My Mom has Parkinson's Diseases and just had her 4th surgery in one year due spinal cord issues and her falling all the time. When a CT and MRI was perform after 2 major falls, one hitting her head and losing feeling in her arms and the second fall on her tailbone and loss of bladder control and intermediate loss of leg usage they found her neck was in inches away from b n paralyzed, from neck down. If she fell and hit her head and neck again she would b paralyzed. And if she fell on her tail bone again she would b paralyzed from waste down. 1. Cervical fusion 4-6. Successful but lost a lot of short term memory. Feb2016. 2. June 2016 Lumbar fusion 3-6,( fell 7 days later at rehab, rehab failed to hear us of her huge fail risk and didn't have alarm on the bed at night and Mom forgets to ask for help. The rehab never took an X-ray or CT!!! So months later after mom continued to have severe low back pain and bladder lost. A Ct and MRI was done showing hardware screws came loose at lumbar 5 causing 2 vertebrae fractures, also blood supple cut off blood to head of femur in hip (AVN), she could no longer walk and became completely no bladder control). 3. Oct 2016 Hip replacement had to b done prior to fixing the lumber fusion failure because she needed to be able to walk so fusion would have a chance of healing. 4. Feb. 3 2017 Lumbar 5 fusion repair went great. However, fluid pocket was found while surgeon was in. He took a sample, it was staph. Mom has big time anesthesia problems and is combative upon waking. She rips out IV ever time she wakes up, etc. She went to a different rehab and nursing facility and for reasons unknown she became violently ill, throwing up with in 30 mins of gets here pain med and dinner. The vomiting hurt so much, Mom thought she was having a heart attack. So they gave her nitroglycerin and rush her to hospital. Now she is back to pulling out her IV's and is very disorientated, especially at night, sundown we think. Now they want to put a PICC line in at the elbow area. My question is, won't she still want to rip this out too? Is this a wise choice to have done to my Mom. Appreciate any input, as they want to put in PICC line in first thing tomorrow morning Saturday February 11th. I'm very tired and extremely worried, along with being a single Mom. So sorry if my writing is not the best.
I think you can only be guided by your mother's medical team. Ask them what happens if she attempts to remove this new line; ask them how they would restrain her if she does; ask them what, realistically, they are hoping to achieve and what you should prepare yourself for.
And you have a right to expect patient, comprehensible explanations. Don't apologise for asking, and don't let them walk away until you're satisfied that they've told you everything that can be known at this stage. You do have to bear in mind that a) sometimes there aren't any good options and b) sometimes it's impossible to predict how things will go.
I hope they succeed in making your mother more comfortable. Take care of yourself, too.
I saw your post, but with no update. 3 months ago, sounds like you were all having alot of hard decisions to make. I do know with the Parkinson disease alone, things are hard enough. (my sweet Dad was hit with this terrible disease). Let alone your Mom had so many other things going on. Please let me know how she is and you and your family are holding up.
I just lost my precious Mom just 23 days ago. She had so many things going on. And she fought a good fight. But I guess heaven needed another angel.
Take care
Yes she can pull the PICC line out too. It may be less conspicuous for her to see but if she is so restless and disoriented, she can manage to pull it. They insert the line bedside but will probably need restraining as the patient must be still.
How much more can she tolerate?
Palliative care is an option the family should discuss. I don't know details but does she want to continue treatment? Does the family want to continue as well? With staph she is going to need IV access and soon.
Be aware too, that if they try antipsychotics to calm her, it can make the Parkinson's worse and affect her swallowing and nutrition. There are additional meds to counteract that, but at some point there can be nothing but rocks and hard places.
Whatever happens, get the best information you can and know that if your heart is in the right place, your decisions will be the best you can make... and that Mom is blessed to have someone caring at her side through all of this, however it all turns out.
Is she strong enough to undergo surgery and chemo for lung cancer? On top of bone infection? Why are they testing for things like that, if she's not strong enough to undergo the treatment? I guess, I'm confused. Do any of her doctors regularly work with people who have her conditions? Are they providing her adequate pain relief? I'd be curious as to what they are trying to accomplish.
Those spots and lesions are signs of cancer. This would instantly make her eligible for hospice if she chooses only pain relief and comfort care (palliative) not to fight it. She's been through so much. Her last months could be peaceful and gentle, instead of filled with beeps and drips from the hospital, in and out, nausea, so much. Hospice has social workers and grief counselors to help you ALL not just the patient.
It is so hard, but we all go at some point. Faith is a huge help here.