Re: Rose's reply to Gwen

oh Rose, so sorry to hear all this.

Prayers are still coming for Sylvia to recover all things and for the family
to get thru all this. My heart goes out to all of you.


--
Love and Hugs to all
Jo the squirrely one
I am nuts about you.
"RoseB" <imarosa.1@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:es0h645cbckus735p7d50gdn58vqedalac@xxxxxxxxxx
On Sun, 29 Jun 2008 17:07:35 -0500, <sweetpickleNO@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

Thinking about your sister and wondering how she is doing now.
Gwen
Hi Gwen,
Thanks for askiing. I cannot remember where she was when in her
recovery (?) the last time I posted, but here is a summary of what has
happened.
Mid April Sylvia developed pneumonia and spent two weeks in the local
hospital. She was discharged although she was not better. She was home
for less than a week and needed to go back to the hospital in an
ambulance. She was then transported to the next largest city in the
region Kamloops). The doctor thought the problem was her heart. She
was sent to Vancouver via air ambulance and was found to be in septic
shock.
May 4 to June 4 in ICU in Vancouver (St Paul's hospital- it
specializes in sepsis and septic shock) She had a tracheotomy and is
unable to come off the ventilator. Doc told us that she may never
leave ICU or never come off the vent.

June 4 transferred back to Kamloops. In and out of isolation due to
exposure to 'super bug" beginning the process of weaning off the
vent.

around about June 12 sylvia tried to pull out her naso-gastric tube. I
saw her swallow it, as they threaded it back down.

June 14 we find out she has lost her ability to swallow. (hmmm)
There is a good chance she will never eat, drink, or speak again.

June 19th moved into the "step down ward" Some progress is made and
Sylvia seems stable. She is delirious however as a result of ICU
induced psychosis (AKA ICUitis).

June 25
my sister iris and i visit. Sylvia continues to be delirious, there
is a total lack of affect when we enter the room. she is talking but
it is not coherent. does not seem well cared for (hair dirty,etc) I
started to go into detail, but then realized this was not the best
forum for that

June 26
she is moved to a regular ward

June 27
Back in ICU
has sepsis again (This time they have identified pseudomonas and
staph hominis)

June 29 (today)
Seemed to be relatively aware, but can only mouth words with no voice
production. was able to follow a conversation.


I am very concerned about the throat, as i saw her swallow and no one
has any answers about how she lost that ability. I cannot imagine the
t ype of life that she will need to live if she can never eat, drink,
or speak again.

I saw that there is a device that speech paths use to help people
regain their swallow following strokes. I asked about this in step
down, but was told they do not use this here. I will follow this up
when she is better. I could not live with myself if i did not do
everything possible to get her back.

She is not much better Gwen and it has been two months.
Rose @}->--
Being educated means that rather than fearing the unknown,
one seeks to understand it.

Please remove "Ima" to reply.


.