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GMA is in nursing home in WI. GMA, moved with her one daughter, (not my mom), a few states away after GMP passed. That daughter thought, she could handle care. She could not, after isolating her from the rest of us that could. She put her in a crapy little town care facility states away from the rest of us. We took it in stride, best we could.

GMA developed pressure sore on heel. As Aunt began to not care about going to see her, once isolated. This was in summer of '14. GMA, not a complainer, started to need oxy every 4 hours for the pain associated with heel pressure sore. Finally saw a pix of the thing. It is huge. It is BLACK. Distributed photo to family. Have, MD, RN, LPN, ER Anesthesiologist, PT guy in MY extended family.

MD relative told me GMA is likely to need limb cut off at knee, provided there is adequate blood supply at that level. But Dr ordered angiogram at thigh level at appt . at wound care facility in Eau Clare tomorrow after learning of families talents. Soo thinking he thinks thing is going to need cut off at torso. Poor lady is 90. Best person you'd ever meet. My last living GMA.

I want to systematically cut the owner of this "care facility" off at the knees for may years to come, to repay him for cutting off my GMA at the knees. I have family member that is a politician, that rubs elbows with Govenors, Senators, Judges, and the AP in this region of the country. So that's an easy given. I have studied up medicare complaint systems to make sure the fines cost a lot. I have found sites that allow family members to sue for this kind of thing, there are 15 of us qualified. Figure we'll just release it all a little at a time to make sure this guy's life sucks as long as he is alive.

I don't feel that the Fed/State fines, prolonged law suits, negative press this jerk is going to experience for the next 10 years is enough. GMA is THE most angelic person any one could ever encounter. I don't even know if she will endure the surgical attempts to save her life that will ensue.

Any one have some more ammo? I will make this idiot's life not worth living, as he has made GMA's. For all the "little guys", thanks.

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That is the purpose of the Duoderm patches. They are suposed to slough off the dead tissue. Many people want them changed more often than every 7 days because they can smell but it is important to let them do their job then the sore can be cleaned out of the dead tissue and a new patch applied. This is not a fast process and the sore will heal from the outside in. When you see some bleeding during the cleaning process that is a good thing because it means the healthy tissue is begining to regenerate. Another alternative is to surgically clean out the sore and apply a skin graft but this is risky because the circulation is probably compromised and the graft will not take. Whatever means is used the pressure must be kept off the area at all times. Best thing is to prevent the sore in the first place but this is not always possible whatever the lawyers are quick to tell you. I have seen sores develope even on the ears and noses of dying patients. It only takes a few hours.
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Just went through something very similar, but with a cut mom received while at rehab for 2 months and they never noticed? I found it the day she was discharged when putting on her shoes and socks! They wanted to amputate at the hip region...I refused though they didn't want to stent at the time I went over the vascular surgeons head to head of surgery and they ended up stenting for blood flow to her legs.....try the wound care first...debriding, antibiotics... talk to her doctors about stenting her legs..yes they say it is high risk with GA but they will have to do it either way....mom's turned out great! Just have to keep an eye out for any infections...it's sad that we have our loved ones in facilities that are supposed to be experts at what they do that employ up to 100+ people but they miss the easiest things.....why do they not notice when dressing her everyday!!!We have to be the advocates for our family members and do checks as often as possible!Also small pillows to relieve the pressure while in bed.Good luck!
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new2this, so sorry for your GMA. I know you feel grief and guilt for not being able to do more. Maybe if you had lived closer you could have done more.
As far as the lawsuit, you would need firsthand knowledge of some sort of neglect, documentation that you saw this and you told them and they failed to use due diligence. Too late. All the money in the world won't bring GMA back to good health. Just be closer, make her comfortable if you can. That is what she really needs now.
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My dad was not diabetic either.
He had a blood clot that was NOT diagnosed in spite of various ER visits.
He had gangrene develop and very quickly grew on his foot.
I was filled with anger, but as my story progressed, I had to chose whether to focus on recovery or "revenge".
He went to ER again various specialist later they wanted to set a stint to prevent clog from going to lungs, then dependent on the circulation, proceed with the amputation. Dad was 89, his circulation below the knee was minimal, the doctors wanted to take the entire leg or at least to the knee. I wanted them to do the least. I knew at his age, any more than the foot would kill him from depression, he needed hope to walk again. I advocated, I pleaded, I prayed and I stayed in the hospital room until I spoke to every single doctor. They amputated half of his foot and scrapped/ removed his heal almost to the bone. He was none weight bearing for close to a year but he worked out every single day and by end of year he walked again.
I will not lie to you the post op year was rough, anesthesia and morphine can make the elderly very batty and combative, but we got past that her recuperated mentally as well.
He lived another three happy years. I can only imagine how guilty I would have felt if he had required and not survived further surgeries, but I really felt he would have made that choice himself....BTW he was cognizant, but afraid and he asked me to decide for him.

I share this in detail, because there are some similarities and I had a happy ending


Advocate for her the best you can, these things are very complicated and you never know how they will work out....the only measure of success is that she know you love her and you are in her corner.

I wish you and your grandmother the very best.
L
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Um. I understand how angry you must feel, but for the time being prioritise your grandmother's treatment, documenting carefully as you go. Once she's been treated, and God willing has made a good recovery, if you're still incandescent with rage you can think about who to sue - or, more usefully, report to the regulatory authorities.

It's a question of what to spend your energy on, you see. First things first, get her better. Have you spoken, by the way, to your grandmother's own doctor?
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So sad and so unfair but pressure sores do easily develope in the elderly and you have shared that the circulation in her lower leg is not good. You are so angry and looking for someone to blame and negligence may well be a facter on many levels but such emotion does not allow you to think clearly and find the best possible care for grandma. As CM says and I greatly respect her common sence set this aside and consolidate the considerable rescoures your family has and get the best possible care available which may need moving this much loved lady to a first class medical center which could be expensive. think about the next step very carefully and decide what the next best thep may be and how well your loved one will tolerate it mentally and physically. the loss of a limb to a healthy adult is devastating but to an elderly wheelchair bound person the pain relief obtained may be worth the loss of a limb hard as this sounds. But Grandma comes first. you can decide later if you really want to put the N/H owner through h*ll for the next ten years and put your own family through financial and emotional turmoil for the same length of time.
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My husband who is in a residential care facility developed a pressure injury (DTI) on his heel. The visiting nurse explained it would eventually open up and become infected with possible dire results. I was not satisfied with that prediction so I took him to a wound care center immediately where he was properly treated and completely healed within 5 weeks. He still wears heel protectors on both feet to prevent future DTIs. I understand your anger and feel badly for your grandma but my response might enlighten others to the frequency of these pressure injuries. I didn't have a clue when this first was discovered - actually by the visiting physical therapist while I was there. So - be aware.
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New2this. I completely understand your anger! My 92 year old Mom fell last summer and broke her arm...was sent to a 5 star medicare rated facility for rehab and in that awful place developed a stage IV pressure sore by her tailbone.She had a UTI that the idiots couldn't figure out, and they left her lying in bed for days. The uncaring physical therapist there kept telling me she had sundowners and that "old people get that way" when I tried to tell them her behavior was not characteristic of her! Mom was never diagnosed with Alzheimers or dementia and to blow off uncharacteristic behavior by saying that old people just "get that way has me livid. She was finally rushed to the hospital with delirium from the UTI they ignored, and I was told about the wound from the intake nurse at the hospital. I was stunned. Needless to say I never sent her back there and she is now at home and has a nurse and goes to a wound clinic. I did complain to the state health department...but if they go in there and don't see any problems later it really didn't vindicate anything for me. I saw they have a very huge lawsuit about something from someone else, so I am thinking that is going to be their comeupance for what they did to my poor mom. I wish you and all your Grandma's relatives the absolute best in this. These places should be held accountable!!
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Death Without Dignity is a book about the State of Texas taking a nursing home organization to trial for murder due to neglect and abuse. Decubitus ulcers was a recurring theme. I read the hardcover edition, but the author made it available on e-book in 2013. Several times in my own book (http://www.amazon.com/Before-Door-Closes-Daughters-Alcoholic/dp/1490808949/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1424542028&sr=1-1&keywords=judith+hall+simon) I talk about battling the nursing home regarding my father's pressure sores. One of the things my personal research turned up was to provide him with a genuine 100 percent sheepskin pad for his wheelchair.
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Contact your local long term care ombudsman and make a formal complaint regarding the care of your grandma. I'm so sorry this has happened to her, it's not right. good luck
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