More Testing

QUICK NOTES:

Mom's cardio monitor has been removed because her vitals are stable.  

Her wound drainage apparatus has also been removed.  Nurses cleaned and redressed her leg.

The swelling in her leg has decreased a little bit.

Mom's chemotherapy has been pushed back three weeks.

MOM'S RETURN:

Dad would like for mom to come back to the states as soon as possible.  Her passport is good until 

April 2014.  We are going to ask for permission from her oncology doctor.  Dad would like for them to live in an apartment in Las Vegas, walking distance to the hospital.  It would be great if we could get Auntie Ne to come with them.

FEEDING TUBE:

The nurse was going to put a feeding tube through mom's nose because she has been refusing to eat the hospital food and take her oral medications.  She argued with the nurse (as she was about to install it) and then promised to eat and swallow her medicine from now on.  

With the doctor's permission, Israel went to the cafeteria and bought mom rice with apritada sauce (tomato/chicken broth).  Mom loved it.  Then she took her medicine between bites.  We asked the dietician to allow for more flavorful foods to be served to mom.  She consented.

Mom's dietician has changed her diet from liquids to liquids and soft solids.  She had mashed potatoes and gravy and egg flower soup for dinner.

BLOOD WORK:

Mom's blood is tested once or twice a day.  She is low on electrolytes, potassium and phosphorous.  She has not been taking her oral supplements but hopefully she will from now on.  

DAD:

Auntie Myra has offered Dad a room at her house but he refuses to leave mom.  He sleeps on a bench in mom's room every night.  

BLOOD TRANSFUSION:

Mom needs another blood transfusion.  The hospital policy is that we donate a unit for every unit mom uses.  Dad is not able to donate blood because he is taking multiple medications. I am not able to donate blood because I am taking Accutane.  Israel is not able to donate because he has a tattoo (this is against their regulations).  Auntie Ne is too scared to do it.  Jordan is too young.  We are going to have to buy blood from an outside source.  The hospital will make the arrangments.

NEUROLOGY:

Mom's doctors would like mom to see a neurologist.  She has been sleeping most of the day and she does not always make sense.  Her pain medications are only light sedatives.  They should not be putting her to sleep for 80% of the day.  This is how often she is sleeping recently.  The doctors say it could be due to one of several things.

1. Elderly generally patients take a longer time to recover, and the longer the hospitalization, the more likely these symptoms will show up.

2.  Metastasis of Stomach Cancer - a doctor noted that observable cancer spots were seen on an x-ray of mom's skull.  This could be the reason why her mentation is degenerating and she is having trouble going to sleep. She does not have a regular sleep pattern.

3.  Signs of Dementia

4.  Signs of Alzheimer's

The neurologist interviewed mom.  Mom got about half the questions wrong.

Mom had an EEG (brain wave assessment) done.  See picture below.

Tomorrow she will have a CT scan done.

After Dr. Alvarez, the neurologist, reviews all the test results, they will explain to us what they think is causing mom's sleepiness and lowered cognition.  I will let you know as soon as possible.

KUYA & JOSEP:

Thanks for letting me call you in the middle of the night.  Sometimes I just need someone to talk to.  This is a hard job.  I love you guys.