Re: liver Cirrhosis

[Guest guest]

Hi Stefanie,

I'm sorry but I forgot to answer your question about my age! I don't

you asking at all. As I see it, there are two alternatives, get

older or die. I'm not thinkin it's my time to die, yet! I am 50,

will be 51 on Nov. 22. So, I've got a few years on you!!!

Love and hugs..........

Diane C. from TN

> >

> > Diane thank you so much for your support..............

>

[Guest guest]

Bob

Wow that is awful what the ER did to your father in law. I hate the

emergency room here. They do not help my mother what so ever. She has

had to go there 7 times in the past 5 months. One time my sister got

so upset because they would not help my mom. The ended up kicking my

sister out and will not let her go back there ever again. Well this

last time my mom went to the ER they gave her a shot of Haldol. The

hospice people need the information that the ER gave her that

medicine. Well, the ER didn't document ever giving her the medicine.

It is so ridiculous how the ER works. I feel the same way, I would

rather die than go to the ER.

Stefanie

> > >

> > > Diane

> > > Wow it has been a hard two weeks. My mom had Encephalopathy so so

> > bad......... .I left her in the ER to call my husband and when I came

> > back in the ER I found her walking around half naked and dragging her

> > torn up clothes bag around on her foot........ ..They would not admit

> > her to the hospital. Well I ended up calling the rehabilitation

> > center.....She was there for about 5 days. She is now back at home

> > and on hospice. The hospice people are so helpful, I love

> > them........ ..

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Stefanie, I'm glad your mom has hospice care now. My wife and I were able to get

our best friend Ardis into a good hospice in her last days. They made every

thing much much easier. They cared, and were far more compassionate than any

hospital. In fact the only stress we had was really over how much morphine they

were going to give her. At first I didn't want them to drug her up, because I

had withheld beer from her for over a month, and promised her a cold one once

the transplant social worker told us she was to sick to get a liver transplant,

and she had made a list of wishes, and I wanted to fulfill them for her. I did

manage in her last week to get her a number of things on her list including

several cold beers. And in the end, the sweet hospice nurses helped me to

understand the importance of morphine in preventing agonal breathing, and how

agonal breathing is suffering, so we prevented it. My prayers are with you and

your family. Love, Bobby

Re: liver Cirrhosis

Bob

Wow that is awful what the ER did to your father in law. I hate the

emergency room here. They do not help my mother what so ever. She has

had to go there 7 times in the past 5 months. One time my sister got

so upset because they would not help my mom. The ended up kicking my

sister out and will not let her go back there ever again. Well this

last time my mom went to the ER they gave her a shot of Haldol. The

hospice people need the information that the ER gave her that

medicine. Well, the ER didn't document ever giving her the medicine.

It is so ridiculous how the ER works. I feel the same way, I would

rather die than go to the ER.

Stefanie

> > >

> > > Diane

> > > Wow it has been a hard two weeks. My mom had Encephalopathy so so

> > bad......... .I left her in the ER to call my husband and when I came

> > back in the ER I found her walking around half naked and dragging her

> > torn up clothes bag around on her foot........ ..They would not admit

> > her to the hospital. Well I ended up calling the rehabilitation

> > center.....She was there for about 5 days. She is now back at home

> > and on hospice. The hospice people are so helpful, I love

> > them........ ..

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Diane

Your still young and have a lot of life to go. Hey how come you don't

have any pictures in the photo pages? I think I need to put some of me

and my family in there. Pamela has a cute little bunny on her page. My

daughter and I love animals. We have 2 cats, a bunny, a guinea pig, a

bird, and 2 lizards. We have a farm at our house. I hope some day my

daughter will be able to go to college and become a Vet like she wants

to. Well my mom is having a good day today. We are going up to Pine

Valley Mountains to have a picnic today. It will be fun. I hope you

have a great day.

Stefanie

> > >

> > > Diane thank you so much for your support..............

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hey Bobby what is agonal breathing? I have never heard of that before.

The hospice made us a kit for my mother for when she gets really ill

and it has morphine in it. I am very scared of her using morphine. I

also have a question for you. When Ardis became very confused what did

the Doctors prescribe for her to take to calm her down? My mother

can't take Ativan, Clonipin, or several other relaxants because they

give her the opposite effect when she is confused. She gets anxious,

angry and uncontrollable. If you have any suggestions please let me

know thanks.

Stefanie

> > > >

> > > > Diane

> > > > Wow it has been a hard two weeks. My mom had Encephalopathy so so

> > > bad......... .I left her in the ER to call my husband and when I

came

> > > back in the ER I found her walking around half naked and

dragging her

> > > torn up clothes bag around on her foot........ ..They would not

admit

> > > her to the hospital. Well I ended up calling the rehabilitation

> > > center.....She was there for about 5 days. She is now back at home

> > > and on hospice. The hospice people are so helpful, I love

> > > them........ ..

> > >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Well, the first night in the hospice, Ardis was very confused and agitated. The

nurse was adjusting her pain medication up and up, trying to dial in the right

dose, and it did not knock her out, but rather woke her up. Eventually it did

sooth her pain. As far as some way to calm her down, if those medications dont

work, talk to the hospice nurse, they should be able to try different things. I

was given librium in alcohol detox, it is very similar to valium. It's trade

name is chlorodiazapoxide. It felt like a twelvepack of beer. It made me very

sleepy, and stopped all of my anxiety. It is one of the drugs called " benzos " .

which is slang for benzodiazapines. I'm sure there is a drug that will help her

to calm down. Ardis was on lactulose for encephalopathy. I am now on lactulose

too. I cant live without it. The whole story is here in case you never had a

chance to read it,

http://robertwalkingeagle.googlepages.com/home

agonal breathing is where a dying person is short of breath, gasping sort of.

With Ardis, she would take a huge breath, and make a strange groan while letting

it out. The nurses told me that it was " agonal breathing " and we upped her

morphine dose. Here is a link you might find useful, and I am going to upload a

powerpoint on the subject of end of life care. I hope you can find this useful.

Just go to the " files " section to find it.

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1733591

Love, Bobby

Re: liver Cirrhosis

Hey Bobby what is agonal breathing? I have never heard of that before.

The hospice made us a kit for my mother for when she gets really ill

and it has morphine in it. I am very scared of her using morphine. I

also have a question for you. When Ardis became very confused what did

the Doctors prescribe for her to take to calm her down? My mother

can't take Ativan, Clonipin, or several other relaxants because they

give her the opposite effect when she is confused. She gets anxious,

angry and uncontrollable. If you have any suggestions please let me

know thanks.

Stefanie

> > > >

> > > > Diane

> > > > Wow it has been a hard two weeks. My mom had Encephalopathy so so

> > > bad......... .I left her in the ER to call my husband and when I

came

> > > back in the ER I found her walking around half naked and

dragging her

> > > torn up clothes bag around on her foot........ ..They would not

admit

> > > her to the hospital. Well I ended up calling the rehabilitation

> > > center.....She was there for about 5 days. She is now back at home

> > > and on hospice. The hospice people are so helpful, I love

> > > them........ ..

> > >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

As far as I know they have a little play round with benzodiazapines. What works

for one doesn't necessarily work for another. For alcohol withdrawal I have

always found Cerex to work very well. It is one of those drugs that you can't

tell your taking it but you'll darn sure know if you are not. Back in the old

days when I would go into the DTs they would give Phenobarbritol and usually one

of the Phenothiazines and I would wake up 2 days later with nothing but

horrifying memories. They didn't have designer drugs back then. Matter of fact,

theyt would wheel one in the big doors and the Dr. was standing right inside

with a siringe in his hand.

 

They have alot of choices with benzodiazapines. It is just a question of the Dr.

getting it right and prescribing the right thing.

Subject: Re: Re: liver Cirrhosis

To: livercirrhosissupport

Date: Saturday, August 16, 2008, 4:52 PM

Well, the first night in the hospice, Ardis was very confused and agitated. The

nurse was adjusting her pain medication up and up, trying to dial in the right

dose, and it did not knock her out, but rather woke her up. Eventually it did

sooth her pain. As far as some way to calm her down, if those medications dont

work, talk to the hospice nurse, they should be able to try different things. I

was given librium in alcohol detox, it is very similar to valium. It's trade

name is chlorodiazapoxide. It felt like a twelvepack of beer. It made me very

sleepy, and stopped all of my anxiety. It is one of the drugs called

" benzos " . which is slang for benzodiazapines. I'm sure there is a

drug that will help her to calm down. Ardis was on lactulose for encephalopathy.

I am now on lactulose too. I cant live without it. The whole story is here in

case you never had a chance to read it,

http://robertwalkingeagle.googlepages.com/home

agonal breathing is where a dying person is short of breath, gasping sort of.

With Ardis, she would take a huge breath, and make a strange groan while letting

it out. The nurses told me that it was " agonal breathing " and we upped

her morphine dose. Here is a link you might find useful, and I am going to

upload a powerpoint on the subject of end of life care. I hope you can find this

useful. Just go to the " files " section to find it.

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1733591

Love, Bobby

Re: liver Cirrhosis

Hey Bobby what is agonal breathing? I have never heard of that before.

The hospice made us a kit for my mother for when she gets really ill

and it has morphine in it. I am very scared of her using morphine. I

also have a question for you. When Ardis became very confused what did

the Doctors prescribe for her to take to calm her down? My mother

can't take Ativan, Clonipin, or several other relaxants because they

give her the opposite effect when she is confused. She gets anxious,

angry and uncontrollable. If you have any suggestions please let me

know thanks.

Stefanie

> > > >

> > > > Diane

> > > > Wow it has been a hard two weeks. My mom had Encephalopathy

so so

> > > bad......... .I left her in the ER to call my husband and when I

came

> > > back in the ER I found her walking around half naked and

dragging her

> > > torn up clothes bag around on her foot........ ..They would not

admit

> > > her to the hospital. Well I ended up calling the rehabilitation

> > > center.....She was there for about 5 days. She is now back at

home

> > > and on hospice. The hospice people are so helpful, I love

> > > them........ ..

> > >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

 

At our local ER nobody could ask for a more professional group of people. We

have a fast trac addition where minor injuries are screened/treated at another

area down the hall. People that need X-rays/MRI/CT scans/bloodwork or drips

seldom have to wait more than 20 minutes to be seen. Whether one is a

millionaire or a mil worker, everybody is treated with the same respect. They

treat the indigent the same as the indulged.

OTOH...I went to a small ER clinic years ago when I fell off a dump truck and

badly broke my wrist. It was a workers comp claim so I waited 2 hours in agony

for all the paperwork to get approved...and then waited another hour until I

could empty my badder for a urine screen before I was even offered something for

pain. Nope, those drive through ER-clinics are not worth a dime here in Fl.

CLE

Subject: Re: Re: liver Cirrhosis

To: livercirrhosissupport

Date: Saturday, August 16, 2008, 4:52 PM

Well, the first night in the hospice, Ardis was very confused and agitated. The

nurse was adjusting her pain medication up and up, trying to dial in the right

dose, and it did not knock her out, but rather woke her up. Eventually it did

sooth her pain. As far as some way to calm her down, if those medications dont

work, talk to the hospice nurse, they should be able to try different things. I

was given librium in alcohol detox, it is very similar to valium. It's trade

name is chlorodiazapoxide. It felt like a twelvepack of beer. It made me very

sleepy, and stopped all of my anxiety. It is one of the drugs called

" benzos " . which is slang for benzodiazapines. I'm sure there is a

drug that will help her to calm down. Ardis was on lactulose for encephalopathy.

I am now on lactulose too. I cant live without it. The whole story is here in

case you never had a chance to read it,

http://robertwalkingeagle.googlepages.com/home

agonal breathing is where a dying person is short of breath, gasping sort of.

With Ardis, she would take a huge breath, and make a strange groan while letting

it out. The nurses told me that it was " agonal breathing " and we upped

her morphine dose. Here is a link you might find useful, and I am going to

upload a powerpoint on the subject of end of life care. I hope you can find this

useful. Just go to the " files " section to find it.

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1733591

Love, Bobby

Re: liver Cirrhosis

Hey Bobby what is agonal breathing? I have never heard of that before.

The hospice made us a kit for my mother for when she gets really ill

and it has morphine in it. I am very scared of her using morphine. I

also have a question for you. When Ardis became very confused what did

the Doctors prescribe for her to take to calm her down? My mother

can't take Ativan, Clonipin, or several other relaxants because they

give her the opposite effect when she is confused. She gets anxious,

angry and uncontrollable. If you have any suggestions please let me

know thanks.

Stefanie

> > > >

> > > > Diane

> > > > Wow it has been a hard two weeks. My mom had Encephalopathy

so so

> > > bad......... .I left her in the ER to call my husband and when I

came

> > > back in the ER I found her walking around half naked and

dragging her

> > > torn up clothes bag around on her foot........ ..They would not

admit

> > > her to the hospital. Well I ended up calling the rehabilitation

> > > center.....She was there for about 5 days. She is now back at

home

> > > and on hospice. The hospice people are so helpful, I love

> > > them........ ..

> > >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Yes, there are other things. He is opiate naive, and probably more sensitive to

the drug. After being on opiates awhile, this can subside. Ardis was terribly

anxious when she first received roxynol, which is liquid morphine, but the

anxiety went away within a few hours, and she settled down, and in another 24

hours, gently passed away. She was in tremendous pain, when we first got her by

ambulance to the hospice. The opium poppy contains several alkaloids which drugs

are then made from, the list includes

morphine, thebaine, codeine, papaverine, and noscapine . So, they could give him

oxymorphone, hydromorphone, oxycodone, all three are from thebaine, or they

could give him hydrocodone, methadone, etc. The hospice nurse will help you with

finding a good medicine. You should watch the power point I uploaded yesterday.

It addresses the two possible roads and you definitely want to avoid the

difficult one. Remember, opioids are found naturally in the body, these drugs

just increase levels of them. The result is pain relief, and in some, calmness

and sleep. Love, Bobby

Re: liver Cirrhosis

My husband cannot take Morphine; it causes him to hallucinate and

become extremely aggitated. Is there something else they could give

him once he reaches the stage to need that?

Diane C. from TN

>

> Hi Everyone, my wife was/is a Hospice Nurse who is also stage 4 ALF.

> A lot of people think that morphine will make them addicts and all

the other things that people see on TV shows....... .....

[Guest guest]

Yes Diane, I believe so, I remember the hospice nurse asking if we wanted

morphine or something else and we opted for the morphine because mom wasn't

eating or drinking and we wanted a really small consentrated dose. I can't

remember what the other one was..maybe one of the oxy's. I think you can call

Hospice and they might be able to discuss this with you prior to your being in

the midst of that need. It might be helpful to have that knowledge before hand.

Hospice is great.

Blessings,

Pamela

Re: liver Cirrhosis

My husband cannot take Morphine; it causes him to hallucinate and

become extremely aggitated. Is there something else they could give

him once he reaches the stage to need that?

Diane C. from TN

>

> Hi Everyone, my wife was/is a Hospice Nurse who is also stage 4 ALF.

> A lot of people think that morphine will make them addicts and all

the other things that people see on TV shows............

[Guest guest]

Thanks Bobby, the information is so helpful. I don't know how you do

it! You're always there and you always have answers, even in the

midst of your own illness and that of your wife. I pray both of you

are feeling much better very soon. God bless!

Diane C. from TN

> >

> > Hi Everyone, my wife was/is a Hospice Nurse who is also stage 4

ALF.

> > A lot of people think that morphine will make them addicts and

all

> the other things that people see on TV shows....... .....

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks Pamela. I appreciate your help.

Hugs....

Diane C. from TN

> >

> > Hi Everyone, my wife was/is a Hospice Nurse who is also stage 4

ALF.

> > A lot of people think that morphine will make them addicts and

all

> the other things that people see on TV shows............

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Pamela

Our picnic in the mountains was fun. There was a thunderstorm up there

and it just rained and rained on us. It was nice to be in the

mountains and feel the cool air and the rain. In St. Utah,

where I live it gets up to 114 in the summer, very hot. Well I am

nervous about morphine and every drug with my mother because she seems

to have bad reactions to most everything. Her body has always been

sensitive to chemicals and medications and now with her liver not

working right it is so much worse. She is getting confused again, so

hospice took a urine test yesterday and her red blood cell count is up

and there is still bacteria. She has had this UTI for about 4 weeks

now. I do not understand why antibiotics are not helping it clear up.

She started a different antibiotic today. I just don't understand why

she gets so confused. She has 4 doses of lactulose every day. Its like

her personality changes every day. Right now she is frustrated and

rambling on about things and most of the time we don't understand what

she is talking about. I'm sorry that I am rambling on, I just feel so

helpless. I want her better and I know it is not going to happen. It

is hard to accept.

Thanks for listening

Stefanie

> > > > >

> > > > > Diane

> > > > > Wow it has been a hard two weeks. My mom had

Encephalopathy so so

> > > > bad......... .I left her in the ER to call my husband and when I

> came

> > > > back in the ER I found her walking around half naked and

> dragging her

> > > > torn up clothes bag around on her foot........ ..They would not

> admit

> > > > her to the hospital. Well I ended up calling the rehabilitation

> > > > center.....She was there for about 5 days. She is now back

at home

> > > > and on hospice. The hospice people are so helpful, I love

> > > > them........ ..

> > > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

[Guest guest]

Stefanie, what you describe is exactly what my experience with Ardis was.

However as to your problem of needing to go out, Ardis was in a skilled nursing

facility just down the street from my house so I could pop in all the time over

there, so I don't know how you solve this problem. She did and said the

strangest things. One night, I went in to her room right during dinner, and they

said that she didn't want to go down to the cafeteria, so they had fed her in

the room. I was praising her because she had apparently eaten all of her dinner.

I looked in her drawer to get her brush so I could brush her hair, and a soup

bowl was full of her dinner. I don't know why she was hiding it, but I sneaked

it out and still have that bowl. A lot of the time she thought she was in

Hawaii, and was constantly trying to get to another island to see what what was

there.

Re: liver Cirrhosis

Diane

I was wondering if you have hospice care for your husband, I don't

remember if you told me you did or not. Well I was wondering if they

ever take care of your husband while you go out and do errands? I need

to go out today, I guess I could call our hospice and see what they

can do. My mom is still confused today. She keeps rummaging through

things in her room and bringing it all upstairs. A while ago she was

sitting at the table trying real hard to curl her hair. After she

curled her hair she went down stairs and came back up to take a

shower. Some of the things she does we can't help but laugh about.

Last night she wanted to say the family prayer. She started talking

about our cat and talking to the cat in the prayer, we couldn't help

but laugh out loud and she thought we were all sneezing. Oh life is so

interesting right now. It seems like were in a dream. Last night I sat

in our computer room and read some jokes on the internet. I laughed so

hard, I needed a stress reliever.

My sister bought some cranberry pills for my mother today. Hopefully

it helps clear up the UTI. I think the UTI is what contributes to most

of her confusion right now.I hope she feels better soon because we are

planning a trip to Wyoming in a couple of weeks and we wanted her to

go with us. Have you ever been to Wyoming? It is so beautiful there.

I know what you mean about going along with life and something

sneeking up on you and pulling you down. I hate having to lose my mom

through death, It is very painful. My father died in 2003 at the age

of 53. He was an alcoholic and had diabetes. He had a sore on his foot

and refused to go to the doctors. Well it got so infected that it

killed him. He lived in California and we lived in Utah so we didn't

even know about it until he died. My parents were divorced when I was

nine. I saw my father only twice after that. My mom raised three girls

all by herself. She was a supermom to us. She worked three jobs just

to support us all. My mom is an amazing woman. I know this is my

chance to give back to her.

Stefanie

> >

> > Diane

> > Our day in the mountains yesterday was refreshing. It stormed and

> > rained on us while we were there. I have always loved the rain. My

> mom

> > is now back to being confused.... .........

>

[Guest guest]

Bob

My mom has done so many weird things since her liver started getting

bad. She also hides things. Once she hid her used depends in the

closet, we never found them until we cleaned out her room when she

went to the hospital. For some reason she likes to find the baby or

feminine powder and put it everywhere. It gets very messy at our house

when she starts to rummage through things. Today hospice came and gave

her a shot of Geodone to calm her down. She slept for about an hour

and started getting cramps in her legs and toes. She gets charlie

horse all the time. She can't seem to go back to sleep, she says her

mind is just racing. When she tries to talk she slurs her speech and

can't get her words out. Did Ardis get UTI's all the time? If she did,

did she get really confused?

Stefanie

> > >

> > > Diane

> > > Our day in the mountains yesterday was refreshing. It stormed and

> > > rained on us while we were there. I have always loved the rain. My

> > mom

> > > is now back to being confused.... .........

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Is she taking Potassium and Lasix? This may just be me but if I don't balance

the Potassium with the Lasix I'll go to curling up. My hoofs curled up on me one

night  like that witch's feet on the Wizard of Oz when the house fell on her. I

am not kidding, those cramps hurt. You can mash and stretch all you want but a

soon as you turn loose they'll roll right back up. It's almost like one of those

birthday party blower things that honk and unroll when you blow in them then

curl right back up.

 

I can sympathize with her.

 

Mention it to her Dr. Those cramps hurt and you can't sleep through them.

 

I wish her and you my best.

Subject: Re: liver Cirrhosis

To: livercirrhosissupport

Date: Monday, August 18, 2008, 8:29 PM

Bob

My mom has done so many weird things since her liver started getting

bad. She also hides things. Once she hid her used depends in the

closet, we never found them until we cleaned out her room when she

went to the hospital. For some reason she likes to find the baby or

feminine powder and put it everywhere. It gets very messy at our house

when she starts to rummage through things. Today hospice came and gave

her a shot of Geodone to calm her down. She slept for about an hour

and started getting cramps in her legs and toes. She gets charlie

horse all the time. She can't seem to go back to sleep, she says her

mind is just racing. When she tries to talk she slurs her speech and

can't get her words out. Did Ardis get UTI's all the time? If she did,

did she get really confused?

Stefanie

> > >

> > > Diane

> > > Our day in the mountains yesterday was refreshing. It stormed

and

> > > rained on us while we were there. I have always loved the rain.

My

> > mom

> > > is now back to being confused.... .........

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

The muscle Cramps could also be from the lack of kidney function as well. Insoon

had sever cramps after her kidneys started failing.

MaC

Chief Little Eagle wrote:

Is she taking Potassium and Lasix? This may just be me but if I don't balance

the Potassium with the Lasix I'll go to curling up. My hoofs curled up on me one

night like that witch's feet on the Wizard of Oz when the house fell on her. I

am not kidding, those cramps hurt. You can mash and stretch all you want but a

soon as you turn loose they'll roll right back up. It's almost like one of those

birthday party blower things that honk and unroll when you blow in them then

curl right back up.

I can sympathize with her.

Mention it to her Dr. Those cramps hurt and you can't sleep through them.

I wish her and you my best.

Subject: Re: liver Cirrhosis

To: livercirrhosissupport

Date: Monday, August 18, 2008, 8:29 PM

Bob

My mom has done so many weird things since her liver started getting

bad. She also hides things. Once she hid her used depends in the

closet, we never found them until we cleaned out her room when she

went to the hospital. For some reason she likes to find the baby or

feminine powder and put it everywhere. It gets very messy at our house

when she starts to rummage through things. Today hospice came and gave

her a shot of Geodone to calm her down. She slept for about an hour

and started getting cramps in her legs and toes. She gets charlie

horse all the time. She can't seem to go back to sleep, she says her

mind is just racing. When she tries to talk she slurs her speech and

can't get her words out. Did Ardis get UTI's all the time? If she did,

did she get really confused?

Stefanie

[Guest guest]

Stefanie, Ardis did get them. All the time, and when she did, she was a

completely different person. Reading your posts brings back a lot of memories.

Ardis started having encephalopathy a good two years before any of us involved

ever googled the term, or heard it from a health care professional. I was not

allowed into her apartment all of a sudden, because she said that she had not

been able to " clean house for a while " . When I finally talked her into letting

me come over and clean up, because by now she was way way too sick to do any

kind of deep cleaning, I was shocked. The task took me a week of coming over

every night after work, and staying till 10 or 11 at night. She had used the

oven for storage, and then accidentally started it up, and had a big giant

melted mess in there. Her back room never did get picked up, and I was kind of

thankful that she was not able to save much of that stiff, because I was pooped

and didn't have the energy to move all

of it, much less the space to store it. This was a clean freak woman, the

cleanest person I had ever met, and she had changed 100%. I did not know what to

think. I found onions that had become mummified. There was what looked like bags

upon bags upon bags of onions, but if you squeezed them, they had turned to

dust. This was in 05, before she came to live with us. Back then, I only ever

picked her up from the hospital when ever she would get discharged, but she

didn't tell me too much then, later I was her medical proxy, after she signed an

advanced directive giving me power of attorney, then I found out that UTI's

were playing a major role in her mental status changes. She died with a UTI as

far as I know. They had given her cipro, and I was always giving her cranberry

juice, and the story I wrote outlines in detail how I had always tried to keep

her as clean as possible, and as Penny mentions, front to back was the wiping

rule, when she was on the

potty, I was meticulous about that. I felt like it was a giant responsibility

to have, but I was glad to have the job. I did raise hell though, when I ever

found her poopy a couple of times in the nursing home, and lectured them on the

fact that we were fighting a chronic UTI, could they please try harder to make

sure my loved one was cleaned up good. I ended up filing a complaint with the

Colorado heath department, and got some people fired. I sure do miss her. I do

wish you the very best, Stefanie. Love, Bobby

Re: liver Cirrhosis

Bob

My mom has done so many weird things since her liver started getting

bad. She also hides things. Once she hid her used depends in the

closet, we never found them until we cleaned out her room when she

went to the hospital. For some reason she likes to find the baby or

feminine powder and put it everywhere. It gets very messy at our house

when she starts to rummage through things. Today hospice came and gave

her a shot of Geodone to calm her down. She slept for about an hour

and started getting cramps in her legs and toes. She gets charlie

horse all the time. She can't seem to go back to sleep, she says her

mind is just racing. When she tries to talk she slurs her speech and

can't get her words out. Did Ardis get UTI's all the time? If she did,

did she get really confused?

Stefanie

> > >

> > > Diane

> > > Our day in the mountains yesterday was refreshing. It stormed and

> > > rained on us while we were there. I have always loved the rain. My

> > mom

> > > is now back to being confused.... .........

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I have been trying to give my mom some banana every morning for

breakfast. What other foods are high in Potassium? My mother is on a

strict diet. Low sodium and no meat. She hates it. I try and get her

different variety of boca things and salt free items, but she some

times gets upset because she wants what we are eating. I agree, I hate

giving my mom more medication. I wish there was one pill that could

take care of all her problems.

Stefanie

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > > Diane

> > > > > > > Our day in the mountains yesterday was refreshing. It

> stormed

> > > > and

> > > > > > > rained on us while we were there. I have always loved

> the

> > rain.

> > > > My

> > > > > > mom

> > > > > > > is now back to being confused.... .........

> > > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > >

[Guest guest]

Diane

You are an amazing woman. I wish that we lived closer by each other so

we could actually meet and talk. It must be very hard on you to take

care of your husband all by yourself. I believe the Lord has given you

some inner strength. I also believe that he watches over you. You have

a lot of faith and courage.

Your friend Stefanie

> >

> > Diane

> > I was wondering if you have hospice care for your husband..........

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the info. I am realizing more and more how dangerous these

UTI's can be. I wish there was a quick remedy.

Stefanie

> > > > >

> > > > > Diane

> > > > > Our day in the mountains yesterday was refreshing. It

> stormed and

> > > > > rained on us while we were there. I have always loved the

> rain. My

> > > > mom

> > > > > is now back to being confused.... .........

> > > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

[Guest guest]

Stefanie,

 

I am so sad to hear about your loved one. I had a friend of mine years ago that

absolutely went crazy in the hospital after a UTI. One day she was secretary 

and a few days later after the infection she was in 4 point restraints in the

hospital. She tried to pick pears off a tree in her hosp. room....she got up and

stripped her hospital bed because she thought there was a washer and drier in

the hosp. room....kept telling us that kids were giggling at her through thge

air conditioning ducts...and would scream out for people that had been dead for

20 years.

 

Those UTIs can be very ugly.. The Dr.s reassured us that there was nothing wrong

with her mind. When the infection cleared up she was right back to normal and

never remembered a thing, thank goodness.

 

I saw something very similar happen to a family member that had a horrible

reaction to pennecillin. It didn't have to get that bad but he refused to go to

the hospital for 2 days until his kidneys failed. He is doing OK today.

 

Just figured I would throw that out for what it is worth.

 

You are in our prayers.

 

Best wishes.

 

CLE

>

> Stefanie, Ardis did get them. All the time, and when she did, she

was a completely different person. Reading your posts brings back a

lot of memories. Ardis started having encephalopathy a good two years

before any of us involved ever googled the term, or heard it from a

health care professional. I was not allowed into her apartment all of

a sudden, because she said that she had not been able to " clean house

for a while " . When I finally talked her into letting me come over and

clean up, because by now she was way way too sick to do any kind of

deep cleaning, I was shocked. The task took me a week of coming over

every night after work, and staying till 10 or 11 at night. She had

used the oven for storage, and then accidentally started it up, and

had a big giant melted mess in there. Her back room never did get

picked up, and I was kind of thankful that she was not able to save

much of that stiff, because I was pooped and didn't have the energy to

move all

> of it, much less the space to store it. This was a clean freak

woman, the cleanest person I had ever met, and she had changed 100%. I

did not know what to think. I found onions that had become mummified.

There was what looked like bags upon bags upon bags of onions, but if

you squeezed them, they had turned to dust. This was in 05, before

she came to live with us. Back then, I only ever picked her up from

the hospital when ever she would get discharged, but she didn't tell

me too much then, later I was her medical proxy, after she signed an

advanced directive giving me power of attorney, then I found out that

UTI's were playing a major role in her mental status changes. She died

with a UTI as far as I know. They had given her cipro, and I was

always giving her cranberry juice, and the story I wrote outlines in

detail how I had always tried to keep her as clean as possible, and as

Penny mentions, front to back was the wiping rule, when she was on the

> potty, I was meticulous about that. I felt like it was a giant

responsibility to have, but I was glad to have the job. I did raise

hell though, when I ever found her poopy a couple of times in the

nursing home, and lectured them on the fact that we were fighting a

chronic UTI, could they please try harder to make sure my loved one

was cleaned up good. I ended up filing a complaint with the Colorado

heath department, and got some people fired. I sure do miss her. I do

wish you the very best, Stefanie. Love, Bobby

>

>

>

> Re: liver Cirrhosis

>

>

> Bob

> My mom has done so many weird things since her liver started getting

> bad. She also hides things. Once she hid her used depends in the

> closet, we never found them until we cleaned out her room when she

> went to the hospital. For some reason she likes to find the baby or

> feminine powder and put it everywhere. It gets very messy at our house

> when she starts to rummage through things. Today hospice came and gave

> her a shot of Geodone to calm her down. She slept for about an hour

> and started getting cramps in her legs and toes. She gets charlie

> horse all the time. She can't seem to go back to sleep, she says her

> mind is just racing. When she tries to talk she slurs her speech and

> can't get her words out. Did Ardis get UTI's all the time? If she

did,

> did she get really confused?

> Stefanie

>

> > > >

> > > > Diane

> > > > Our day in the mountains yesterday was refreshing. It

stormed and

> > > > rained on us while we were there. I have always loved the

rain. My

> > > mom

> > > > is now back to being confused.... .........

> > >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Hi Stefanie,

Thanks so much for the kind words. It's not me that's strong, it's

the strength of the Lord you see. I couldn't do it without Him! I

also wish we were closer. BTW, you mentioned going to Wyoming. Yes,

we have been there a couple of times and we LOVED it there. We used

to talk all the time about moving out there after our parents had

gone to their rest. Who knows, maybe we'll still get to do that!!!

Take care dear. God bless!

Love and hugs.........

Diane

>

> Diane

> You are an amazing woman..........

[Guest guest]

Walking Eagle.....

 

I appreciate your advise and know how. With your help I was able to uplaod a pic

in the album. Thanks again.

 

CLE

>

> Stefanie, Ardis did get them. All the time, and when she did, she

was a completely different person. Reading your posts brings back a

lot of memories. Ardis started having encephalopathy a good two years

before any of us involved ever googled the term, or heard it from a

health care professional. I was not allowed into her apartment all of

a sudden, because she said that she had not been able to " clean house

for a while " . When I finally talked her into letting me come over and

clean up, because by now she was way way too sick to do any kind of

deep cleaning, I was shocked. The task took me a week of coming over

every night after work, and staying till 10 or 11 at night. She had

used the oven for storage, and then accidentally started it up, and

had a big giant melted mess in there. Her back room never did get

picked up, and I was kind of thankful that she was not able to save

much of that stiff, because I was pooped and didn't have the energy to

move all

> of it, much less the space to store it. This was a clean freak

woman, the cleanest person I had ever met, and she had changed 100%. I

did not know what to think. I found onions that had become mummified.

There was what looked like bags upon bags upon bags of onions, but if

you squeezed them, they had turned to dust. This was in 05, before

she came to live with us. Back then, I only ever picked her up from

the hospital when ever she would get discharged, but she didn't tell

me too much then, later I was her medical proxy, after she signed an

advanced directive giving me power of attorney, then I found out that

UTI's were playing a major role in her mental status changes. She died

with a UTI as far as I know. They had given her cipro, and I was

always giving her cranberry juice, and the story I wrote outlines in

detail how I had always tried to keep her as clean as possible, and as

Penny mentions, front to back was the wiping rule, when she was on the

> potty, I was meticulous about that. I felt like it was a giant

responsibility to have, but I was glad to have the job. I did raise

hell though, when I ever found her poopy a couple of times in the

nursing home, and lectured them on the fact that we were fighting a

chronic UTI, could they please try harder to make sure my loved one

was cleaned up good. I ended up filing a complaint with the Colorado

heath department, and got some people fired. I sure do miss her. I do

wish you the very best, Stefanie. Love, Bobby

>

>

>

> Re: liver Cirrhosis

>

>

> Bob

> My mom has done so many weird things since her liver started getting

> bad. She also hides things. Once she hid her used depends in the

> closet, we never found them until we cleaned out her room when she

> went to the hospital. For some reason she likes to find the baby or

> feminine powder and put it everywhere. It gets very messy at our house

> when she starts to rummage through things. Today hospice came and gave

> her a shot of Geodone to calm her down. She slept for about an hour

> and started getting cramps in her legs and toes. She gets charlie

> horse all the time. She can't seem to go back to sleep, she says her

> mind is just racing. When she tries to talk she slurs her speech and

> can't get her words out. Did Ardis get UTI's all the time? If she

did,

> did she get really confused?

> Stefanie

>

> > > >

> > > > Diane

> > > > Our day in the mountains yesterday was refreshing. It

stormed and

> > > > rained on us while we were there. I have always loved the

rain. My

> > > mom

> > > > is now back to being confused.... .........

> > >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Hi Stefanie,

Pomegranate juice is high in potassium also. Maybe a glass of that in the

afternoon?

MaC

stefanieputnam wrote: I

have been trying to give my mom some banana every morning for

breakfast. What other foods are high in Potassium? My mother is on a

strict diet. Low sodium and no meat. She hates it. I try and get her

different variety of boca things and salt free items, but she some

times gets upset because she wants what we are eating. I agree, I hate

giving my mom more medication. I wish there was one pill that could

take care of all her problems.

Stefanie

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > > Diane

> > > > > > > Our day in the mountains yesterday was refreshing. It

> stormed

> > > > and

> > > > > > > rained on us while we were there. I have always loved

> the

> > rain.

> > > > My

> > > > > > mom

> > > > > > > is now back to being confused.... .........

> > > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > >