Well we thought we were going to send her back to the nursing home today. She was supposed to get a PICC line put in to get routine iron infusions. IV therapy tried yesterday, got it in but couldn't advance it enough so they left it in place and radiology was supposed to finish it today. When we got there today it was like a 360degree change. She was irritable, distended, short of breathe, did I say irritable? She hadn't had a BM in 3 days, wanted us to dig it out!!! When I refused she tried to get my husband to do it and really admonished him that he wouldn't do that for his Mom. Right as the nurse was getting ready to call the doctor for something she let it all out and I would imagine people at the front door 3 floors down realized it! It was awful. But after changing her diaper, her bed and pulling her way up in bed she was a changed woman. This woman with severe COPD, distended belly from constipation laying way down in a bed with the head of the bed elevated was miserable. My heaven, a person with COPD has enough diminshed lung capacity then you put an obese distended belly pressing on it and you have her way down in the bed with the head up, what is it going to do to those poor comprimised lungs. I just don't think they teach nurses anything anymore. So we then felt comfortable leaving. I called later to see how she was doing. Mom had pulled the PICC line out, bled all over the place. So now the hematologist and family doc are going to talk it over to decide what is next. I don't see why they don't do one of those central lines that just leave a little button on their chest.

I had one of those central lines with a button on my chest and HATED IT! the tub leads up your internal jugular and you feel it every time you move your head. it was awful! I hated it and couldnt wait for my treatment to be over so I could have it removed. The picc line is sooooo much more comfy! you dont feel it once its in other than to have the bandage changed. if they tape it well to her arm, it should stay in place.

Having a distended belly and COPD... I cant even imagine how uncomfy she was. To beg someone to "dig" you out is a horrible thing, she must have been desperate. Im glad she went on her own.

nursing care has changed DRAMATICALLY over the last 10 years. They are given 30 patients a piece to care for, they have no time to do social care, let alone insurance company care, and deal with families, and the rounding MDs. They are over worked, underpaid, and pushed for 12 hours to go go go! Im afraid I wouldnt cut it as a hospital nurse anymore.

Hope mom continues to do well. Hang in there.

Well they got the PICC line in this morning, gave the iron infusion and then took the PICC out!!!!! they gave her a larger iron dose which of course would last longer and said next time she needs another iron infusion they will have to deal with it then. She will go back to the nursing home today

Oh Doydie, so hard to be in that situation- for you and your husband and the MIL.

Iron is constipating. So, I hope they are giving her something to counter that!

ANN

The nusrsing home she lives in really seems to care for her. Vi is not one who socializes with people so she doesn't like the residents except her table mate who has some sort of neck condition that requires her to wear this severe nexk brace to even have her head up a little. But she is nice and alert and does what she can to pull Vi out of her shell. But the staff love her. I bought her areally nice cotton shirt that of course was beautiful when she first wore it but after the first wash looked terrible. Her aide took it home and ironed it and still does to this day. She has natural white hair and they love to french braid it, fix in some special way every day. Now as in any nursing home they aren't johny on the spot in answering needs for bathroom and such but they make sure she is dressed well each day, make sure her room looks special. She is on Medicaid and therefore had been on the medicaid unit in a small 2 bed room. The social worker really likes her and they have a private room on a medicare unit that they save for long term residents when the previous resident dies. So they offered it to Vi. She felt like a queen. It's no bigger than a lot of our bathroom but to her it's a castle and it is hers. So she and us were glad for her to get back home again. She will complain about the food but it's home

You must be so relieved that she is in a place where they like her. I wish all nursing homes could be like that.

It's a family owned and operated. The big comglomerate nursing homes look nice from the outside but they are big business. This one doesn't have the greatest of food but they care. And my first head nurse of whom I dearly loved is one of the RNs on staff.

Ah, so sorry to hear of all of this...try your best to keep your stress level down...