Not diesel related... but my mother is in the hospital...
 

This spring, my mother went from feeling as normal as she does, (she has a lot of health problems -- numerous joint issues, a recent year-long battle with Lyme disease), to feeling so dizzy that she could not stand. They went into the doctor and she was diagnosed with an inner-ear problem, put on some medication, and seemed to improve. Several weeks later, as a follow-up, they did an MRI on her head and found that she a benign tumor in her brain that had caused a blood clot. To the ER we went, and she was in the hospital for three days, after which she was released and put on Cumadin.

She had surgery in July and was in the hospital for five days -- in a LOT of pain, enough that she couldn't hide it (which is a lot -- she is very tough about pain, which she is in all the time anyway). She is off the blood thinners and has been recovering slowly but surely, but last week she noticed that what's left of the scab on her head was oozing a little bit of liquid. She went in to see her doctor's NP, and she said that it should be okay, but to let her know if it gets worse. Long story short, it did. She went to see the NP again today, had a CAT scan, and it turns out to indeed be an infection. She is in surgery now... they have to take out the and clean the titanium plate that they put in to replace the part of the skull that they took out. She'll be in the hospital for several days after the surgery, apparently.

I'm concerned that this will bring on some of the pain that she had after the last surgery... some of the worst pain I've ever seen her in. My sister and I drove in this afternoon and will remain here 'til a while after her surgery (the surgery is only supposed to take 45 minutes), and then we will drive home and then get up tomorrow before six to try to beat the traffic into Boston (not that that'll do it -- trying to beat the traffic into Boston is wishful thinking :)).

I'm tired :).

My best wises for your mother's recovery, and for you and for you and your family in coping with these setbacks in her health.

My prayers are with you, God bless.

Only proves how very very trivial of our MB issues are.

I contend this post DOES belong in this forum.

CERTAINLY belongs.
we're all family here.
Best wishes to your mother's recovery. stay strong for her!

So sorry to hear that, since I have no monies to send flowers.....I will send some digital flowers :D

http://f0.pepst.com/c/CBEFD7/481501/...4000_0_1_0.gif

speedy recovery to your Mom
 

Happily our healthcare isn't too shabby up here....a VERY speedy recovery to your Mom, Jooseppi!

Josh

Praying for you and your mom. My mom got out of the hospital yesterday, and I just talked to a colleague this evening and her mother is hospitalized, too. :(

Hang in there. I know how hard this can be. As someone else said, stay strong for her.

Steve

Thank you guys. She made it through the surgery well -- they took out the titanium plate that that they had put in previously because it makes infections much more likely, as white blood cells can't get there to immediately remove the bacteria. The surgeon, who is chief of neurosurgical oncology at Mass General, is an extremely nice and competent person. He told us that the infection was not too deep, such that he didn't need to actually go into the brain at all -- this was more of a skin/soft tissue kind of thing. She does not seem to be in too much pain -- she was turning down some of the pain medication -- but also seems to still he a little groggy from the Anesthesia. She wanted us to bring her book rack (something to hold a book up for her because she can't turn her neck much at all) so that she can do schoolwork with us tomorrow. That's a good sign -- there's no way she would have even thought that after the first surgery.

Those will never wilt :D.

At least she is turning down some of the pain meds this time. One of the doctors prime responsibilities is to reduce pain. Too many doctors under prescribe pain relief medicine is known.

Even on termally ill patients because they feel it may be addictive. I have always thought if you are in the terminal stages of anything. What is the issue? Make the person a junky if it is going to help them out in a terminal situation especially. For those not terminal do not make them suffer.

Glad to hear your mother is doing well. Plus her pain this time around seems more manageable.

Best of luck Luna family. Sending my best positive energy (Christians might call that praying, and that's OK too.)

Heal up, Mom!

Dan

Very best wishes for speedy recovery for your Mom Luna.

BTW: My MIL is staying with us for a while because she has to go daily to our local hospital for radiation treatment. She had a festering sore on her cheek. They removed it, but it was apparently malignant and cancer had spread.

She is healthy otherwise and will be 101 in December!

Best wishes and a prayers as well! Really disturbing about the titanium plate. I've got a rather large one from deer vs motorbike. Much as it pains me to have it there (literally), I'd rather it stay there then deal with the surgery and recovery to remove it :(.