.
Since then Mom has had a little more pain and made two more trips to the commode (including one with her physical therapist helping). We've talked a little more concretely with the staff - including the doctor who visited this afternoon and the staff from Health South, the rehab clinic (pictured above) - about Mom going to rehab probably on Sunday (hopefully after I've gone to church and out with Mom's friends). Apparently Mom is on some kind of new blood thinner, which isn't as dangerous as the thinner that nearly killed her 13 years ago - but she will be on that for a week. The doctor was pushing Mom to try walking a little further than the physical therapist. Hopefully, by the time she leaves here, probably Sunday, she'll be able to make it all of the way to the bathroom.
Most of the staff today is weekend staff - so we're meeting new people - but everyone is skilled as this part of the 6th floor is a relatively new orthopedics only wing of the hospital, where they deal with the aftermath of knee and hip replacement surgery all of the time.
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