The Never Ending Story

Without elaborating on Val's previous entry, I'll just say that mom is still in a lot of pain, not only in her legs but her entire body. Medication that is being administered does not seem to be doing the job. She was offered some medication earlier but refused it.

Around 4 this morning she vomitted several times. Staff cleaned her up and when I arrived at 7 this morning she shared what had happened and that she hadn't slept since. Breakfast was not served because she is scheduled for her procedure at 2:30 this afternoon. Her nurse, Colleen, came in, did her assessment and talked with mom and I. Mom said her pain level is at 10, I explained that she has a very high pain threshold and when she complains of pain, it's serious. Her regular meds were administered to include pain medication, all on an empty stomach. She vomitted that up within a 1/2 hour.

Saturday morning her nurse, Debbie, noticed some redness on her butt. Not surprising since she has been in bed since Wednesday. I requested we see about getting an air mattress or specialty bed in to help alleviate that problem. Yesterday I learned that the Dr had signed off on the order for the bed, however, there wasn't a supervisor available to confirm and place the order. It being Sunday and all. This morning the midnight nurse manager approached me, discussed the procedural confusion, apparently there was someone available to confirm and place the order yesterday, and assured me the bed would be here within an hour. This was a 8 a.m. Around 10 I learned that the bed (mattress with pump) was not kept on site, the order had to be placed, processed, loaded on a delivery vehicle, delivered and set up. The turn around time is 4 hours, I was told they had until noon. My dissatisfaction was expressed.

The admitting Dr came to see mom this afternoon. Additional discussion of pain ensued. Mom stressed again the continuing problem throughout her body. I shared, again, that mom's pain tolerance would kill a rhino and so far, nothing that has been administered has resolved the pain issue. The Dr ordered IV pain meds, Dilaudid I think.

There is some good news, the bed was delivered at 11:58, within the 4 hour parameter, and Discharge Planning let me know that Heartland Oakland (where she was last spring for her hip rehab) is holding a bed for her. That made me smile; the admitting problem hasn't been resolved, but they've got her aftercare handled.

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