Friday July 31 10:30pm

Last call for the night. It has been a good evening. Dinner, Mom sitting up several times tonight. Still hoping to go home tomorrow. I don't see why not. Then, I have to get Mom's energy up and her knee good so she can take the trip to AZ. Just found out that we are going over to Prescott on Sunday and Sean will be in CA until Sunday night. Oh well, wish I had known that earlier.

I am looking forward to having both kids their partners home for Christmas. We have not had them both home for Christmas for about 3 years, I think. Just need to get on a schedule. This could be our last chance to have Sean home for Christmas for some time. He has spent the last 2 years in Prescott and Shelby went to visit Peter's fam in Washington last year and got to play in the snow and had a blast. Every other year would be great to share back and forth. I know that we have to enjoy it while he is still state side before he gets sent overseas where he wants to go and I do want one year to have the family together. It will be great fun.

Grandma should be up to par by then and I am sure that there will be plans for fun things to do. Cooking, games, movies, friends, gifts and a surprise of 2, who knows. Just hope we can make it work.

Will let everyone know when we get home!!!!!!! A shower will be great and seeing Shannen tomorrow will be a blessing for my hair

July 21 Fri 2:30pm

This morning, the internist was in and as far as he is concerned, Mom can go home. Now, it is all up the orthopedic doctor. He is coming in today (probably at dinner?????????????) to drain the fluid off of Mom's knee and send the fluid for cultures. The fluid that was sent out on Tues. is still not back yet. We really want to go home and get into our own beds!

Today, Mom has been up twice sitting in chairs as she is getting tired of being in bed. Her knee is not as painful as it has been.

I think that we have been here too long as some of the food Mom says is actually good. The ziti was wonderful and today's lunch soup was good. Her appetite is good, just have to build up her strength, AGAIN.

Until I have more to report, TTFN, Jennie

Friday July 31 3:30pm

Dr. Metros (ortho) just left. He was unable to draw any fluid out of Mom's knee. GOOD NEWS! The prelim. cultures from Tues are negative for growth (no infec.). What we have here is arthritis (pseudo gout). The best treatment will be occasional injec. of cortisone to her knee. No surg. to the knee.

Dr. Metros says that as far as he is concerned, Mom can travel to Prescott for Sean's commissioning. Just have to get the okay from Dr. Borecky or Dr. Rodriguez. I know how much she wants to go, so she will work hard to be able to go.

Technically, she could have:
chondrocalcinosis /chon·dro·cal·ci·no·sis/ (-kal″sĭ-no´sis) the presence of calcium salts, especially calcium pyrophosphate, in the cartilaginous structures of one or more joints.

Unless something happens between now and Sat. AM, we will be leaving this establishment and going home.

The physical therapist just left and Mom got up and walked about 25 feet with the walker VERY WELL. I am confident that going home will be easier this time than it was the first of the month. Strength building and endurance is what we need to work on.

It's all good news. I will keep the blog going to keep everyone up to date on how she is doing after we get home. TTFN

Thurs July 30 9:20pm

Today has been a good day. Mom's knee is less swollen and is almost back to a normal temp. The knee is still very tender to touch, but doesn't pain Mom other than that. This is good news. She can move her knee some without too much pain. She has only taken 1 pain pill and that was Wed. night.

Dr. Metros the orthopedic/sports medicine doctor stopped in this evening. He is not sure that there is an infection in her knee. Boy, I love it when the doctors don't agree! ARGH! He is coming in tomorrow and draining the fluid off of her knee and will send in his own cultures. We don't know any results yet of the cultures that were from the fluid taken in the doctors office on Tues.

I don't know if we are going home tomorrow or not. There has not been any discussion about that yet. I am thinking that these 2 doctors need to talk to each other before anyone discharges Mom.

So, until I know more Friday AM, goodnight.

Thurs July 30 8am

The doctor came in this morning and:
1. the CAT Scan done yesterday was normal. YEAH!
2. the cardiac echo done yesterday was normal. YEAH!

She may be a little anemic, but he thinks that might be due to the IV fluids and all the water she drinks diluting her blood. He is taking her off of the IV fluids to see if this helps.

We just noticed that she has some bleeding from her PICC line area, and after 10 minutes, the nurse has still NOT COME to the room. I am on my way down there now! They come instantly when was need more water, but I don't think this is worth waiting over. ERG!

BAD NEWS:
The doctor is not sure she will be able to travel to Prescott for Sean's commissioning ceremony. Maybe if she flies, that is so not fair. Maybe she will have a rapid recovery and can travel. Will not know until the last minute.
More later, Jennie

grandma, Wed. 9:45

Grandma had a pain pill for her knee and it is helping. Her knew is also not so 'hot'. It's been a long day and she is getting sleepy and I had a horrible nigh sleeping in 2 chairs made into a ?bed?. The Charge Nurse found me a pull out bed to sleep in which is nice. We have a big corner room so there is room. There will be more to report tomorrow, Thurs. after the doctor has been in. We may have some answers to several of the tests she had today.

Will post again tomorrow...jennie

Wed. July 29, 2009 3:00pm

Okay, Mom has had her MRI with contract to check her brain. No results yet, except that we know that she still has a brain.
She got her PICC line in at lunch and the line is in the right place so we can start her IV antibiotics.
She is eating well which is a good thing.
Mom is getting great care. I think it helps that I am here 24\7 and they know it.
Thank you to everyone who is praying and sending good healing thoughts her way.
She has to get good enough to travel to Prescott for Seans commissioning with the doctors permission. I know that as a family, we have been waiting for this day for a long time, so we all really want her to be there. I got a hotel reservation at a nice hotel so we have room to move, got a great price. So we are planning on taking her with us, always thinking positive about this.

till next time...

July 28 Update, 10am

Well, here is the new plan of attack for Grandma: She was admitting again to the hosp. on Tues afternoon.

Wed.: Mr. Mallow (internist) came in this morning and we are going to attack this with a vengeance apparently. She is going to get another PICC line. This allows her to have IV antibiotics, which she will need between 2-4 weeks, depending on how her knee responds. The knee is still very warm and painful this morning she has had 2 IV antibiotic treatments so far. The PICCC line allows me to do the IV antibiotics at home when she is discharged; the length of stay is still to be determined.

She is having a MRI with contrast right now at 9:30am. Also, she will have a cardiac echo to make sure that her heart is functioning properly. She will also have an ortho. consult to check her knee. If the antibiotics don’t or can’t clear up the infection, she might need surgery. GAWD I hope not, she is not one for surgery, let alone rehab. She does have an order for pain medical for her knee.

She feels good other than her knee right now. As you can imagine, she is very frustrated being fussed over. More info to come as it arises. Jennie

Jennie

Mom of a US Army officer! Commissioning is in Aug. Then off to OK or GA for more training. Mess with me and you can deal with him. I have a new daughter. Sean married Karli Kinon McFarling on May 24th.

Busy helping to plan a wedding for Shelby and Peter for June 2010.
EX-CA Grand Bethel MARSHAL Mom ;(, but Shelby made it a year to remember forever.