Just before the emergency room physician called me as I was driving I had been going over in my mind how this new fall of Mom's might impact me, my work, family, the recovery process etc. Kind of selfish, eh? I had just prayed and turned over all my concerns to the Lord and asked for His peace and strength when the physician called. A very timely prayer!
After speaking to the physician I tried calling some of my family members as I drove, using bluetooth. I wasn't having much luck but was able to leave voice messages for them. The first person to answer my call was my friend Robin, just as I was pulling into the hospital parking lot. I was a little emotional to hear a voice and have someone to talk to, she was very wonderful and supportive.
The emergency area is under renovation and the entrance was not where I was used to, it took a little to figure out where I needed to go. There were no patients waiting at the triage desk and I was able to speak to the clerk at the desk right away. It was rather confusing to be told by her that my Mom wasn't registered to their area. Just as I was going to turn away a nurse came up and told her that my mother was the 'unknown' patient that was in the trauma area. When a patient arrives and is unconscious and there is no one there to positiviely identify them they use an unknown patient package to expedite care; once the patient is positively identified their information in the computer system is updated.
I was taken back to the trauma area, the nurse had explained to me how I would find my mother - she was on a heart monitor, she was intubated and on a ventilator and she had a nasogastric tube and IV. I told them that I would be able to identify her for Patient Registration so they could update her in the system and then the emergency room doctor came in. He explained that neurosurgery and neurology had both assessed her and there was nothing they could do. He asked if I would like to see her CT scan. I was able to tell him that Mom and I had discussed life support after her first fall and it was not something that she wanted - in her words 'no heroic measures'.
I asked the physician if they would give me a little time to contact my family members as well as the elders of our church prior to removing her from life support. All the staff there were wonderful and very agreeable to this. No one gave me the impression that they were rushing me, even though the emergency department happened to be full. I managed to contact everyone and, just as I was finished doing this, I received a text from Robin telling me she was in the waiting room.
How wonderful to go out and see her and receive a big hug. We sat and talked for a few minutes, she had taken time out of her day to come over even though she was having a family dinner at her house that afternoon. What an incredible friend! I encouraged her to go back and enjoy her family and as we were walking along together I saw my brother at the desk and introduced him and Robin.
I took my brother back, explaining as I had been explained to previously how he would find Mom. Not too long afterwards my two cousins arrived with my aunt, followed by two of the elders from our church. Caleb, Leisha and Paisley were next to arrive as the elders were praying with Mom.
My brother Ken said his goodbyes to Mom and left as he did not want to be there when they extubated her. I informed the physician that we were ready. They took us into a larger trauma area that they had set up chairs for us in. We waited there until they brought Mom in on a stretcher. The nasogastric tube had been removed, she was off the ventilator and being bagged and no longer on a heart monitor. The physician explained that they had given her a little morphine intravenously to ensure she was comfortable. A social worker arrived with a 'compassion cart' that had coffee and water as well as cookies and parking passes for all in the room. Once again, I was very impressed by the professionalism, care and concern that all the staff treated us with. The physician removed the tube, I was holding Mom's hand and watching the pulse in her neck. After about three minutes she started to breathe on her own. The staff were in and out but not obtrusive during this time. After a period of time the physician told me that Mom's heart was strong and that it may take a day or two so they would have the hospitalist come assess and admit her.
When the hospitalist arrived, it was the same wonderful hospitalist who had cared for her for most of the previous summer when she had been hospitalized for four months. He had recognized her name and also remembered me. He explained that he would admit her to a private room and that she would receive the best compassionate care. He expressed his condolences and shortly afterwards the porter arrived to take her to her room. The others had gradually left towards the approach of evening so it was Caleb and myself that accompanied her to the private room.
This is enough for another post, I will continue in Mom - Part 3.
Take care everyone.
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