Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Operation MOM a success
My Mom had her hip operation this morning at 9:30 am. She came out of recovery near 2:00 and I saw her back in her room at 2:30. She was in rare form, cheerful and full of detail of the operation she didn't think had happened. She remembers being taken up, but for some reason (Drugs???-confusion) she thought it was just a practice, so she kept taking the tape off that they were trying to put on her, with the IV and such. She "didn't want that sticky stuff on her". When they tried to take blood she asked why, stating its just a practice, then threatened to sue them for malpractice. She then says they brought her back to the room and she was convinced that they had not done the operation; so much so that when they brought her some food, she said she couldn't eat it because she wasn't supposed to before the operation. She went on and on in this vein, laughing all the while. She had me in tears laughing at her tales. Lyn and Rachel came by about 3:15 and she went through it all again and had us all in stitches. So safe to say she is OK, now, how will she feel when the drugs wear off, is another story.
Next step is rehab. It will be two stage rehab, with the first to get her walking, which may start as early as tomorrow. A few days of this then on to second stage rehab in a different area, where she will have to get herself up, dressed, groomed, get herself to a the dining room and once she is OK with all that, she goes home. All that could be a few days to a couple of weeks depending on her progress.
We are all relieved and she and I would like to thank everyone for their emails, cards, phone calls, thoughts, prayers and wishes, etc.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Mom (Grandma, Nana) Viv Broke her Hip
She broke it some time between 3 and 4 am, Sunday morning. She was turning with her walker to sit on the throne and her weak right leg gave out and she went down. She pushed her emergency button on her wrist and the Cridge centre staff were right there. An ambulance to her to Royal Jubilee. We were called at 5 am and went right there. She was coming out of Xray with the news that yes it was broken.
The orthopedic surgeon spoke to her and they have to put a pin in to repair it. So she is awaiting surgery which should happen some today (Monday) possibly Tuesday.
She was in amazingly good spirits, which got even better after a couple of shots of morphine, but when they switched to Dilaudid (an opiate replacement) she was knocked for a loop. It may have helped the pain but the side effects were disorientation, nausea, faintness, low blood pressure; they had to put her on oxygen. I suggested they go back to morphine, at least she was happy, painfree, and knew who we were.
We are hoping the surgery comes quick, to lessen the time that she has to worry about it. She will be in for a period of physio after the surgery and with work should be back to where she was.
She is in the Royal Jubilee, Room 336, 3 West level, 1952 Bay St. Victoria, BC V8R 1J8
Friday, June 19, 2009
Alaska Vancouver Visit & Dennis' Interrment
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Carolyn had a good Alaska cruise, though it could have been better. Just prior to leaving she had stomach problems, which had been coming and going for some time, but she entered a bad time and it persisted for much of the beginning of the trip, however, she managed to enjoy as much as she could. The other 7 girls made up for it and they all had a grand time.
Mom and I went to Vancouver on Sunday and met up with Carolyn which just so happened to be returning to Vancouver from her trip. We enjoyed a visit with Joe and Dorothy, Mom's nephew and his wife, we then went over to Catherines for dinner with her, Margot and Remy. It was yummy, but the centre of attention was Remy. What a darling, trying so hard to walk and managing a few steps on her own, but mostly by dragging someone around behind her.
Sunday we were at the Mountainview Cemetery, to lay Dennis' ashes to rest. Catherine did a fine job of arranging it all and gave a moving Eulogy, I said a few words and Lyn finished with the poem "High Flight". A few tears were shed, there was much hugging and sharing of memories. Remy again was the centre of attraction, there and at the White Spot were most of went for a late lunch.
After the lunch, Mom, Carolyn and I headed for the ferry to return home.
Carolyn has since seen the doctor and he has changed her meds, from those that were causing all the problems.
Pictures of the weekend can be seen HERE.
