Special thoughts needed for my mom
 

Tonight I got a phone call from my mom's coworker. She said "How is your mom doing?" I said "Fine..." and she said "Is she in Saskatoon?" I said "Uh.. no..." and she said "Well I didn't work today but I was in town and heard that she had gotten sick" and I was like "Oh I haven't heard anything" but of course that freaked me out. I called my parents' house, no answer. I called my brother, no answer. My grandma called me saying to call her immediately. I called my grandma and she said she heard something but didn't know what was going on. I was in tears by now. My brother called back and I found our hometown hospital number and he called... they told him they couldn't give him any information except she was admitted earlier today but was referred to the university hospital here in the city!
All I could say was "oh my god oh my god" and the worst thoughts raced through my head. I tried to choke out to my roommate what happened, and that I had to get to my grandma's house immediately, and she drove me because there was no way she was letting me drive in that state. By the time I had gotten there, my brother had called the hospital here and they told him they couldn't give him any information over the phone and he could not visit. I broke down, my grandma was crying, and my brother hugged me for the first time since we were little kids, and he kept telling me it would be okay. I couldn't stop shaking.
We drove to the hospital and got to the emergency room and my brother asked if my mom was there and what was wrong and could we see her? They said only two at a time so my brother and I went in, and my parents were surprised to see us. I was so angry for them not calling, and so shocked and upset over seeing my mom in a hospital bed. My dad said he was going to call after the last rounds for the night. I didn't want to find out from a random person from our hometown. It was so hard to see my big brother crying and grasping her hand. She was telling us both she's fine and not to worry, not to cry.
She said she woke up this morning and the alarm clock was blurry, she was seeing double. She got up and almost fell over. She was so dizzy she had to hold onto the walls. When my dad got home (he walks the dog before my mom gets up) he took her to the hospital. They did blood tests and ecg, and everything was fine. So they sent her here to the city and my dad drove her in (thankfully it wasn't serious enough for an ambulance which would have stressed her out more). They did another ecg, more blood, and a ct scan. Everything was fine. They had a lot of doctors looking at her and they have no idea what's wrong yet. She's getting an MRI hopefully tomorrow. They are thinking possibly something with her eye muscles because she can't focus, one eye seems to be going off to the side sometimes. It also won't open as wide. If she covers one eye she's not so dizzy.
The good thing is that they've ruled out a tumor which would have shown up on the ct scan. She does not go to doctors. She hasn't seen a doctor since just after I was born. She is 57 years old. I don't want anything to be wrong with her. I hope it's fixable. I hope she's going to be okay.
I have never cried so hard in my life. My family isn't very touchy-feely, and I can't remember ever hugging my mom in my life. I gave her such a big hug tonight. I think I will be doing that more often.
I have such a bad headache from crying. I need to try to get some sleep so I can be at the hospital early tomorrow to spend the day with her. I feel sick thinking about her at the hospital all alone right now.

Oh, Lindsey, so sorry that you and your family are going through this. So hope they find the problem very soon and that it's easily treatable. You and your family are in my prayers.

Oh Lindsay! I'm so sorry you are going through this, it is so scary!!! It is so good that they are running all these tests. If something is wrong, with her symptoms, they will find out what it is. The MRI should give them good information about anything that is wrong. It sounds, in a way, like vertigo - but the eye deviation is a bit different from plain old vertigo. Anyway, it sounds like she is getting great care and that they are working very hard to find out what is wrong. That is very good, please keep us posted!

Lindsey, of course you were worried and upset. I would not want to hear my Mom was in the hospital or sick from some one other than a close friend or family. A few years ago, I got a call from my mother...she had just got up and felt a pop and then her vision went blurry. I rushed from work to take her to my eye Dr. and she had had a stroke in her eye. She can still see out of it, but not quite as well as before.

Hope they can find out what is wrong and get her on the road to recovery.

Thanks so much for your thoughts. I had a very fitful sleep but now I'm trying to be strong for my mom today. My eyes are so puffy I can hardly keep them open so I'm holding a cold cloth over them. Today I want to be strong for her.
Last night I stayed at my grandma's with my dad for a long time. We were talking about it, and my dad's dad apparently had an optic nerve problem where he was seeing double for a couple of weeks, but it ended up correcting itself on its own. My grandma also suggested that she may have had a mini-stroke in her sleep. She had no pain, not even a headache all day.
Anyways, I'm going to go shower and get ready for the day. Visiting hours start in an hour. My mom always loves how I dress and do my hair so I'm not going to let her down by looking slobby!

I am so sorry to hear about your Mom....Sending prayers:hands: and healing thoughts your way...and a quick recovery for your Mom..


BIG :hug: for you!

Oh Lindsey! Of course you got scared! At least you are there with her and your family. I am sending you prayers and hugs, and will be waiting for updates.

Lindsey, I'm so sorry to hear about your Mom. How awful that you had to hear this from someone other than your family. Your Dad was probably busy keeping up with your Mom and what was going on with her that he didn't have time to call you or he wanted to know more about what was going on so he could tell you. It sounds like she's in good hands at the hospital and that they're running some good tests to find out what her problem is. This may be a wake up call for you to start showing more affection to each other in your family. I'll be praying for your Mom.

The doctor said it was a very small stroke. She had her MRI this afternoon and everything looks okay. There is no damage really done, and she should get back to almost normal, if not completely normal. She was doing 95% better today! She wasn't pale, she could stand and walk on her own, and her double vision almost completely cleared up. Her eyes yesterday were very jerky and today she can move them smoothly from side to side. She still has trouble looking to the right, and the doctor said that will probably continue. She is very very lucky, and I am very very lucky to still have my mom around. Tonight we had more hugs and our first ever "I love you"s
They are keeping her for the weekend so they can run more tests on Monday. She has high blood pressure, high cholesterol (for a person who has had a stroke), and the doctor wants her to make some lifestyle changes. They are going to try to figure out what caused the stroke. She is now taking three pills a day: aspirin, a blood pressure medication, and a cholesterol medication. The good news... she has been smoking since she was 14 years old, and she usually smokes 10-12 cigarettes a day. She has gone 2 full days now not even CRAVING one. And I really hope this is enough of a scare to make her really want to quit.

Lindsay! I'm so happy it wasn't something more serious! A stroke is never good, but it sounds as if everything is going to be OK - as long as she takes her medications as prescribed. I know she must not be too happy about that since she hasn't been to a doctor in many years, she probably doesn't like the idea of taking medications. It is likely the high blood pressure along with maybe plaque in her carotid artery that caused the stroke. Have they done a doppler or some kind of study on the arteries in her neck? If not, they probably will.

My husband had symptoms of stroke in February - thankfully the symptoms all went away, and I hope that happens for your mom. It is very very scary, I understand that. What is important now, is that she follow the doctor's orders. And quitting smoking would be great for her. It causes your blood pressure to go up, so stopping is very important!

Get some rest, and relax. I think your mom is going to be fine!

I know they are planning on running more tests on Monday to figure out what caused it exactly. So that will probably be one of them.
Aspirin is a blood thinner, isn't it? That's one of the pills she is taking daily.

It so good to read that your mother is doing better. I pray she continues to improve.

Yes, aspirin is a blood thinner and it is good for older people to be taking aspirin everyday. Because my husand has plaque buiildup in his carotid artery and a clot formation there, traveling to his brain, is likely what caused the stroke symptoms, then he has to take coumadin which is a more powerful blood thinner.

Until they have a better idea of what caused the stroke, aspirin is fine. You might ask if they plan to do a carotid doppler study.

Lindsey,

I am so happy that your Mom is doing so much better! It is good that she finally had no choice but to go to a doctor. Now, whatever is going on, she will know what to do. She must be pretty strong to have had only a mild stroke after many years of smoking. I hope she can stop.

Hugs,

Judy

Well, my mom made it through the weekend okay. We got her a day pass on Saturday to go to my grandma's house to eat... they were ordering pizza and my mom had been craving pizza :) She said right after eating she really craved a cigarette, but that passed quickly. I think it was just being back to "normal" for those few hours.. she always smokes after eating. Back in the hospital it's not her normal life so the feeling isn't even there. It is now day 5 of her not even wanting a smoke, so I think she's well on her way to quitting completely. My dad bought her a Nicoderm patch yesterday, in case she gets the craving when she's back at home. She has never tried quitting before but I think this gave her enough of a scare to really try.
Yesterday her eyesight was back to normal, and she had more energy and was walking at a normal pace. She wanted more pj's and a housecoat that wasn't so warm so I was her personal shopper :) I got her two really cute pajama outfits and a nice black satin housecoat. My grandma made some wings last night, so we took a few for my mom and she wolfed them down! She's not a big fan of hospital food!
Today they are doing an ultrasound of her neck, an echocardiogram, and putting on a holtor monitor. She has to stay in the hospital for 24 hours with the monitor so she will not get out for sure before tomorrow, and most likely not until Wednesday.
I'm at work this morning but I will be leaving around noon to spend the afternoon with her in the hospital. Thanks everyone for thinking of her!

Oh, Lindsey, I'm so glad to hear about your Mom and that things weren't too bad. It's certainly going to mean a big change in her lifestyle, but it will be worth it! {{{{{Hugs}}}}}

Lindsay, they are doing all the right tests. That is GREAT! The interesting thing is that in the States, she would likely be sent home and have to go back and forth to get all those tests done. We just don't keep people who are not sick in the hospital for those tests anymore - we used to - but not much anymore. I'm glad though, that they are keeping her right there!

Has someone talked to her about nutrition? Pizza - and i LOVE pizza (I also have high blood pressure) is very high in salt. Eating too much salt, causes fluid retention (in everyone) and for persons with high blood pressure, that increased fluid will raise the blood pressure. It's not that pizza once in a while will hurt because it won't, but pizza everyday or other salty foods everyday, would be problematic. My point is that I hope someone talks with her about food that can help with blood pressure. Also, the nicotine patch can also raise blood pressure. Your mom needs to have an electronic blood pressure monitoring machine at home so that she can keep track of her blood pressure and note if anything like the patch or eating too much pizza (or other salty foods) raises her pressure. You can get these at a pharmacy and they are not very expensive - maybe $40.00.

Tell your mom we are all so happy that she is doing well!

Nobody has talked to her about nutrition YET. Her hospital meals all say "Low Sodium" but nobody has actually told her what she should and shouldn't be eating. I'm sure that will come before she's gone though. Yesterday she was craving chips so I bought her some lightly salted chips with 65% less sodium than regular chips.
She got the holtor monitor on yesterday morning. It should come off around 9:30 or 10 this morning. Then they are going to try to get her echocardiogram done today. Yesterday afternoon the doctor said she will have to stay at least 2 more days. They want to know her results before letting her go. If everything is normal, she may be out by tomorrow night! If not, they will keep her for more tests. I think more than anything she's sick of the other old ladies in her room! One will start singing in the middle of the night, and the others will join in. They also never flush the toilet :eek: My mom said everytime she goes in there she has to flush before she can use it! Yesterday a nurse came in to talk to the old lady across from my mom, and she asked when her last bowel movement was. The old lady was like "Oh about 8 days ago" and my mom said "Yeah right!" LOL

Oh yeah, when we bought the patch we asked the pharmacist and he said it should be okay but to ask the doctor too. My mom asked the doctor about it and she also said it would be okay! But she might not even need it. It's already day 6 and she still only had that one little craving. We'll see how strong she can be when she gets home! My grandma and my dad (who both successfully quit smoking) said that if she can get through the first week, the hardest part is already over.

Sounds like everything is right on target! If your mom is craving chips, then she must be my soul mate! LOL! I LOVE salty things, and I eat them. I probably could take less blood pressure medication, if I reduced my salt intake. But for me, it is a quality of life issue - I take my BP medication and eat my salt! :)

Of course, if someone told me I would die if I kept eating salt, I would quit - but so far, so good!

Your Mom is doing so wonderfully with the not smoking!!! That is very good news.

I agree with Gayle. She is getting wonderful medical care in the hospital. Here, they boot you out as soon as they can, and then you are on your own. Too bad about her roommates though.

I hope the tests give good results.

She was released today not long after I got there :) A doctor said her tests were normal, but she should come back in 3 months for another checkup. They gave her a prescription and my dad went and got a one-month supply this afternoon... for $150! Good thing she's quitting smoking!

Is the prescription for a smoking cessation medication? She has her blood pressure medicine and cholesterol medication doesn't she? Are those medications free in Canada?

I'm so glad that she checked out well. I'm sure the high blood pressure must have been what caused the minor stroke. She is very lucky! Check in with her Lindsay, make sure she is taking her meds and checking her blood pressure on her own. I know they will check it when she goes back in 3 mnths - but I hope she checks it at home every day or at least a couple times a week

The prescription is for the cholesterol and blood pressure pills. They are not free here, but my dad's insurance plan gives 100% coverage for prescriptions up to $750 per year per person. My mom's insurance plan will hopefully cover the rest!
I was supposed to visit Scott's family this weekend but instead I am going to surprise my mom by showing up at home Friday night :)
Last night she didn't even mention having a smoke. We were at my grandma's house with my uncle who smokes like a chimney! During our card games, as soon as they were out they'd always go for a smoke together. My uncle just went out on his own last night. Let's hope she can keep this up without even needing the patch!

Lindsey, I'm so happy to know she's doing well and happy for you too. I'll keep her in my prayers that the urge to light up never happens for her again.

I'm so glad to hear that your mom is doing so well! And I know you will have a great time surprising her this weekend! She will be so happy!

Enjoy the weekend with your Mom!

She was so surprised to see me!!!! I brought her flowers for mother's day, and a breadmaker my brother bought her (he couldn't make it home). I also booked us an hour long relaxation massage at a day spa the next time she's in the city. She's never had a massage before in her life!
Anyways, she seems just like her old self again. Instead of smoking, she has a bowl of mints she sucks on, or some licorice. She used to always go outside to smoke and sit on the front porch right before bedtime. Now she still goes out there, but just has a pepsi. She said she still needs to go outside because it relaxes her before bed. I guess it's still her routine, just a little changed. I asked her if quitting smoking is as hard as she thought it would be and she said "Oh no!" so I'm glad it's coming so easily to her. But like I've said before, I think the health scare was enough for her to never look back.
On a few occasions she said her hands and feet were really cold, and her hands would feel numb for awhile. It's probably bad circulation. She is going to try to get to a doctor this week if it happens again.

Lindsey, it sounds like your Mom is doing really well!! I'm glad to hear that she's doing so well with the not smoking! It sounds like she had a really good Mother's Day!!!

I'm so glad she is doing well. It sounds like you had a great visit with her! Yes, I would definitely see a doctor is the hands/feet thing continues.

How is your Mom Lindsey? Did the numbness go away?

You are a wonderful daughter!

Thanks Judy! I'm not sure if she's still feeling numb or not. I know she doesn't feel comfortable driving, because last night I asked her if she can pick up a key for the church for my friend's bridal shower this weekend. She said she's not going anywhere because she hasn't went anywhere yet.

Lindsey I just read this post and am so happy to hear that you mom is feeling much better. You are a wonderful daughter, and your love for your mom shows.. I hope that her numbness went away and she is ready to go out and resume her activities.

Thanks so much Gina! It was really a wake up call to not take anything for granted anymore. I'm so glad she got through it okay.
Last night I called her at around 9:30, and her speech seemed to be a little bit slurred. I didn't mention anything about it, but I wonder if that's from being tired... maybe after the stroke she needs to concentrate more on talking? She hasn't said anything about that though. I'm going back home again tonight so I'll have updates on Monday night (it's a long weekend in Canada) :)

Lindsey, so glad that your mom is doing so much better. This mini stroke may have been a blessing to get her on medication that will keep her healthy much longer than she would have been otherwise. And great to hear that she isn't smoking!!

You are such a good daughter!!! Give her lots of hugs!!!

So happy to read your mother is doing better. I know you'll feel better once you go home this weekend. Have a great time with your family.