I spoke w/ Jo Ann this morning.  Her Mom, who has had health issues of late is undergoing quadruple
by pass surgery this morning.  Your thoughts and prayers are appreciated.

Jo Ann, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.  May the Lord watch over your Mom and bring strength to your family during this trying time.

Joann, My best wishes for your mom, and you too as it is always difficult on loved ones.  My father had quad bypass around 9 years ago and he felt so much better after having it done.  He has since taken up scuba diving, goes four wheeling, and hikes.  He is 74 now. I would hope your mom will have the same results.

Thanks! My mom had triple by-pass yesterday at Ellis Hospital. The surgery took 5 1/2hrs. She came through it remarkably well. She is still in ICU, and  they took her off the breathing machine about 5am this morning. They said that at 82years old, she is doing better than some of the younger ones. Dr.DePan did the surgery and he was wonderful. Our entire experience at Ellis has been an impressionable experience. From the doctors, nuses, aides, dietary and transport, they all are to be commended. I have to say that the food in the cafeteria was even great, believe it or not.

So, I will be on my way to the hospital now to visit her and when she is discharged I will be taking time off from work and she will be coming home with me. I figured that she always took care of me, now it is my turn to return the favor. I think the doctor called it "coming around full circle".

Thanks for the prayers, they never seem to fail! :)

I am so glad to hear your mom is doing well.  Ellis is a fantastic hospital particularly for cardiac care.  

My mom came out of ICU today. She is doing "ok". She is running a temp now and is extremely weak. But I guess taking her age into consideration, that is to be expected. (I guess :-/).

But I wanted to say that they gave her a heart shaped pillow that she is to place over her incision when she coughs or sneezes. The pillows were made by the students at Duanesburg School. So thank you to all of the students who took the time to make these pillows for the heart patients.

JoAnn, I'm glad your mom is doing ok.  The exhaustion is to be expected.  My dad was the same way, especially for the first few days to a week.  Make sure she uses the pillow it works wonders.  The goofy socks are real important too.  I am meeting with the Superintendent next week and will be sure to mention how appreciative you and your mom are of the kids.  Take good care, you are both in my thoughts and keep us posted

JoAnn, a very important note is to be sure that your Mom starts to do some walking as soon as she is able or she may lose too much of her strength. That happened to my mother-in-law when she had open heart surgery at age 75 but was unable and unwilling to do her walking exercises. I'm glad that your Mom is doing well.

Shadow is right.......up and at 'em asap.

God bless you and your family, JoAnn.  And a speedy recovery to your mom.

Here's an update on my mom. She was transfered to Sunnyview today. Her surgery was a success, thank God. But it did take a toll on her at her age. She is exhusted all of the time. We could only get her to walk around the cardiac floor about 4 to 5x's a day. And stairs were not even attempted. She was also getting very confused which they say is common. She also isn't eating. She said that food tastes terrible, which they tell me is also common after surgery with that much anastesia. My  mom was fortunate to not go on the heart/lung machine. They did the bypass on her beating heart. Dr. DePan said that going on the machine takes away from some brain function and didn't think it was a good idea at her age.

These doctors are very good, but not very personal. We met Dr.DePan the night before surgery and the morning of the surgery and NEVER saw or talked to him or any other cardiologist. But I guess they all know what they are doing.

So she is now in Sunnyview and the insurance company is allowing her 7 days. If Sunnyview feels she needs more rehab, they will ask the insurance company  for more time. So we are hoping that she will do well and be home with us for Thanksgiving. She will come home with me for as long as it takes.

It sounds like your mom is doing great, especially for her age.  I will keep my fingers crossed for you and her that she is home for Thanksgiving.  Enjoy taking care of her, it won't be easy, but it will give you a special perspective.  I wish I could take care of my mom.........just one more day.

My sister in law is a cardiac care icu nurse at Ellis, her name is Sandy, maybe she cared for your mom?

Rene, she didn't have your sister-in-law. The nurses she had were Penny, Laura and Connie. And they were all excellent. Actually beyond excellent. The entire unit is very impressive. It is truly state of the art. I didn't know that the ICU was new as of 2006. Again, very impressive.

Sunnyview is going to keep my mom busy. She has physical therapy from 9:30 to 10am, then occupational therapy from 10:30 to 11, therapy again from 1:30 to 2 and again from 3:30 to 4.  They suggested that I go to observe her therapy to see "how it's done" since I will be her main caretaker when she comes home. I will probably wait a few days since I'm sure that  my mom will look to  me to rescue her from her perception of this grueling task ahead of her. I'm sure she would like nothing better than to just lay in bed in hopes she will heal and miraculously gain her strength back with no effort. I'm sure it will be somewhat painful and tiring, but a task that needs to be done to get regain her strength and stamina and independence.

Good luck to both of you!!!!  Thats the right approach, be a Hero.

Sunnyview just called and my mom had another heart attack and is being transfered to Ellis again. all prayers welcome!

I'm so sorry, let us know. :'( :'(

My mom had another heart attack stronger than the last two. They believe that one of the grafts collapsed. That is what showed on the cardiogram. My mother is a tiny lady and when they did the surgery, they said that it was difficult since her veins were so small. Kind of like a childs. In fact one graft didn't take during surgery and they had to do it again. We beleive that is the one that has either collapsed, kinked or clotted. They said they will do an ultra sound tomorrow to see exactly what happened.

So where do we go from here?....Only God knows now!

You will learn more tomorrow.  Keep your chin up, my heart goes out to you

JoAnn,

I will continue to hold your Mom and your family in my thoughts and prayers.

I'm so sorry to hear that she took a turn for the worse.  I continue to pray for her and hope that this was the end of the problems and that she will now be taking a turn for the better.

JoAnn, I'm so sorry to hear that your Mom had problems after her surgery we'll keep her in our prayers.

EVERYTHING is in God's hands!

My  mom is actually holding her own. The one by-pass did collapse but they said that she can continue to live like that. She also did have a major heart attack and it will take her quite a bit longer to get her strength back. The hospital, or should I say the insurance company wants her out of the hospital by Monday. (sadly the insurance companies run the entire show) Sunnyview will not take her anylonger due to her lack of stamina and would not be able to keep up with their rehabilitation program.

So we are now looking into a Sub-acute facility that will take her to give her the rehab that she needs to get back on her feet. Kingsway is our preference as it is close to home and has a decent reputation. The other facilities are just too far for us to travel daily especially with winter upon us.

The insurance company has allowed her 100 days of rehab with an evaluation after 20 days. The insurance company will monitor her progress and THEY will decide if she needs the entire 100 days. We are hoping that she can gain enough strength back to come home (with me). The doctors seem hopeful.

In addition to the emotional stress that comes with this, the insurance companies are by far the worst to deal with. When my mom is finally back home with us, I will definately contact SOMEONE about this entire health insurance industry that I believe is compromising the health and well being of the patient all in the name of SAVING MONEY. And if this is just a taste of universal health care, we need to collectively address this issue, since it will definately get worse. And it should be addressed at both the state and federal level.

Glad to hear your mom is holding her own.  You are right the insurance industry is horrible.  I have been an insurance agent for 25 years.  I have seen the demise of health benfits.  I haven't done anything in the health field for about 15 years.  It has become increasingly difficult to deal with the red tape and the nonsense.  You are right when you say this is just the tip of the ice berg.

I went to see my mom today. And although they (doctors,nurses and rehab) still give us hope, I see my mom slipping away little by little. She doesn't even remember where she lived. She doesn't even know where she is now. I'm afraid the move to Kingsway on Monday will just add to her mental confusion. I plan on bringing my lap top to the hospital tomorrow with all of our family pictures that I have on discs to show her and hopefully mentally stimulate her, if that is possible. This is probably one of the most gut renching experiences I've had to deal with in my life. My mind realizes that she IS 82years old and has been hit with 3 heart attacks and one failed by-pass in 2 months, BUT, my heart doesn't know the difference. All my heart knows is that she is my mom.

As far as dealing with insurance companies, I am all by disgusted! My brother and I both feel that the move to Sunnyview should have never happened. She had triple by-pass on tues, was out of ICU on Thursday and shipped off to Sunnyview 4 days later on Monday. Then the very next day, a major heart attack and a collapsed graft. Now usually a bypass patient is required to walk around the perimeter of the cardiac floor 10X's and walk up a flight of stairs BEFORE they can enter rehab. My mom could barely make it around 4X's. And stairs were never even an option. But the insurance company wanted her out of the hospital. These insurance companies pigeon hole patients and their health care plan. Well, we are not dealing with pigeons here, they are human beings who are all different. But todays health care system does not allow for personalization of health care.

And Dr. DePan, who did her surgery, was never seen again when her surgery was over. He never even came to speak to us after. I was in the elevator with him the other day and he didn't even know who I was. So after major heart surgery, my mom's health care was managed by nurses, nurse practitioners and physicians assistance all under the dictatorship of the insurance companies.

JoAnn, the insurance company is treating your Mom as if she were a 50 year old person as that's the schedule that is usually followed for younger people. My mother-in-law had to stay in the ICU after surgery for 7 days b4 even going to a room in cardiac care unit. Needless to say at age 78 she lost all her strength and rehab took almost a year but she was only allowed to stay at Sunnyview for 2 weeks the rest had to be done by my wife and I. People are not treated like individuals, as far as the insurance companies are concerned you're just a number  and they really don't care what's best for the patients. My wife's mom also had periods of confusion, and loss of memory some of which never did return and we were also told that it was from the anesthesia and from being on the heart pump. Our prayers will be with you and your Mom and hope she recovers soon.

Quoted Text

This is probably one of the most gut renching experiences I've had to deal with in my life. My mind realizes that she IS 82years old and has been hit with 3 heart attacks and one failed by-pass in 2 months, BUT, my heart doesn't know the difference. All my heart knows is that she is my mom.

I feel your pain, and while it doesn't help you at all, I know what you are going through.  I will be with you in spirit.

This entire process is an absolute health care nightmare. First my mom was scheuled to leave Ellis tomorrow (monday) and go into Kingsway's sub-acute rehab facility. Dr. Guspeto (not sure of the spelling) was the cardiolagist on call this weekend.

Now let me say that my mom was doing "ok". She was eating and her blood pressure was fine. She was still just very very weak. Dr. Guspeto comes in this morning (sunday)and changes all of her meds. At 10am she was fine, but by noon her blood pressure took such a plunge that the nurses and PA's were scrambling to keep her alive. IV's were started, blood tests and ekg's. She was almost comatose. They said we had to just ride it out and hope for the best. Did you notice I said NURSES AND PA'S? Not one REAL doctor. The nurses and the PA were not happy with the med changes that Dr. Guspeto prescribed and they suggested I talk with him. Which is next to impossible to talk with any of them.

By about 5pm she started to come around and they were still monitoring her, but also cut back her meds. They also told me that she "would not" be going to Kingsway tomorrow. I was going to stay the night but since she was doing much better and the fact that I am exhausted beyond exhausted, I decided to come home and go back up 8am to talk to the doctors. And she has seen many, with none of them ever talking to us, the family.

There are many other incidents, but not as bad as this, that I have documented. I have documented "everything". I am going to ask for her medical records and a list of all the meds she is on tomorrow. I'm her health care proxy.(just for future reference if needed)

I have got to get her out of there before they kill her! I am so pi**ed and upset, you have no idea.

I guess doctors do have an alter ego after all!

I wish there were words that could make this better for you.  It is disgusting the way you and your mother are being treated.  It goes to accountability and it doesn't seem that there is a single profession or person who is accountable anymore.  The doctor should have atleast spoken with you on the phone.  Keep up the documentation.  Report back when you can and get some rest.

JoAnn, check every one of her medications as when my mother-in law came home from the hospital some of her meds were actually working against each other and her cardiac doctor didn't even know it because the hospital had set up the drugs she was to take. The lack of attending doctors on weekends and holidays has been going on for a long time and that's something that should be changed. All the responsibility falls on the cardiac care nurses and PA's instead of the doctors who were the real cause of the problem. Get her out of there as soon as you can so she can get the real care that she needs.

JoAnn,

I hope that Mom is recuperating from her surgery and recent heart attacks.  I am sorry to hear that it has
been a difficult road for you in dealing w/ the insurance company.  That is that last thing that you should have to experience at a time like this.  In addition to caring for your Mom, make sure that you take care of yourself.

I will keep you, your Mom, and your family in my prayers (prayers work!)

Brad

Well, after a very very long day of talking(fighting) with all of the administrators of the hospital, my mom is scheduled to leave Ellis tomorrw morning and go to Kingsway sub-acute rehab. I told them I wanted her out of there before they killed her. I asked for her medical records which I will get tomorrow. I also asked for a list of meds she was on. And here it is:

Potassium Chloride 40mg
Pepcid 20mg
Lovenox 40mg
Lasix 40mg
Colace 100mg
Avapro 150mg
Asprin 325mg
Lopressor 50mg
Spirinolactone 12.5mg
Zocor 40mg
Lisinopril 5mg
Coreg 25mg

Coreg 25mg was the one that almost killed her yesterday. If you google it, it is suggested that you start with 6.25mg and if tolerated you can increase it to 12.50mg and so on. My sister in law is a nurse and said that 25mg was excessive. I also "tried" to talk with one of the doctors from the cardiac group today. Dr. Coleman. He was an arrogant Bast*** in plain English. If I could only tell you everything that went on today, you'd be shocked. But it would take forever. But I do have documentation of everything.The doctor also ordered that the nurses get her up and walking and they never did.  I really wish that I could just bring her home, but she is way to weak for that at this point. So I am just greatful that she is leaving the place.

JoAnn, I believe you as my wife and I went thru a similar situation with her Mom after her heart surgery. Our prayers are with both you and your Mom and we hope she recovers soon.

http://www.dailygazette.com

Quoted Text

Study: Women facing heart trouble Death rate levels off for younger men
BY MIKE STOBBE
The Associated Press

   ATLANTA — For decades, heart disease death rates have been falling. But a new study shows a troubling
turn — more women under 45 are dying of heart disease due to clogged arteries, and the death rate for men that age has leveled off.
   Heart experts aren’t sure what went wrong, but they think increasing rates of obesity and other risk factors are to blame.
   The rates will have to be monitored to see if this is the beginning of a real trend. But if the data hold, the new study may be an early glimpse of the impact of escalating obesity and diabetes on U.S. deaths, said Wayne Rosamond, a University of North Carolina epidemiology professor and expert on heart disease statistics.
   “This could be a harbinger of things to come,” Rosamond said.
   To be sure, the overall trend is still positive: From 1980 through 2002, the death rate from blocked heart arteries was cut in half for men and women over 35. Improvements in treatment and preventive measures, including cholesterol-lowering medications, get the credit.
   But what’s going on with younger adults is startling, said Dr. Anthony DeMaria, editor of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, which is publishing the study and released it Monday.
   “We have a pretty rosy view of how things are going in the war against cardiovascular disease,” DeMaria said. “I view this paper as a wake-up call that says there is a very important segment of our population that needs some attention.”
   Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, killing almost 700,000 Americans each year.
   Nearly 500,000 of those deaths are attributed to coronary heart disease, in which fat and plaque clog the arteries feeding blood to the heart, sometimes called hardening of the arteries. Heart attacks are a common result.
   It can take many years for arteries to get dangerously blocked. About 93 percent of deaths occur in people 55 and older.
   But a combination of factors — including genetics, obesity and high cholesterol — are sometimes fatal for younger adults. In 2002, about 25,000 men and 8,000 women ages 35 to 54 died of coronary heart disease.  

  
  
  

Today was just another disaster. The alter ego doctor would not release her. Instead he ordered a bunch of useless tests for her. When I discussed this with the nurses, and administrators, they all agreed that he is just trying to pull rank (over me) and is trying to cover his a**. It is basically a battle between me and the alter ego doctor. I am basically watching her care through a microscope and they are not pleased at all.

I plan to sue both the cardiologists and the surgeons. I have documentation from day one. I will also obtain her medical records and requested an itemized bill when/if she is released. Actually the hospital has been helpful on directing me on what information my lawyer will need. I will also contact my mom's insurance company and give them my list of items that they should not pay. Such as the useless tests that they ordered today.

I also left a note with the hospital to place in my mom's chart stating that BEFORE any meds are given and BEFORE any test or proceedure is to be taken, they are to call me FIRST! They have aleady called me tonight before they gave her the 8pm meds. Which thank God they did since they had the wrong dosage for her Coreg. I told them to call me even in the middle of the night. I told them I EXPECT a call FIRST!!! As nothing else would be acceptable.

So I will be retaining an attorney and it will be the best one I can get and hope this brings to light all of the incompetencies that are going on in the health care field. And I hope it eventually hits the media!!

Good for you JoAnn keep on that doctor so that he can't do any more damage than he's already done.

FINALLY, my mom was discharged from Ellis today and is now in Kingsway Rehab!! Tonight when I walked out of Kingsway, I did not leave with a knot in my stomach, worrying that they would kill her through medication or incompetence.

My mother's doctor while at Kingsway is Dr.Panatin. He also runs the geriactric center at St. Clares. He came to see my mother within 2hrs after she was admitted and cut her Fosamax (for bone density) and Zocor(for colestrol).  He said that we will worry about her bone density ianother time and thought it was rediculous that she was even on Zocor. He kind of chuckled at the thought of putting someone who already has coronary artery disease on  that medication. It doesn't reverse it. He also said that any of these cholesterol lowering drugs(statin drugs) can cause achey and weak muscles along with memory loss. So this med would not be given while(if ever) they are trying to regain her strength back. He also changed her diet from no salt/no fat to "eat anything you want". He said that it was important to get as many calories as she can and he didn't care how she got them.

Before we left Ellis today, and my mom went by ambulance, I requested her discharge summery sheet and her discharge med sheet. I guess this has never been requested before so I had to sign for them.(someone smarter than I told me to request them) I have also requested her medical records from St.Clares from her first heart attack which she was also then under the same cardiac medical group. Next stop is to call her cardiologist's office and her cardiac surgeon's office and ask for those records as well. Steps an attorney wouldn't have to do.

Well, I thank God that she is out of Ellis and hopefully on her way to "some kind" of a recovery.

I would like to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving this year and to remind us ALL to be thankful and greatful for everyone and everything in our lives. And to try to be thankful for everyday that we are given. Our mortality is inevitable.(just walk through a nursing home once if you never have) So let us enjoy this one shot at the life that we have been given and not waste it or take it for granted.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

JoAnn, I am so excited for you. And of course your mom.  It sounds like you have a doctor who has some common sense along with a medical degree.  I hope your mom can now have a chance of recovery and you will finally get a decent nights sleep.  My very best to you and enjoy your Thanksgiving.  

Who would be a good attorney for this law suit? One that wouldn't be connected to every doctor and hospital.

This is the doctor who did my  mom's triple heart bypass.


http://www.ellishospital.org/depan.cfm

Quoted Text

Harry J. DePan, M.D. has been a member of the Ellis Hospital Board of Trustees since 2000. He and his wife, Ellen, are currently serving as Co-Chairs of the Ellis Hospital Foundation's capital fundraising campaign.


Dr. DePan is Chief of Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery at Ellis Hospital and has been a surgeon at Ellis since 1991. He has practices in Schenectady and Albany, NY .

Dr. DePan earned his medical degree from Albany Medical College and his bachelor's degree, with honors, from Washington & Lee University, Lexington, VA. He completed his internship and residency at New York University Bellevue Medical Center in New York City. His is certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery, and holds memberships in numerous medical societies, including the New York Academy of Science, the New York Society of Thoracic Surgery, the American College of Surgeons, The Upstate Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and the Cardiac Society of Upstate New York. Additionally, Dr. DePan has authored numerous medical publications and holds an appointment at Albany Medical College as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery.    

My mom is doing okay. It's a very slow process but then she is only 3 weeks post-op. We are all hoping that she is at least strong enough to come home for Christmas and then we can bring her back to Kingsway that night for the rest of her rehab.

I requested my mom's itemized bills from all of her hospital stays, both at Ellis and St. Clares. Well the first one I received came in the mail today. It was from Ellis. And it was dated from 11/5 to 11/12. And her bypass surgery is included in this one. The grand total for this 7 day stay was $93,218.67.  20mg of pepcid was $50.20! How do they justify that one? This is so far just the hospital bill. It will be interesting to see what the physician charges.

I'm glad to hear your mom is hanging in there. How are you doing?  The bill for your moms stay is outrageous.  The worst part is everyone always says that and they say something needs to be done but nothing ever seems to happen.  I wiish I had an answer.  My deputy Supervisor just finished with chemo treatments and a five week stint in the hospital after an allergic reaction and she said the five weeks cost $140,000. It is out of control.

My mom is doing pretty good!! I'll tell you that the woman is my hero. What a trooper! She is almost 83 years old, and since Sept. 9th, she has had 3 heart attacks, with the last one being major, a triple bypass, with one failed graft and at deaths doorstep with the overdose of the medicine Coreg. Honest to God, she is doing great! Thank God!

I talked with her physical therapist today and she told me that my mom should be home by Christmas! I'm so excited! She said that she is doing very well. She is getting confused with some things. For instance she does NOT remember her home at all!! But you have to figure that she hasn't seen the outside light of day for 3 weeks. So this weekend my brother will be coming in from out of state and Saturday we have permission to take her for a ride. We are going to ride her past her house, my house, her grandchildren's homes, Rotterdam Mall and Bellevue Cafe where I took her once a week for breakfast. She is absolutely bored out of her mind. And that is a good thing! We tell her that she just has to hang in there and be patient.

I am prepared to stay home from work to take care of her if necessary, but the therapist said to wait, as my mom may gain enough strength back that I can still work at least part time and she can be at my home alone for a few hours. The therapist said that she has done so well in just 1 week that they feel she will do even better as the next 3 weeks go by. We just have to see how much stamina her heart will allow her.

So that is the good news up date and thanks for the prayers!! They just seem to always work, don't they?

And Rene I'm sorry to hear about your friend having chemo and her allergic reaction. My husband went through a stem cell transplant at Albany Med almost 9 years ago for his second bout of non-hodgkins lympoma which came back aggressive. He was in the hospital for 1 month. My husband had MVP and we never saw a bill. And he has been cancer free ever since. That's calls for another "Thank God"! :)

My friend had non-hodgkins also.  She was on deaths door, only 35 or so with a 4 year old little boy.  I read about the stem cell therapy your husband had, that is mind boggling to me.  And yet there are so many people against it....go figure.

As for your mom...... :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) and one more :)

Rene, the difference with my husband's stem cell transplant was that they used HIS. They purged HIS stem cells and radiated them, to make sure there were no cancer cells left, and infused them back into him. I have  no problem with that method. I am not a proponant of embryonic stem cells.

I heard from my mom's social worker and he said that she will be coming home next Wed. FINALLY! She is doing very well in physical and occupational therapy. But we still can not forget that her heart is very weak. I believe that she had another minor heart attack the other morning. Of course she tells me "that night" how she was very sick to her stomach that morning and then got dizzy. She couldn't really eat the rest of the day and felt "wiped out". Now those are her heart attacks. Of course we aren't going to do anything more outside of medication. She has gone through enough for almost 83years old. My last day of work will be next Tuesday and I will then take the opportunity to stay home and take care of her. Going back to work part time will be a thought after the first of the year.

My mom's social worker also suggested Hospice. That kind of put a grim reality to this process. But a reality I am ready for, FINALLY! I have decorated my house with every decoration that I own and have told my kids that this may possibly be "gram's" last. So picture taking is a must!

I may also look into a hospital bed for her, since she has a hard time breathing while laying flat. I will check with her insurance company to see if that is possible. She will also come home with a wheel chair and walker in case she needs them. So now on to the next step!!

JoAnn a lift chair that helps her to stand will be very helpful as I know it was for my mother-in-law as she had trouble getting out of chairs for quite a while after her surgery.

Enjoy every moment with your mother.

UPDATE! My mom was admitted to Ellis yesterday since her incision from her bypass split open. It is the grossest thing I have ever seen. She went to Dr. Depan's office yesterday, since he was the one who did her bypass and he admitted her right away. She will be in the hospital for approx 1 week. They have her on antibiotics and they have put a wound vac on the opened incision to promote healing.

So now Kingsway and Depan are in this pi**ing match on who's fault it is. Depan WILL NOT release her to Kingsway again. He said that he will discharge her directly home with nurses and physical therapy. I happened to love Kingsway. They brought my mother to a level better than she was before her heart attack. I hope that we don't have to start all over again!

I have a CNA to spend the nights with her at the hospital. From 11pm to 7am. I am now in the process of looking for others who will take days for me. I am up there from 8am to 8pm. But I have to get my house and her room ready. So I would feel comfortable with someone there while I'm not. She is 82 and I don't want her getting confused again. And she still needs to walk so she doesn't lose the abilities she gained at Kingsway.

So here we go AGAIN! So keep us in your prayers since it isn't over yet!

JoAnn keep the faith and we'll keep your Mom in our prayers for a speedy recovery.

The doctor took the wound vac off my mom yesterday to evaluate her incision. He said that it is coming along very well. He put a new wound vac on and on Thursday he will take it off and she can come home. However, on Friday, a Visiting nurse will come in and put a portable wound vac on her. The nurses will come in every Monday, Wed., and Friday to change it. She will also have to see Dr. DePan once a week until he feels confident her incision is heeled.

But we now have a major "confusion" problem with my mom. I hope that it is temporary and she isn't "sundowning" permanently. She is in a total state of confusion starting at about 7pm. I was on the phone with her last night for 2 1/2hrs until the aid got there at 11pm.  The aid said that it took her 45minutes to get my mom re-oriented again. She was "out of control". I was concerned that if a nurse came in and saw the state she was in, that she would have ordered a sedative. And I was trying to hold my mother together by phone until the aid got there at 11pm.

And yet my mom called me this morning and she was her sweet usual self and apologized for her behavior last night. And although she new she was "a bad girl", she didn't remember every detail of her confusion.

Can I use the words "mentally exhausted" to describe myself these days?

JoAnn, I feel your pain. We went thru a similar situation with my mother-in-law and we were told that most of the confusion is due ti anesthesia, heart pump, medication, and just plain old stress and that in time she will improve. It's an individual thing some improve faster than others. You're doing all you can for your Mom and watch your health as you're going thru a tough time right now and the stress can make you ill. Your Mom will be in our prayers.

My mom's confusion is better as long as someone is with her. She is definetly fearful at night. So we have private nurses/aids there 24/7 until she is homebound tomorrow. Of course she was suppose to come home 2 other times and didn't so now I'll believe it when she is actually here!

Her supplies were delivered today. It is her wound vac with supplies to support it. If anyone wants a little medical education, here is the website with pictures and description of this device.http://www.kci1.com/867.asp
It's pretty neat.

KCI is where the supplies came from. They called me this morning and told me that her insurance had no deductible for these supplies and there also wasn't a limit on how long they would cover these supplies as needed. However they did say that she will be responsible for 25% of the cost of the wound vac. Retail is $130/day but the representative for KCI said that it will be cheaper than that through Senior Blue.

So today I'm preparing the house for her homecoming tomorrow. I went to BJ's and stocked up on food, fruit and juices that she would like. I will go see her this afternoon for just a couple of hours and then I will ATTEMPT to finish my Christmas shopping!

How is your mom doing JoAnn?

Rene thanks so much for asking. My mom is doing well. She is here at home with me now. In fact we are both here in the living room watching TV.(I waited a long time for this moment).

She still has her portable wound vac on her incision. A visiting nurse comes in every monday and friday to change the dressing. I take her to Dr. DePan every wed where he changes the dressing and assesses the incision. When we went this past wed, he said she would need about 2 more weeks on the wound vac. I think that will make a difference for her. She could then be more mobil. Right now someone has to carry her portable vac and carry her tubing if she needs or wants to move anywhere.

I don't know if she is going to be able to go back to her house to live independently. But we will see.

Do you want to hear another shocker? My brother who lives out of state, had emergency, triple by-pass surgery yesterday! Same as my mom! My sister-in-law says he is doing well. I just feel so bad for him since he was here watching my mom go through it. And we thought it was a nasty surgery then. His doctor said that my brother is alive today only because God didn't want him now. His main artery was almost totally blocked.

So I believe this is a blessed Christmas. I have my mom and my brother for which I am grateful!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

You truly understand the spirit of Christmas.  My best to you and your family. :) :) :) :)

Merry Christmas, and Welcome home, Joann's mom.  Hope the holiday fins you happy and feeing better.

I have been talking to my sister-in-law daily about my brother. In fact I called the hospital this morning and me and my mom got to speak to my brother for a few minutes. He sounded ok. But tonight when I talked to my sister-in-law, we realized that ALL hospitals are the same. My brother is finally out of intensive care and on a regular floor. She said that she will be staying up there around the clock. She said that while she was there, a nurse gave him his meds as it was the end of her shift. Well, when the next shift came in, they tried to give him the meds all over again. It was a good thing that my sister-in-law was there to tell them otherwise. He had his surgery Saturday and he is suppose to come home this Friday or Saturday. But they haven't even got him up to walk yet. He still has a chest tube in and is on Oxycoton for pain.(I don't know how to spell it) And those pills are brutal! She has to bathe him and brush his teeth. She said that they do nothing but give him his pill and take his vital signs. Oh, and I forgot to mention that my sister-in-law is also nurse. So the sooner he gets home the better.

My mom went to the doctors today and he said that when she goes again next week, he will take the wound vac off. Finally! So when we left the doctors, I took her to the mall to walk. We bring a wheel chair for her to push and use in case she gets tired. But she didn't. She did real well. We also stopped in the food court for coffee. Tomorrow physical therapy is coming to the house and Friday it will be occupational therapy. So she  is doing well, so far!

Hurray!

First my mom. She is doing fairly well. I took my mom to the mall Friday afternoon and I thought she would be able to walk a bit without a wheel chair, so I left it in the car. We didn't walk very far and she had to sit down. So I went and got the wheel chair and pushed her the rest of the way while I shopped for a birthday gift. A Visiting Nurse will come in tomorrow and change the the dressing on her wound vac. Then back to Dr.DePan Thurs. We are hoping that the vac will be removed. Can I tell you that the incision still looks nasty. Better, but nasty. So the last nurse said that once the vac comes off, than "I" can change her dressing from a wet to dry. (?) I said "I DON'T THINK SO"! I didn't go to school for nursing. She does get very very confused sometimes. I can't see her ever going back to being independent in her own home. So we'll see.

My brother came home yesterday.(Saturday). They got him up for the first time to walk on Friday. But I guess he did okay. But he did come home with a catheter. He can not urinate on his own. So the doctors just kind of brushed it off and when they sent him home, they just said to contact some urologist to check it out. He really wasn't physically ready to come home but the insurance company said he was. It just seems that in some instances, people are just sent home too soon.

You sound exhausted.  I hope you are taking care of yourself

I am taking care of myself, the best I can, when I have time. Today is New Years Eve. It is actually my birthday. And the day after Christmas was my grandson's 8th birthday. So tonight my son and daughter-in-law had a New Years Eve family party. Included in that they celebrated my birthday and my grandsons.

I brought my mom, wound vac and all. We went about 6pm and by 8pm I could see her fizzling out. She seemed to be tired and losing her color. She never really engaged in any conversation. So we came home shortly there after. When she got in the car you could tell she was short of breath.

At home I had to help her take her coat off and change into her pj's. I could tell it was an effort for her. I gave her her pills and helped her into bed. She is now asleep and she never said "happy birthday" to me. Which shows me that these things are not that important to her any longer. And these things have just become one too many things for her to have to think of.

JoAnn,

Despite all that you are faced with at this time, I wish you a Happy Birthday and a Happy New Year!  May 2008 be filled with God's blessings of health, happiness, and peace to you and your family.

You are a wonderful and loving daughter to your Mom.  I hope that I can help my parents in the way that you have your Mom if my parents should ever find themselves in need.

Thanks so much Brad. I'm sure that you would do the same for your parents. You are just that kind of guy. Things are looking up these days. Tomorrow we go off to the surgeon and are anticipating that the wound vac will come off. That will be major. It was difficult for her to carry around this machine with about 10' of tubing attached to her.

Then we will make real plans. Whether she chooses to stay with me or go home. (which I don't think she will be able to do the latter), I would like to go back to work at least for 4 to 5 hrs a day. And to know that she will be ok at home alone. I'm hoping that will happen sometime next week.

I talked with my brother tonight and he is doing much better. In fact he said that today was the first day since his by-pass surgery that he has felt really good. This Saturday will be 2 weeks post-op for him. He did say that when people tell you that you won't remember the first day or two are lying. He said that he remembers everything from the moment he woke up. So kiddingly I told him to be grateful that he DID wake up!  :)

So hopefully I will be back 'in the loop' in a week or two.

My mom had her would vac taken off yesterday,thursday. She needs to shower everyday and I have to change the dressing everyday. The incision looks much better and I guess I can handle it. Today I took her to her home about noon time and picked her up about 3:30 to bring back to my house. She really didn't do too much while she was home, but her close neighbor came over so they chatted a while. I will drop her off at her home everyday for a while to see if she feels comfortable there. If not she is more than welcome to stay with me and my husband.

I will be going into work next week. I don't know exactly what the hours will be yet. She still has many scheduled doctor's appointments coming up. So that will take some time. I am grateful that I have the boss that I do. Although I haven't gotten paid for all of this time I've taken off, my boss has never pressured me into giving him a date as to when I would return. He just tells me to "do what I have to do". I consider myself blessed for that.

I also consider myself blessed to have my husband. He has been great. Right from the beginning of this mess, he has taken time off from work to be with me and does not have a problem with my mom staying with us. He has not only kept his obligations of work and home, he has also picked up my slack. For that I am grateful.

JoAnn-

This will lift your spirit-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWNoiVrJDsE

thanks, it is great!

I took my mom to the surgeon yesterday and he said the incision is looking great. She doesn't go back for 3 weeks and I would believe that will be the last. I will be taking her to Dr. Lindenburg, her cardiologist, for a check up. A cardiologist hasn't seen her since before Thanksgiving while at Ellis. So once we get that appointment over, and find out how her heart is doing, she will be the best she can be.

I go into work now for about 3hr/day. I bring her to her house before I go and pick her up when I get out. I would like her to become as independent as she can be in her own home. If that is possible. There are many options for her, and one being that she can stay with us. But we will take that one day at a time. We all just want her remaining years to be the best they can be for her. She will be 83 years old on Feb. 4th.

So there is light at the end of any long dark tunnel! :)

I took my mom to the her cardiologist, Dr. Lindenburg last Thursday. He said that she was doing fine considering all that she had been through. He also gave the ok for her to go back to her own house. He wants her to go for some bloodwork and go back for a return visit in 6weeks. Which he said at that time he may want to adjust her pills. I honestly don't think that I'm going to let that happen again. She is doing fine just the way she is. And she has been through enough.

So Friday night was her first night in her own house. I really don't think she is comfortable there. We, my brother and I, want to give her a little more time to see if she will adjust to the house she has lived in for decades. I still pick her up every day for dinner at which time I clean and change her dressing on her incision.

Yesterday, Saturday, I picked her up about 3 o'clock and she had dinner, watched a DVD, changed her dressing and then took her over to my daughters for a couple of hours. I brought her home about 9pm. I will pick her up today about 3 again and I will give her a shower along with her dinner and maybe watch another DVD. I thought of going to the mall, but I think that it is much too cold for that.

She doesn't show much interest in anything, which causes a concern for me. When I picked her up yesterday,she hadn't really even combed her hair. It appears that she seems to need direction in every little thing that she does on a day to day basis. Every single thing she does, no matter how minor, is a major chore mentally. I guess what I'm saying is that she seems depressed. And has been since coming home from the hospital. And it has only seemed to get worse. And understandably so. Going through what she did at her age, or any age for that matter, has taken it's toll. She even made a statement to me yesterday that she is just tired and hopes that God takes her before next winter.

So we will just have to take this one day at a time.

http://www.dailygazette.com

Quoted Text

Study: Heart bypass best option with multiple blockages
The Associated Press

    LOS ANGELES — Bypass surgery remains the best option for heart patients with more than one clogged artery, according to the fi rst big study to compare bypass with drug-coated stents.
    The new research dims hopes that the less drastic stent procedure would prove to be just as good for people with multiple blockages.
    In the study, heart attack and death rates were lower among people who had surgery than those given artery-opening balloon angioplasty and stents — mesh cylinders oozing drugs to keep vessels from reclogging.
    It is latest setback for drug-coated stents, which have revolutionized heart care and have been implanted in about 6 million people worldwide. They are far better at keeping vessels open than older bare metal stents. However, sales have been hurt in the past year by safety concerns and studies questioning the value of angioplasty itself for certain patients.
    A second study gave stent makers some good news, finding that using these devices “off label,” in non-approved situations, is not as dangerous as many had feared.
    Both studies were published in Thursday’s New England Journal of Medicine. Neither is definitive enough to resolve these issues, but they help guide doctors and patients confused about which treatment is best for whom.
    The bypass study is “a sobering reality check” for people hoping that the newer drug-coated stents “would level the playing field” and make these treatments equally effective, Harvard University cardiologist Dr. Joseph Carrozza wrote in an accompanying editorial.
    Blocked arteries cause chest pain by depriving the heart of needed blood, and can lead to a heart attack. One solution is bypass surgery, which reroutes blood vessels to detour around blockages. Angioplasty has emerged as a non-surgical alternative, in which a balloon is pushed into a blood vessel and inflated to flatten the clog, and stents are placed to keep the artery open.
    Bypass has become less common as angioplasty has risen dramatically. In 2005, about 469,000 bypasses were performed on 261,000 patients. More than 1.2 million angioplasties were done, though many people had more than one procedure.
    In 2005, Edward Hannan of the State University of New York at Albany published a study that found bypass to be better than angioplasty with bare metal stents for patients with multiple blockages. His new study makes a similar comparison, but with the newer drug-coated stents, which came out in 2003.
    Researchers analyzed two state databases of 17,400 New York residents treated for multiple blockages in 2003 and 2004, and compared deaths and complications 18 months later.
    Survival rates for both treatments were excellent, but bypass still showed a significant advantage after researchers took into account differences in how sick or old the patients were.
    People with three clogged arteries had a survival rate of 94 percent after bypass compared with about 93 percent after stenting, which translated to a 20 percent lower risk of death. Those with two blockages had a survival rate of 96 percent after the operation compared with roughly 95 percent after stenting — about a 30 percent lower risk of death. The bypass group also needed fewer repeat procedures and suffered fewer heart attacks after treatment.

I called my mom's cardiologist Dr.Lindenburg Tuesday since I noticed some bruising on her arms and legs. And since she is on asprin and Plavix to keep her blood thin, that that was the cause but wanted to be sure. Well, he called me back later in the day and did confirm that the bruising was from the blood thinners and not to worry. Actually I called my brother, since he had the same surgery and he said he is also bruising and his doctor said it was normal.

While speaking to Dr. Lindenburg, I thought it would be a good time to ask him more in detail about my mom's condition. He seemed a little put out that I would ask questions and he seemed rushed while he answered. I asked him about her depression and he said it was normal. I asked him if she would not be so "winded" when she does things as time goes on. Basically, I asked him if she would improve with time. He sort of snapped at me and said, "We never thought she would ever leave the hospital, and after everything she has been through, what do you expect?"

Well, I knew all of that,(I was there) except the part about them thinking she would never leave the hospital! I guess I was looking for him to give me some direction and insight based on his past experience. So I guess it is to just be enjoy the fact that she is still with us since their past experience would have said she shouldn't have made it this far and just take it one day at a time. And so we do.

So now I work everyday from 8:30 to 1 pm and pick her up to come over for dinner and bring her back home later in the evening. And yesterday was the best day she has had since this all started. She was sharper minded, did some things around her house, didn't seem shaky and not as winded. So we are thankful for that. I'm telling you, that she is one tough cookie for sure. I swear that generation comes from "good stock"! :)

Quoted Text

she is one tough cookie for sure. I swear that generation comes from "good stock"!

Wow, I'll say she's one tough cookie.  After all she has been through and she is home alone doing things.  Incredible and I'm soooo glad for her and you

I took my mom to the surgeon for the last time last week. Her incision has finally healed!!!
She is still staying at her home, reluctantly. It has only been about 3 weeks, but she doesn't seem to be settling in. She does not show any interest in anything. She use to love her cross word puzzle books and a jig saw puzzle, but not anymore. Her day consists of getting up in the morning, having tea, (since she has lost her taste for coffee}, reads the paper, gets washed and dressed and that is it. She then waits for me to pick her up after work where she comes for dinner and hangs out with us. Sometimes we go to the mall or visit other family member which doesn't seem to hold her interest either.  NOTHING DOES! She also finds it hard to fall asleep. And when she does, she doesn't stay asleep. And there is more mental confusion.Depression? I do her laundry, bills, pills, doctors visits, food, showers, pretty much everything!

I took her to her primary doctor this past Friday. It was the first he has seen her since she went into the hospital on 11/6/07. He was quite disturbed at the fact that none of the cardiologists sent records to him. I had to fill him in on everything. I was under the impression that all records were to be copied to the primary physician. Guess not.  We discussed her mental and physical condition and he recommended Zanex, an anti-anxiety pill. He didn't want to place her on anti-depressants at this time. He told us that sometimes when elderly people go through this type of surgery/trauma, this is what they evolve into. So I gave her her Zanex last night about 6pm. When I talked to her this morning, she said that she slept all night. So hopefully this will help her relax and help her settle in to this new normal.

I was planning on increasing my hours at work next week. I planned on going in 4/week from 8:30 to 5.  I don't know how much longer my boss will let me basically pick and choose my own hours. But we'll see.

Actually, I think that this is the best she can be. She is not the same mom she was before her 11/7/07 by pass surgery. So I guess it's a new normal for me too.

It is so hard on you, I feel bad.  You have the right attitude as far as accepting it as the new normal, its really all you can do.  Keep your spirits up, maybe when the weather breaks she will feel more motivated.

Here we are almost 5 month post-surgery. My mom is holding her own, which is a good thing. She goes to her cardiologist and primary doctor every three months now. She still is at her own home now, but I pick her up everyday after work and on weekends and bring her to my house. She also has adjusted to her home.

The only thing different now is her mental state. She gets confused so easily now. And she gets agitated easily. Easter we were all going to my daughters for dinner. That was the plan anyway. So I called my mom that morning and told her that I would pick her up about 2pm, but to be ready at 1:30 just in case I was ready earlier. I had to have her write 1:30 on a piece of paper so she wouldn't forget. I called her at 1:50 and told her I was on my way to pick her up and she had a major melt down. She proceeded to yell at me saying that she had been waiting all day for me to pick her up. (she obviously got confused on the times) She even used the F word! My jaw dropped! And then she hung up on me. So needless to say, she was not at Easter dinner. And she didn't take any of her pills that day.

She has had a few "snits" these last couple of weeks but not as bad as the one on Easter. That is what we call them now, snits. She seems to get into these snits more frequently now. This is all new for me, so I take it "one snit at a time".  She's been better this week although I noticed some agitation in her last night but thank God that it didn't escalate.

Her doctor did give me Zanex to lower her anxiety level, but I'm not comfortable giving it to her since it makes her a little groggy. I think I gave it to her once or twice. But if the snits get worse and more frequent, I guess a little groggy is ok. I think! :-/

I am also seeking some outside help, such as nurses aids that can come in and help me with some of the tasks. Such as coming in and giving her showers. I don't know how she will react to someone new, but it appears to be my only other option right now. Now the task will be finding people you can trust.

JoAnn, my mother-in-law went thru the same thing when she had open heart surgery at age 76. I read that much of the change in their attitude is due to what happens to the mind from the heart pump and anesthesia during surgery. My wife would go to pick her Mom up to take her some groceries and to a doctors appointment and her Mom would yell at her for disturbing her during her nap. It did get better as some time passed but her Mom never got over the memory problem and always had trouble remembering everything after the operation. Be patient with her  even though it's pretty hard to do at times.

My  mom has started to urinate blood, so I had to take her to the doctors today. He had me take her to LabCorp for some blood tests and a urinal culture. My mom goes to LabCorp for all of her lab test since that is the only place her insurance company covers.

They usually ask to see her insurance card when we get there. This time they asked for her insurance card and a pictured ID. I asked him if this was new with the pictured ID. He said yes and it is required by the government and must be done each time we go. So he took a copy of both and gave them back. I said to him, "Just like socialized medicine." And he looked at me and said "YUP"!

I did ask him if it was just for medicare patients and he said no and that it is for all patients.

Pretty soon the government will implant chips in us and that will be our universal ID for health-care, social security, airline travel, and to identify our body when we die. Welcome to the future.

Joann - I'm so sorry ... anything I can do?   Is she ok?

Not again......I'm sorry JoAnn, let us know how she is doing ok

Quoted from JoAnn

Thanks MT. She has compressed discs in her neck and she is in tremendous pain. The ER doctor said she was not sick enough to be admitted. :-/ So she is home with me. A nurse will be coming tomorrow to help me with her. She is just in too much pain and I don't have nursing skills on how to handle her. I'm afraid I will cause her more pain than she already has.

How is your mom MT?

Sorry to hear J ..

Hospice has her at home ... it won't be long, most likely.

I'm sorry for the two of you and your moms.  My heart is with you both..........

I hope all goes well for your Mom JoAnn and MT you have my deepest sympathy for what you're going through.

How is your mom doing JoAnn?

My mom ended up going into Kingsway Arms for about 3 weeks in Sept. for rehab due to her compressed discs. As usual, they did an outstanding job with her. My mom really would have preferred to stay there. And I can understand, since I am all she has here and I have to work, so she is alone during the day. Once she came home, I became sick and you will never guess what I came down with? Shingles! Although it was a mild case, my doctor suggested that I slow down, rest and get someone in to help me with my mom.

So I exhausted all efforts by reaching out to every organization out there. One was the Eddy. It is a great organization and offered everything my mom needed. The down side was that she would have to be poor. And I mean really poor. My mom is not poor nor rich. She is on a fixed income, owns a little home here in Rotterdam and has a little savings. The Eddy is also inclusive. She would have had to give up her doctors and use their doctors, nurses and lab technicians exclusively. They would be in charge of her medical care 100%. My mom nor myself were ready to give that up.

So through word of mouth, I found these 2 GREAT women to take care of my mom. One is a newly retired nurse from Glendale and the other an aid. So for the last 2 weeks, the aid goes in on Tues and Wed nights for 2 hours and makes sure she eats and takes her meds. The nurse goes in every Wed morning to give her breakfast, make sure she takes her pills and gives her a shower. Most importantly it is company for my mom and a break for me.

My mom's health seems to be pretty good except for her shortness of breath on light exertion. But her mind, well that's another story all in itself.

So thank you for asking Rene, but I bet you didn't think I'd be so long winded, huh? :)

And has your back problems gotten better?

They're not the "Angels" are they?

JoAnn, Kind of don't know what to say.  it sounds like things are status quo for now and being taken care of.  I'm glad you found people you can trust, I'm sure it means alot.  You need to take care of yourself, they say shingles is brought on due to stress in large part.  My girlfriends mom came down with them and she was told she could have gotten a shot to prevent them.  Something about if you didn't have the chicken pox when you were a kid.  Or was it if you did have the chicken pox?
My back???  I guess I will always have problems, my arm and hand still goes numb frequently but the pain is gone.  Thanks