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She is in excrutiating pain. xrays showed a fractures, degenerated disks
and curvature of spine and spine damage. She is 93 (in 2 days).
She fell and I took to emergency room. xrays, cat scans he said there is nothing that can be done. Sent her home with Methocarbamol 750 (muscle relaxer) and tylenol 3 - not to be taken together.
He said to me he was going to ask me a strange question...he asked if I was bringing her here to have her placed? I finally figured out he meant NH. I said no. He asked if I was prepared to take her home...I said yes, I'm devoted to her and just want her pain to go away. I thought that waas strange.
Now, she can't move without out crying out. Some pain meds make her wacky.
She is spending all her time in bed.
How do you care for someone who is in so much pain. I can't lift her.
Any suggestions? How do I get a hospital bed brought to our home?

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To clarify. She didn't hurt her back when she fell. She has had back problems since childhood. Many surgeries.
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Call a medical supply company and have a bed delivered. If you want insurance to help pay for it, first have her doctor prescribe it.

The ER doctor's questions weren't strange, in my mind. When people get to a point where they need more care than a single individual can give them what they need in a home setting then often the way to get them the best care is to place them where there are numerous caregivers working in shifts so they all get good nights of sleep and have a life. Where there is access to appropriate pain medication and easy to experiment with the correct dosage and exact meds. Where there is equipment and more than one person available to minimize pain of moving. Many persons in your situation would want to have their loved one "placed" -- so the doctor's question is not so strange.

On the other hand, Mother perhaps derives comfort from having you near and being in familiar surroundings.

Has anyone suggested she might be near the end of life's journey? If she qualifies for Hospice that may be an excellent option to consider. They are all about managing pain, keeping the patient comfortable, and providing comfort to the caregiver and family as well.
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Ok...well thats some deep muscles relaxers she is in a alt of pain, the reason why the dr ask you that cause from here on out she is not gonna be the same age is factor in this situation....she must have really hurt herself and if you not able to care for her with this pain NH would be the choice or Home care just to give you help, you can have the dr write a prescib for the bed or medicare may help you
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You know the way the doctor asked..."I'm going to ask you a dumb question, but what can I do for YOU"? Then asked if I was wanting her "placed" So he was giving me an out. He has seen me with her in emergency room several times in the past couple years. He also knew I ended up in the hospital this winter for 4 days IVs. He was there.
The first day the meds knocked her pain and her out. Today it didn't completely work, still has pain.
Maybe I will have to consider NH. Oh my, I never wanted to have to do it. If she doesn't keep getting up she will loose being able to walk again, I'm afraid.
If it's the best thing for her, I'll consider. But I don't know if I could stand the guilt.
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no dnt think guilt think of it as safety you dnt want her falling again, cause if she keeps falling she is gonna go down hill real quick..drs seems to know whats gonna happen especially with the situation you have going...im gonna ask you question...what about HOME CARE is that a option for you
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My mother is 85 with very bad osteoporosis. Her back sort of crumbled 2 summers ago, and xrays showed compression fractures. After a few months of bed rest and pain killers the doctor put her on Forteo inections. I copied and pasted this from the Foreo website: "Teriparatide injection contains a synthetic form of natural human hormone called parathyroid hormone (PTH). It works by causing the body to build new bone and by increasing bone strength and density (thickness)." Within 3 weeks of using Forteo, my mother felt a whole lot better. I'm not sure if it was the injections alone or if it was just the passage of time. I'm not sure if this sort of thing would help in your mother's situation, but I had to throw it out there for you just in case. Medicare picks up some of the expense and the Forteo company qulified Mom for their program to help elderly on fixed incomes. I think it can be quite costly if not. When my mother started yelling about pain in her back, we almost thought it was because her broken hip had healed and she still wanted the limelight. She enjoys poor health more than anything in the world. But, xrays don't lie, and her pain was very real. I wish you luck. I can understand you feeling guilty about the possibility of placing your mother in a NH. I haven't gotten to that point in this journey yet!
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