Mom was taken to the hospital yesterday

[MissMillie]

The visiting nurse called for an ambulance after she became short of breath and developed a very rapid heartbeat during her visit. The diagnosis is a-fib. According to my sisters she is resting well, and as soon as her doctor has some confidence in the medications he's giving her to regulate her heart, she will come home.

The last couple of weeks have been very difficult for us. After she broke her ankle, she was given a boot to wear and she absolutely did not want to wear it. She knows she's in pain, but doesn't remember that she broke her ankle, and doesn't believe us when we remind her. She's threatened us all, kicked my dad and my sister, and even took a swing at my other sister. She's cussed at us and yelled at us and has, overall, been miserable to be around. It's like she's someone else.

I'm can't even begin to imagine how she's treating the hospital staff.

Her hospitalization is nothing to celebrate, obviously, but there's a piece of my that is glad that my Dad is getting a night off.

I will head over to see her today, and check in with my Dad and my sisters to see if there's anything I can do to be of help. (I'm usually there several times a week to make dinner anyway.)

[Scarsdale]

1. So sorry to hear

about your circumstances. Sometimes those we love can be the most difficult to deal with. I am certain the hospital staff understands, and has dealt with difficult patients before. Plus, they can be detached and tell her to "shape up" if she gets too out-of-hand. Be glad you have other family members to share this burden. I hope things improve soon, for everyone's sake.

[DarthDem]

2. Oh, I Am So Sorry :(

That's an incredibly trying set of circumstances. It sounds like you're of amazing help to her.

[mgardener]

3. So sorry

[Faux pas]

4. Best

vibes to you and your family

[MissMillie]

5. UPDATE: Visited w/ mom this afternoon

She seemed to be doing pretty well and is expected to go home tomorrow. She doesn't remember why she's In the hospital, and of course this is despite being told over and over again. But what she does remember is that she's going home tomorrow.

She was not at all violent w/ the hospital staff while I was there, but when I first arrived she was on a 1:1 because she kept pulling her IV out (and while I was there she tried a few times to disconnect her heart monitor). They switched her to oral meds, and put a chair alarm on her chair to alert them when she gets up, so no more 1:1. They did insist that she keep her boot on, just in case she gets up, and I imagine that as soon as she was alone, she took it off. (She kept saying that she wanted my sister to bring her other shoe--which of course, she doesn't need.)

I'll be at their place tomorrow to make dinner. I hope she'll be as calm and pleasant as she was when I was with her today. I enjoyed our visit, which is something I can't say about the last two weeks.