My mom is "off" after brief ER/hospital stay?

From what I've read, and from one experience, hospital stays can be disorienting. When you think about all the lost of control, dependency, repetitive sounds, strangers, it's understandable, even for someone for isn't an elder or doesn't have dementia.

If your mother was given pain meds and/or was prescribed a new med to continue while at home, that could affect her as well. Research any new drugs and their side effects.

When I had emergency surgery almost 2 years ago, by the last day I was unsettled to the point that I couldn't sleep. The air was dry, my nasal passages were dry, I was having trouble breathing, I hadn't had fresh air for 4 days, I missed the fragrance of rain, the freshness of a breeze. I couldn't wait to get out of there and get outside.

It was raining when I left; I just stood in the parking lot, opened my arms and thought "free at last!"

So, yes, hospitals are disorienting.

Pamper your mom, play CDs of her favorite music, spend extra time with her and help her through this.

Pain meds could do it, an infection could do it, but have her checked out thoroughly. Did she have a catheter for the surgery? Check for UTI, especially if she did.

Miasmom, usually the releasing instructions include "see your physician as soon as possible" So call the MD's office, tell them all the medications she is on and ask them to see her. If she had a stroke that precipitated a fall, they will want to run more tests. If she can't leave home, the MD can send a visiting nurse to draw the blood sample for the lab.

I remember being in a hospital for a UTI and by the third day I found myself in seer panic [of course, at midnight the night before the fire alarms were going off with flashing lights out in the hallway, that was quite unnerving in itself]. Try going back to sleep after that.

Hospitals have different noises, different smells, people are talking at all hours of the day depending on where one's room is located. Your eating food you aren't familiar with, this hospital food had way too much spice for me to enjoy as I like basic fare.

The room itself the small window, similar to a basement window, was behind the bed so I wasn't able to see if it was sunny outside or raining or if it was night unless I turned on the TV to cable news.

Once home it took me a few days to get back on tract, and the antibiotics were doing a tap dance in my stomach which didn't help.