Updates on Mom

Mom has been taking Humria for 3 months now. Things are getting better. Today 3/16 She is starting some physical therapy at home.

Mom has started taking the HUMIRA. Last Saturday was her first injection. She'll get her second 1 on the 2nd of February every other Saturday

Good News, Mom got approved for HUMIRA. We received her first six month supply Friday. Hopefully I can get her injections started Saturday 1/19, then every 2 weeks.

Mom had her visit with the Rheumatologist, He says she has some pretty extensive damage, but believes he can help her. He also thinks now that she is on Medicaid, that he can get her started on Humira

Mom Has a busy Day on the 7th, She sees the foot doctor at 1:oo pm and Rheumatologist at 3:45 pm. Her family doc has placed her on a patch to help her with her pain, this seems to be working pretty good. We had her right hearing aid repaired this month so she is hearing a lot better now.

The results weren't that clear, so Dr. Knoll had her take another one on 7/25, and this one came back clear with no problems. She is scheduled for a follow up on 8/21

More Good News, Dr. Loving has been concerned that Mom has not picked up her weight so she scheduled her with a Gastroenterologist. He preformed a colonoscopy on her last week and found nothing to worry about.

Great News about Mom, She has qualified for Ohio's Passport Program. She's now getting an aid at her house 3 days a week, A life line system has been installed, along with receiving 7 meals a week. And a whole bunch more services from Medicaid

Mom might get to come home this next week. She has been doing much better. She can get up and out of bed on her own, take herself to the bathroom, and generally take care of herself again.

Mom is doing better. Pain has decreased a bit. Sandy and I had a meeting with the Floor Coordinator and Head nurse yesterday on Mom's progress. She is doing ok but she needs to allow the night nurse to turn her from side to side at night. Sandy and I re-enforced with Mom she has to do this to get better.

Mom's will be allowed to leave on Christmas Day. I'll be picking her up around 10:am and taking her back at about 6:00 pm

I don’t know if Mom told everyone or not , but she fell in her hallway last Wednesday the 30^th.

^{Everything appeared ok until last Sunday;
she was in so much pain she could not get off the toilet. Sandy and I
finally got her up and had her taken to the hospital. X-rays showed she has
a slight fracture in the “ischium” of the pelvis. This is painful and not
much can be done other than pain management and healing. She was released
from the ER and given a script for 800 mg of ibuprofen. This worked well
until today, Sandy found her in bed this morning and she was unable to get
her up. Sandy had the medics take her back to the hospital, and it looks
like she will have to stay there for about 3 days then she will be going to
a Rehab health care facility until she heals. She’s just in so much pain
from this she can’t move.}

^{We visited Mom yesterday, she's eating
good, if you call hospital food good, but she's eating. She's been receiving
pain med, along with an antibiotic for a Urinary Tract Infection. The Re-hab
people will be visiting her on Monday and we'll find out then where she is
going.}

Mom has a doctors appointment with Dr. Loving on Wednesday the 4th at 19:30, this is just a routine check up with her family doctor.

Mom had her checkup on December 8th, This wrist went extremely well, she has been pretty much released. She also had the doc. give her a cortisone shot in her left knee. The doc took an x-ray and found her left knee needs to be replaced. Hopefully she can last a year before that has to happen.

Mom Went to Shirley's ( Gloria Mom's) with us for Thanksgiving Dinner. She said She had a good time.

Mom had the surgery on her left wrist yesterday morning. We arrived at Samaritan North Health Care center at 7:00 am to her her registered for her 9:30 am surgery. But as things go the nurse came in at 9 and told us the doctor was running behind on his 8 am surgery and it would be another 1 1/2 hours before he got to Mom. She was finally taken back at 10:25. Things went real good we were on our way home at 11:30 am

Mom's Check up went well. She now has a date scheduled to have the surgery in her left wrist. So on November 23rd Mom will go under the knife again. Dr. Moscali says the surgery should only take 30 minutes. Mom's only getting a local so she'll be awake for the surgery...

Mom is doing much better. Jill her therapist says that after her last session she has double the movement in her right wrist. I have also got her to walk to and from the back parking lot now.

Got a Photo of Mom in my truck getting ready to go to therapy last Thursday 10/6. She needs a step to get in the truck, but she gets out on her own. We had a visit to the family doctor Last Monday afternoon, 10/3 Mom has gained back a few pounds, she's got a ways to go but it's a start.

Mom has a schedule for Physical Therapy; October 3rd, 10:30 am, October 6th, 10:00 am, October 10th, 10:30 am, October 13th, 10:00 am, October 18th, 10:00 am, October 21st, 10:00 am. WE have also seen a big improvement in her since she's gotten back on the prednisone. She was up walking around the house with out a cane or walker.

Mom's appointment Sept. 22 at 3:50 PM for a check up on her wrist finally got seen at 4:45 pm Dr. Mascali wants Mom to get some physical therapy on her right wrist before doing the left. Sandy and I agree on that she needs to get the left stronger. I believe her big worry was not being able to get back on the prednisone she was taking before the first surgery, but Dr. Mascali said it was ok to take that. She's supposed to call Dr. Loving and get a scrip this morning and I'll pick it up for her.

Mom Saw the surgeon today 8/18 for a check up on her left wrist. The surgeon said everything looks good. Mom says she still has some numbness in her left hand, he says it will take several weeks for the full feeling to come back. Mom also wanted to get her right wrist done on August 22nd, but they say she should wait until after she gets her 6 week check up in Sept. to schedule her right wrist.

We had to get Mom new hearing aid batteries Sunday. She's been with out for a few days. Glo and I just found out, so we ran out and got her some. Now she can hear a little better

Mom goes for her first carpal tunnel surgery Monday morning. She is to be at the hospital at 0800 with a surgery at 10:00 am. Unfortunatly she scheduled this surgery with out me, and I have to work, But Sam will be taking care of her for us. Her recent Primary Care Physician the 18th she had lost another 3 lbs. Says she has nothing to eat, but we keep offering her dinners and she keeps turning them down because she doesn't like em.. More to follow...

Mom had her appointment with Dr. Mascally. They have set a date for her first Carpal tunnel surgery. July 25th, will get the right hand done. Then hopefully 2 weeks later she'll have the other hand done

Dr. Robbins said the numbness in her hands is from slight carpal tunnel syndrome. He doesn't want to do anything with it. As far as her neck goes, he said surgery comes with a high "so high it's scary" risk of paralasyis. He wants to do another MRI focusing on C1-3 of her spine to get a better look at it. I ask if there was anything else he could do and replied, "give her medicine for the pain". Mom told him the name of the drugs she was taking and he does not want to give her any stronger narcotics due to addiction. He mention he would like to keep an eye on this for a couple of years. I told mom that if they can't do anything then think about whether you want this MRI. She said it is very painful. They will be calling your number to schedule the MRI, so I told her to discuss it with you.

6/6/05 - Mom had a visit to Dr. Loving this morning. She came with an OKi DoKi today. She has lost a large amount of weight in the last few months and that concerns Dr. Loving some.

Mom's doing much better since her visit to Dr. Loving. The injections and medications she was put on seem to be helping real well. She's getting up and moving around with no problems. She has complained about any pain,, and actually said she crossed her legs the first time in months.

Mom had a routine check up today... Dr. Loving is concerned about Mom's weight loss. She has lost 15 pounds in 3 months...I believe she just not eating, because of having to get up and down with the pain. She also started her on some new medications to help with the pain. Dr. Loving wants her to have a mammogram and chest x-ray, I'll have to schedule those for the first of next week.

Mom got her appointment today for the EMG test…. It’s May 26^th, at 11:00 am. Then she’ll see the neurosurgeon on June 10^th, @ 9:15 am for an x-ray and consultation.

5/10 - Here’s what’s going on….Mom has a build up of the osteoporosis and arthritis around her top vertebrae (C-1). This build up is causing the vertebrae to push inward on her spine. Dr. Robbins the neurosurgeon does want to do surgery if he can keep from it... Yesterday (5/9) I talked with the Dr’s. Nurse (3 times) about getting something done. Dr. Robbins has note in the file where he needs another test. This is the test where they use needles to check the nerves and see exactly where her numbness is coming from. Once this test is done we'll meet with Dr. Robbins again to discuss to results and see which way to go....

Mom's told me yesterday she wants me to get hold of the neurosurgeon and get the problem with her neck fixed.... Last time we were there, he really didn't want to do surgery... But, I'll find out

4/6/05 Gloria tells me she caught Mom out walking down the street over the weekend. This is really good she needs to do more of it... Tell her about it... Mom has another doctors appointment scheduled for next week. This one is only to do blood work... That want to keep a check up on her Iron levels...

3/25 - Well Mom and I just got home from the Neurosurgeon again. Today, was a lot better, I think if I have to make additional appointments they will be in the afternoon's we arrive at 2:30 pm for her 2:45 pm appointment, called back to the room at 2:40 and saw the doctor at 2:50 out the door at 3:00 pm. Well the scoop is the top vertebra C1 appears to have a large calcium build up on it which is causing the bone to press inward on her spine at the base of the brain. Dr. Robbins does not want any type of surgery, but he did want to do another test to check the electrical impulses to her arms to see why they were numb. Well on our way home I ask Mom how often her arms were going numb because this was the first time I had heard of that, she said they don't go numb they just hurt....Guess when the lady calls to schedule that I just SAY sorry not now.....

3/23 - Mom has another doctors appointment this Friday a 2:45 pm Hopefully the doctor can tell us something this time............

Mom has another MRI scheduled for this morning..3/16...I just hope We don't have to wait 2 hours again..... more to come.

Well Mom Had her Doctors appointment today 3/11..... We arrived at the usual time 10:00 am for a 10:15 appointment. Sat in the waiting room for 1 whole hour..... A lass, the nurse arrived and called Mom's name.....Quick check of her weight, blood pressure check, and another whole hour of waiting in the exam room.....Once the Doctor finally arrived in the room, he really couldn't tell us much.... He did indicate that Mom's arthritis has caused the top vertebra (C1) push inward on her spine....But he's not really clear so we have to return on March 16th for yet another MRI..... only to have to go back one more time on March 25th for the results......

The cold weather is getting to her, she's been very stiff, having a hard time getting up and walking...She really need to move around more......

3/2/05 Mom had a visit to a neurosurgeon yesterday, in hopes to find out why her neck keeps popping when she turns her head..... 1:00 pm appointment....we arrived at 12:45 pm.... She got to go back at 1:30 pm....Then they wanted an MRI and X-rays... We finally started home at 3:00 pm......and it was a 30 minute drive.... March 11th, at 10:15 am she find out the results hopefully.............

January 31st, 2005 stopped by and picked up her bills this morning.... she's been using her walker for the last week, but today she was off of it... I asked how she was feeling. She says she has some pain in her left thigh...but while using the walker it goes away....She still stiff in her arms....but "Aleve" has been helping with that.....

January 24th, Stopped by this morning. Mom says she's sore and stiff in her arms and shoulders. Most likely from not having the arthritis medicine. The cost for this medication is just out of reach right now. And to top things off we had to have a plumber out over the weekend to unclog a drain......It just never ends.

1/10/05 - Mom's doing good, she's become a little stiff, her arthritis medication is no longer available and a new drug will cost some $120.00. We just don't have that right now. Gloria's got her taking Aleve to help with the swelling. seems to be helping right now.

Mom made it to her doctors appointment, She actually road in Jessie's new truck. I had to get her a step stool but she got in OK.

The doctor gave mom her release, she does not need the walker any more. So I took a couple of shots of her walking around the house. She still has a cane to use for when she goes outside for walks. She asked about going back to work but the doctor does not want her doing that for a couple more months. Till then she's can work on getting stronger I hope. You all know how she can be at times.....

The Home Health Care nurse visited Mom yesterday, She said Mom is doing so good that no more visits would be necessary. So I guess we've done a good job of getting her up and around.

She was released about 3:30, She a little slow at moving but she walked in the house on her own, with the held of a walker though. She's doing real good.

I talked with Mom yesterday afternoon, she is doing real good. She says that
there has been no pain since the surgery. She was in real good spirits.
They have had her up and moving around the room. I made arrangements with
the Social Services Lady so that she could come home instead of a nursing
home.

I talked with her family doctor Wednesday night and she felt the
osteoporosis was definitely the problem, she states she's been after mom to
start taking shots for it, but you all know how bull headed Mom can be. Mom
did get a cortisone shot in that hip on Tuesday. I don't know if that
contributed to the problem or not.

I'll keep the info coming. And since I have my own web page now I setup a
page just for her with all this info and I did sneak a picture of her in the
hospital bed Thursday afternoon.

www.michaelegibson.net/mom.htm

Yesterday afternoon, Mom was getting out of her chair and broke her left femur. We don't know the severity of the break, we're waiting on a new Orthopedics' surgeon, since her old one no longer accepts United Health Care. The ER doc said she would have to have surgery today. I left the hospital at 8:30 pm last night, Sandy was going to stay with her until she got a room. She's at Good Samaritan Hospital Room 1717.

I will try and keep you informed as time goes by.

Mom made it through the surgery OK, They took her in at 3:45 pm and she was done at 6:15 pm, but didn't come out of recovery until 8:00 pm. The surgeon said she broke the ball off of her femur and they had to replace it with a new prosthesis. He said everything went well, she start getting therapy today. She won't be released until at least Sunday

Mom has been placed on hold for her HUMIRA untill released by the foot doctor that took care of her at the hospital

We had to put Mom back in the Hospital Saturday. The home helath Nurse Heather found Mom still in bed at 8:30 am, she was running a fever of 103.5 and was unable to sit up in bed. We called a medic and had her taken back to Good Samaritan hospital. They diagnosed her with pnuemonia.

Mom is back home where she belongs. She is getting a nurse twice a day now until the plave on her foot heals. The doctors ruled out Osteomyelitis, which is a bone infection. The Doctors believe Mom may have smacked her foot against something in the house since there was no power on Friday night.