I always counted on at least a month for my husband to bounce back after being in the hospital. That was over and above recovering from the medical condition that put him there.
Hospitalization is sometimes absolutely necessary, but it is hard on all of us, especially as we age.
Elderly folks tend to take longer to bounce back after an acute episode. If you think about it, their whole life has been disrupted- they are in unfamiliar surroundings (rarely does anyone get quality sleep in the hospital), her comfort is compromised, she doesn’t recognize who all these people are taking care of her etc.. It is difficult for them. Give her time to heal. Pseudomonas infections are particularly hard to treat but can be successfully treated. She may need rehab after her hospital stay to help her get her strength back. And always work with her health card providers - make a list of questions to ask them when you see them or if that have come & gone, put a call into their office. Often her PCP won’t even see her while in the hospital - many hospitals now use an set up where a Hospitalist takes over care from the PCP. I think this occurred to prevent doctors from being spread too thin by having to see enough patients to break even and the PCP just doesn’t have time to made a visit to a hospital. Her WBC is coming down and that’s a good indicator that mom is improving. Her Hgb of 9 means she may be tired as her organs aren’t getting enough oxygen. 9 is low but may not be low enough for a transfusion. The most important care she should receive is hydration via IV if she can’t drink a lot of fluids on her own and proper nutrition. Hopefully she will get better but there is no guarantee she will come back home as the person she was before this episode. Thanks for being such a good caregiver to your mother.
Hospitalization is sometimes absolutely necessary, but it is hard on all of us, especially as we age.
Give her time to heal. Pseudomonas infections are particularly hard to treat but can be successfully treated.
She may need rehab after her hospital stay to help her get her strength back.
And always work with her health card providers - make a list of questions to ask them when you see them or if that have come & gone, put a call into their office.
Often her PCP won’t even see her while in the hospital - many hospitals now use an set up where a Hospitalist takes over care from the PCP. I think this occurred to prevent doctors from being spread too thin by having to see enough patients to break even and the PCP just doesn’t have time to made a visit to a hospital.
Her WBC is coming down and that’s a good indicator that mom is improving. Her Hgb of 9 means she may be tired as her organs aren’t getting enough oxygen. 9 is low but may not be low enough for a transfusion.
The most important care she should receive is hydration via IV if she can’t drink a lot of fluids on her own and proper nutrition.
Hopefully she will get better but there is no guarantee she will come back home as the person she was before this episode.
Thanks for being such a good caregiver to your mother.