I know that there are those of you out there who take care at home and this is mainly for your piece of mind. Over the past weekend mom had ceased to urinate without being manipulated. (Moved onto her side or her stomache massaged) Her stomach became bloated. I called the nurse and requested she come out to be catheterized. She talked with me on the phone we discussed how much she drank and how she is pretty much breathing and sleeping totally with her mouth wide open.
She reminded me that babies who take in too much air get colicky and their stomaches can become bloated and hard like moms.
I let the nurse convince that she just had not drank enough and to switch to gatorade so she wouldn't become dehydrated from the lack of liquids. Anyways yesterday mom got hot (101 Fever) I gave her some liquid tylenol and she started to apirate on me. While I held mom in an upright position my helper , Sherry, patted moms back to help clear her lungs. I called the home health and they sent out a nurse. Between moms fever and a low blood pressure she felt we should take her to the hospital. I agreed at the hospital they did all needed and catheterized her. She released 2 litres of urine which you could tell was infected. Her stomach gone almost immediately. She is on iv and heavy duty iv antibiotics and will have a few more tests done then come home. Her chest is fine right now for no pneumonia so I am happy because that would be horrible.
Anyyways what I am saying is if you have a gut feeling don't let a nurse sway your idea elsewhere make them prove you wrong. The second I am doing is telling you of how she became so that no one else will have to go thru or accidentally put their lovved one thru a bladder infection that could have been if not stopped at least a few days shorter of its life.
Mom is eating and looking much better today and even tho she is stage 7 and I know I will soon have to make more serious decisions I regret not having stuck to my guns since she could have been comfortable sooner. Just take my advice as they get further along you have to pay very close attention and even might consider taking up a diary of bodily fuctions liquis and food intake so you can better see what is going on with them. Mom no longer talks and this is part of the reason I should have stuck to my guns-I knew better.
HUgs to everyone and I hope this helps someone out later on.
She reminded me that babies who take in too much air get colicky and their stomaches can become bloated and hard like moms.
I let the nurse convince that she just had not drank enough and to switch to gatorade so she wouldn't become dehydrated from the lack of liquids. Anyways yesterday mom got hot (101 Fever) I gave her some liquid tylenol and she started to apirate on me. While I held mom in an upright position my helper , Sherry, patted moms back to help clear her lungs. I called the home health and they sent out a nurse. Between moms fever and a low blood pressure she felt we should take her to the hospital. I agreed at the hospital they did all needed and catheterized her. She released 2 litres of urine which you could tell was infected. Her stomach gone almost immediately. She is on iv and heavy duty iv antibiotics and will have a few more tests done then come home. Her chest is fine right now for no pneumonia so I am happy because that would be horrible.
Anyyways what I am saying is if you have a gut feeling don't let a nurse sway your idea elsewhere make them prove you wrong. The second I am doing is telling you of how she became so that no one else will have to go thru or accidentally put their lovved one thru a bladder infection that could have been if not stopped at least a few days shorter of its life.
Mom is eating and looking much better today and even tho she is stage 7 and I know I will soon have to make more serious decisions I regret not having stuck to my guns since she could have been comfortable sooner. Just take my advice as they get further along you have to pay very close attention and even might consider taking up a diary of bodily fuctions liquis and food intake so you can better see what is going on with them. Mom no longer talks and this is part of the reason I should have stuck to my guns-I knew better.
HUgs to everyone and I hope this helps someone out later on.