Hi all, I wrote about my mom having the UTI/the fall/the fall at the SNF. Well, they have diagnosed her with Encephalopathy from the Sepsis she developed.
The doctor says she's going in the right direction as far as the antibiotic is concerned, but she is refusing food to a degree, not drinking as she should be - I'm not sure she understands what to do with the water she has on her table, they're adjusting this med, that med, the list goes on.
I'm going over the paperwork with my siblings this weekend, and the hospital is on notice that she may be placed directly from hospital to either AL or Memory Care that's attached to the SNF she was at. I know the fall was unforeseen but her care there was 5 star, and I do not fault them for this at all. Mom was determined in her confused state. Living on her own is no more, we know this.
I'm very sad about all this, but would like to hear from anyone with experience or knowledge if there is a "come back" from this, or are we looking at a foregone conclusion. I accept it either way.
If there's any silver lining, which I don't know how there could be, she's nice, friendly, laughs a lot, says weird thing then laughs about it because it's weird... This coming from a person who made life very challenging for me. She told me the other day, "I know I've worn you out." I wish she was of sound mind saying that.
No one, I think, can tell you she will be back to herself. If anyone has an educated guess it is her caregiver and her doctors and I would bet they haven't hazarded a guess.
I thank you for your update and hope you will continue to do that for us. We will think of your and wish you well and hope against hope for you.
About all she knew was her name earlier when I went out. As I mentioned the other day I took her cell phone away. She hasn't asked for it. Seeing and talking to us today made her agitated and excitable and her mood was labile as they call it. The nurse said she rests comfortably during their shifts. So, I'll visit every couple of days, and they'll be short.
Only she knows the road she's taking, she'll tell us one way or another, and that's fine. As for my challenging past with her - and it truly was, I let that go too. I can forget it now. She has.
I think that you may have experienced this when she said "I know I've worn you out"
Take that and embrace it for what it is. Rejoice in that moment, there are more moments to come that you will mourn what she has lost.
I do hope that she is encouraged by caregivers to drink. Just putting a glass or cup of water on a tray does no good if the person is not encouraged to drink. (maybe if they added some juice to the water to flavor it she might be more inclined to drink)
Maybe some of the disconnects have reconnected in other places.
The nurses are really doing well by her and they have been encouraging her to drink - she has a 1:1 supervision with eating now, so that's hopeful. I went to see her just now and she became really rattled and agitated - not on purpose but because she knew it was someone she was supposed to know. She got a little overstimulated with it all so I told her I'd be back later, and went home. She has no concept of time.
We called my sister on FaceTime and had to tell mom that she was our mother. She seemed surprised. It's like she knew what a Mom is, but couldn't connect what that made us. Other than, sad.