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Hello,
Unfortunately, my Mom Rebecca has kept a UTI for a long time with many antibiotics taken, and since her latest stroke a few weeks ago, she was hospitalized again with a UTI. The doctor put a catheter up her to more directly take care of it, but this backfired, because of a reaction she had to the cath. I told the hospital that she might be allergic to latex. Anyway, we took a whole round of the same oral med that didn’t kill it all. So, the doctor put her on Ammoxicillin, but it only was killing the e coli. The lab test revealed three different bad bacteria, one of which is citrobacter. So, another doctor has had her on the generic for Macrobid. We are halfway through the dosage, and there hasn’t been a lot od improvement, except for the urine not smelling really bad like it did. Now, she’s been so drowsy that it’s hard to get her to drink and eat enough. The on call nurse said that she didn’t think that the Macrobid was causing the “lethargy”, that it would be to a much lesser degree. There’s not much more they can give to kill all three bacterias, and I don’t want her to have to go back into the ER or hospital. Besides the cath problem, they have to give things to her like haldol (haldon), and tear up her arms by not being careful enough putting in the IV’s, etc. Another thing that complicates is that the stroke causes her to have her head bent over to her right shoulder, which makes it more difficult to feed her. But I can somehow position her to make it a little easier. Thanks for your help.
I’m so sorry to hear about your mother as I can see how many of us are trying so hard caring for our parents in their decline. It is never easy to see our aging parents suffer and that feeling of helplessness does not make it any easier.
Some suggestions you might want to try that helped me:
1. Schedule eating times for the same time everyday.
2. Encourage her to eat with others and not alone
3. Learn more about the possible effects of the medications she may be on.
4. Remember to take care of yourself during this time. The more good energy you can give out around your mother the better things will be for both of you. That’s what I found.
5. I also know that certified POP family coaches have helped a lot of people like you. Try one.I’m so sorry about your poor Moms fight. Have you tried a consultant. Has the occupational or speech therapist seen your Mom. My mom has heart disease, she gets very fatigued. I have to tantalize her, different flavors, bright colors, small amounts , frequently. If you give them a big plate, it overwhelms them. Try one thing at a time, easy to swallow,like ensure pudding. You want the most calorie and protein per teaspoonful. My mother I have to fight to get fluids in her. Jello, puddings, soup, icecream. It depends on her swallowing ability. Did they check if she is emptying her bladder. What a urologist does is catheterize her after she has just urinated, peed. The bladder grows bacteria like a stagnant pool. You want less than 100cc, about 5 ounces. left in the bladder. There are catheters that are not latex. Maybe MD trying to kill as much bacteria as possible before they catheterize her again. I was a RN for 35 years. I pray to God that they have checked her blood work to see how high her white cells are, and checked a fasting blood sugar. Diabetics get infections easy. hope things improved soon.
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Viewing 3 posts - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)