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She's been in rehab for 5 weeks for a fracture of a replaced hip. She fell out of bed at her rehab facility yesterday and was then unresponsive. They took her to the hospital by ambulance where she was intubated to protect her airway and placed in the ICU. She also still has some pneumonia, even though it was treated in the rehab facility. Now she’s been extubated and is awake, but is confused. She doesn’t recognize us and is unable to move her shoulder. They just x-rayed her and discovered a scapular fracture.


A CT scan was done when she was brought in and it was clear for a brain bleed or stroke. Could the sedation for the intubation be causing this confusion? The doctor seems to think the reason she was mostly unresponsive when she was brought in was because they had given her pain meds and Xanax at the rehab facility, as she had been agitated the night before she was brought in. But now I wonder if it’s all related. Could the CT scan miss something, or is it likely just side effects of the propofol they gave her to sedate her?


It feels like her condition is snowballing out of control now after the hip fracture. I’ve honestly been expecting things to worsen, but it’s so hard to watch her go through it. I don’t know how much more her frail body can take. And yes, she directed full medical intervention (thus the mechanical ventilation) and now she’s just miserable. It seems like such an insult to her body.

As an RN, I can address many of your healthcare concerns.
1 - Your mom was unconscious and most likely not breathing well - poor oxygenation, ineffective respirations, labwork all pointing to the need for additional respiratory support. In short, she needed to be intubated.

2 - When she no longer needed to be intubated, you noticed a change in her mental ability. Several things can cause this: sedation-type medications, poor oxygenation before intubation, infection, a stroke. The CT scan would show any damage to her brain caused by a stroke. The CT scan will not detect changes caused by infection, blood chemistry changes, or medications. If she hasn't had a stroke - permanent brain damage - then treating the other causes should eventually bring her mentation back to her usual.
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Reply to Taarna
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Waghmg: Pose your question to her physician.
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Reply to Llamalover47
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Confusion and hospital-induced psychosis exceptionally common as is confusion in any intensive care situation, or when there is anxiety and hyper-or hypo-oxygenation.

Speak to Dr about this, Wag. They will have much better idea that we can in helping to guess at what is going on.
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Reply to AlvaDeer
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Elainera Jun 19, 2025
I definitely agree with AlvaDeer.
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I echo all the sentiments listed here. It’s a shame she’s opting for all medical intervention. It’s only postponing the inevitable. Best to start in hospice/ palliative care so she may have a “good” death. Praying for you.
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Reply to Gramma4
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I am very sorry about your mom. Yes, it is time to get the doctor to sign off on Hospice Care. She can qualify if she has chronic or terminal conditions. It is possible that the drugs used to sedate your mom caused post cognitive dysfunction. Anesthesia does that. Right now, life looks bad. I know you are grieving for your mom. You will get through this sad journey. I watched the ending of both my parents. No one prepares you for this part of life.
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Reply to Onlychild2024
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I am sorry you are going through this. Yes, sedation and anaesthesia and medication can all contribute to cognitive impairment. Your Mom has a variety of medical issues going on and collectively could all contribute to cognitive decline. My husband suffered post anaesthesia cognitive impairment in hospital. He regained some but not all of his mental accuity after his recovery. Ultimately that is what led to testing and the diagnosis that he has Alzheimers; the surgery and anaesthesia and medication all exacerbated the underlying condition making it worse. My prayers are with you and your Mom.
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Reply to Kathryn41
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There is a possibility that some of her confusion/delirium will lesson. With my loved one, given time she has come back very close to the way she was 3 weeks ago. I am giving her more time, taking it one day at a time. Each day is different with one being up, the next being down. No need to give up just because of a number.
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Reply to PDLncga1
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My mom went through all of this pain and suffering. Very important that you seriously consider Hospice now. Their expertise and compassion will help your mom and your family understand this final life transition. God bless.
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Reply to andHolding
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If she is still mentally competent, I would ask her if she would like to remove the mechanical ventilation and go on hospice - Now!
If she is not deemed mentally competent, and has a medical proxy, that person should start taking charge, and determine a course of treatment (or non-treatment) as allowed by her healthcare directive, and hopefully guide her into hospice care.
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Reply to CaringWifeAZ
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mommabeans Jun 19, 2025
Sounds like her healthcare directive was Full Code. Seems illogical for a 90 year old.
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I'm so sorry for what you are watching happen to your mom. I think, from your tone, that you realize that the full medical intervention is not really in her best interest now. Who has medical POA? I think that person can step in and stop the interventions if mom is determined by a doctor to be incapable of making decisions. How awful it would be for mom to have go through CPR at her age and fragility. I do think hospice is your next step as it sounds to me like comfort care is more important now than medical interventions.
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Reply to graygrammie
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The formal term for this is delirium. There are usually many questions about why but generally speaking there is no single reason, usually there are multiple contributors. It can get better, especially if the situation is calm, most of the contributors can be removed. (not always possible, for example, just being in an unfamiliar environment and being woken up are contributors) and there are no new events, or it can be prolonged. Regardless, it is very scary for family to see how fragile their loved one’s mental state can be and that it can so easily be “tipped over “.
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Reply to Rumbletown
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Have them check for a UTI. Did she have a urinary catheter.
In the elderly UTIs cause dementia type behavior.
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Reply to Frenchie36
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I'm so sorry you and mom are going through this. About mom - lots of people come through this sort of thing, and some don't. You've done your part by seeking advice, keeping yourself informed, and being a good advocate for mom. She couldn't ask for more.

May peace be with you no matter what happens.
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Reply to Fawnby
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Wag, very often a break is the beginning of the end for someone your mom's age. It is so sad to see a frail body, that is failing, being put through the insult of medical intervention.

I hope your brother and SIL are standing witness to what they are doing to your mom. They need to come to reality and seeing the suffering can be effective for that.

There really isn't much anyone can say in this situation. I can only encourage you to take care of your needs; eat, sleep, rest and pray (if that's your thing). Love your mom and say whatever needs saying while you travel through this difficult time.

May The Lord give you strength, guidance and comfort during this time. May HE give your mom peace, comfort and rest as she leaves this world.

Great big warm hug!
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Reply to Isthisrealyreal
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Pneumonia will cause confusion. Your Mom had a fractured hip, that in itsself could be a problem. Especially if anesthesia was used.

You Mom is 90. They are good until they aren't. She may never be 100% again. A hip fracture can be deadly to someone your Moms age.
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Reply to JoAnn29
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Any and all of what you have described can cause confusion in a frail 90 year old . Being in ICU can also cause hospital delerium . All of this is now an insult to her body .

What all this could mean is that she could likely be in her final decline . It is hard to watch . I’m so sorry that your Mom is wanting every medical intervention tried . IMO now would be the time for just keeping her calm and comfortable.
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Reply to waytomisery
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You are correct...all this medical intervention is now "an insult to her body."
It is often a fall in the elderly and the pursuing consequences that will end in their demise. Your mom is a good example of that.
I do hope that she doesn't have to suffer much longer and that she can die in peace.
Perhaps it's now time to bring hospice on board.
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Reply to funkygrandma59
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So sorry to see this. I read your post earlier today and know you were concerned regarding the intubation.

But yes, she can be confused due to any or all of what she’s been given and gone through plus hospital delirium. It may take her awhile to clear up or she may not. She has a lot going on.

I’m sorry for all you and your family are going through. Thanks for giving us an update. Hugs
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Reply to 97yroldmom
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