Thank you for all the kind words of support. She seemed to be doing a little better yesterday afternoon. Her breathing was still heavy and rapid, but she wasn't struggling quite as much. This morning, though... it was just awful. Every single breath felt like such a struggle for her. Honestly, the hardest part for me is knowing that this sepsis could have been prevented. It wasn't even an infection from her surgical wound. No, she caught an infection from the catheter and developed pneumonia, which the staff in surgery just failed to catch. I kept trying to warn them to at least start her on antibiotics because she had a fever, a cough, and was struggling to breathe as far back as Sunday. And now, this surgeon is telling me they won't get to the antibiotics until Monday. I just can't wrap my head around why they couldn't have started them on Sunday. We were just waiting for her to be transferred to internal medicine, but by then, it was already too late—the sepsis had already set in. I actually asked the anesthesiologist who happened to be passing through the surgical ward, and she just said, "Well, I assume she'll get them," and told me to check with the attending physician since he makes those calls. But the attending seemed to take everything so lightly, acting like there was plenty of time. On Sunday, she was still conscious, even if she was incredibly weak. I truly cannot understand how they could withhold antibiotics before the sepsis took hold. I mean, what kind of people are they?
She ran a fever of 100.9 on Sunday and her coughing was just relentless. At that point, she was still over in surgery, and despite how much her cough was worsening and me practically begging them, they absolutely refused to give her any antibiotics. They said they’d finally get around to it on Monday—even though she was also dealing with a urinary tract infection from the catheter. It wasn't until Monday night that she actually received an antibiotic via IV. By Tuesday, things had taken a turn for the worse. Now, she’s fighting for her life. The doctors over in internal medicine told us her condition is extremely critical. While she was still under surgical care, they kept insisting she was doing perfectly fine; one of them even suggested I was just being dramatic, even though I could clearly see she was deteriorating. We didn't get the real truth about how dire things were until we moved to internal medicine. I honestly don't understand how this surgical unit operates. It feels like the most vulnerable patients there just suffer because the level of care is non-existent, and medication administration is completely haphazard. I've even seen nurses choosing to give the wrong IV fluids—like Ringer's—which a patient shouldn't even receive due to kidney issues. But they do it anyway, apparently because they ran out of standard Salt IVs. Why shouldn't elderly patients have the option to recover in an ICU after a major procedure like an amputation? In the ICU, the level of patient care is incomparably better. If Mom had been sent to intensive care after her surgery, I am certain she would already be recovering and starting rehab by now. Instead, because of the unprofessional behavior of the surgical staff, she’s fighting for her life in septic shock.
Up until yesterday morning, she was actually able to eat a little bit and take some fluids through a straw. But then, things just took a sudden, sharp turn for the worse. At least the internal medicine department seems professional and honest about everything. Surgery, though... it’s an absolute disaster. I wouldn't recommend them to anyone, honestly. They told me so many lies just to cover their own tracks. I guess the worst part is that her Mom isn't the only human life they've completely ruined here.
My Mom is in really bad shape at the hospital right now. The surgical team didn't catch her sepsis or pneumonia in time. They kept insisting everything was fine, even though she was coughing constantly and running a fever. At first, she seemed to be recovering okay after the surgery. I honestly think if they had just moved her to the ICU right after the procedure, she would have pulled through. The nursing and medication management over in surgery was just... it was terrible. We had such high hopes for her rehab; we were really looking forward to seeing her get better. Now, she's been moved to an internal medicine ward where the care is actually decent, but I fear it might be too late. She isn't conscious of her surroundings anymore—she only reacts to intense stimuli—and her kidneys are starting to fail. I’m just so bitter toward that surgical unit and the irresponsible people working there. I spoke with them today, and this one doctor actually had the nerve to tell me she wasn't even feeling bad. As if sepsis just magically appears in five minutes. He was being so incredibly vague and nonsensical when he spoke to me today.
We stopped by Villa Brezovica today. Honestly, the whole place is really beautifully laid out—it feels spacious and very clean. From what I could see, it seems like they truly care about the residents there. They even have a physiatrist on staff. The nurses also left a really good impression on me. My only hesitation is whether it'll be an issue if we stick with her current primary care doctor. I noticed they prefer everyone to switch over to their own GP in Brezovica who just comes by once a week for rounds. But since we’d only be placing her there temporarily while she recovers, we were hoping to keep her regular doctor. The cost is actually quite high, too; it surprised me that they don't have a flat rate for that type of room, since it all depends on the level of care needed. It almost feels like we'll be guessing at the final price. Currently, they have space in a two-bed room in the skilled nursing unit where they provide extra care, but they're completely full when it comes to single rooms.
Thanks for the advice. I don't really have much control over things right now since they handle everything at the hospital, so I don't even get to see it myself. I guess I'll ask the home health nurse what she recommends. My only real worry is that it's all tucked inside a diaper, so once the catheter comes out, everything is going to be wet... I'm just worried about an infection if things don't clear up by then. When I ask her, she doesn't say it hurts or anything. It's just that she's still pretty dazed and weak, so I'm not sure if she can tell me exactly how she feels.
Casey Booth3 said:Dear mistyjackal842, I'm so glad to hear your Mom is doing better. If you're looking for a facility, there's one in Brezovica called Villa Brezovica; they take patients who are immobile, semi-mobile, and they have hospice care too. It’s a large three-story building—a private facility for that kind of full-time care. I think it might be expensive, though, don't quote me on that, but I heard it could be $1833 and so on per month. I live pretty close by, so I know it has physical therapy and nurses. Maybe try looking up their side of things on Google, or just call them to see what you need. For a Pressure ulcer, you really need to apply ointment immediately; there's Decubit cream, Dermazin, and honestly, the more air exposure, the better. If there's anything specific about that home you want to know, I can ask for you since I pass by it every single day—just send me a private message. Bye!
Villa Brezovica
Thanks everyone for the info on this place. I haven't heard of it before, but looking at the photos on their website, it looks really nice. It seems much more spacious than the Ćorluka facility, and the rooms are incomparably larger.
What I'm really wondering about is the actual care. Is it truly good? I mean, is there actually a nurse available all the time? I'd love to be there for most of the day since I'm not working right now, and I really want to help make Mom's recovery easier. I'd also love to handle her meals myself, or at least feed her there as often as possible. I did read though that the facility is largely intended for semi-mobile and mobile patients. She would probably fall into the stationary category for those who can't move, but then again, it isn't quite a hospice situation since she doesn't have cancer. I also care quite a bit about what kind of doctors they have on staff. I'll give them a call tomorrow, and we'll definitely head over there to see the place in person.
Does anyone happen to know if they've had someone truly immobile there before? And were they happy with the level of care, specifically regarding the doctors and the rehab services?
You both are honestly wonderful, and thank you so much for getting back to me so quickly. I’m going to look into both of those options you mentioned. I’m writing this from my phone because I barely have any time to get to my laptop, and I'm not even sure if I'll be able to send you a private message since my connection is acting up a bit.
When Mom lost her right lower leg at the beginning of this year and was discharged from the hospital, she was in pretty rough shape—she couldn't even sit up at first. She isn't old, she's only 68, but she's just so frail; she's lost weight, and one of her arms has been a bit stiff for a while now. So, she doesn't really have any strength in her hands. She wasn't even using adult diapers initially, but she had to switch to them constantly. At first, we had a visiting nurse five days a week who handled the surgical wound on her leg and would ask if she needed help changing her diaper. She didn't get bathed by the nurse; we paid someone from the local home care service or maybe someone like Zorica to do that separately. A couple of times she did bathe in a tub, and for those occasions, we paid a young nurse privately to come over. After about a month and a half, our coverage through Medicare was reduced to three times a week, and they sent a different nurse who felt more like a certified caregiver than a medical professional, since I could tell she didn't know all that much. She has never had a Pressure ulcer at home before; she developed one in the hospital after just a few days because the ward she was on just doesn't provide very good care. She’s in a different ward now where the care is better, but I honestly don't know what kind of state the Pressure ulcer is in right now.
I have a question regarding Granuflex. Would Granuflex Boarded be better for her at home? It doesn't need to be cut into smaller pieces, even though it's specifically designed for Pressure ulcers. That’s what they told me today at the pharmacy. Apparently, only Granuflex Thin is meant to be cut up, but that isn't really intended for Pressure ulcers. She currently has blisters on several small areas of her skin.
Mom had a physical therapist five days a week, but it didn't help much because she just wasn't very motivated to do the exercises. In the beginning, he managed to prevent contracture in her left knee, but eventually, it developed anyway.
The therapist never helped her change clothes; if I happened to be dressing her, he would just wait in the hallway until I was finished. Now, things are so much harder because she has lost her other leg as well. I am truly terrified about how I'm going to manage taking care of her all by myself at home. It's good that I have Dad, but he’s mostly just there for minor help. Most days, I’ll be alone with her because no nurse is going to be here all day long.
As far as medication goes, I feel more comfortable being the one to personally administer it to her. It's the actual physical caregiving that scares me more. Since she has kidney issues, I’ve often been the one changing her diaper in the middle of the night. I don't think any facility is going to change her diaper during the night.
Thank you so much. Honestly, she’d much rather just be back home. I'm just torn because I don't know if it's better to let the Pressure ulcer heal on its own, or if it might be safer for her to have a catheter at home while that heals up. I remember the nurse who visited us after her first surgery said it's actually better not to use a catheter at home, but then again, she didn't have a Pressure ulcer back then. I guess I'm also wondering if those Granuflex films allow urine to seep through. I did read somewhere that you can actually shower with them since they're waterproof. I'm not entirely sure what the status of the Pressure ulcer is right now; I asked the nurse, but they haven't removed the film yet. I'm honestly a bit terrified about her having a catheter at home—what if it gets blocked right after the nurse leaves? That's why I was thinking maybe she could go to a rehab center for a little while, just until she's strong enough to sit in a wheelchair again. At home, we can get a physical therapist here in five minutes, whereas at a place like a specialized clinic in a suburb near Chicago, she might see someone twice a day. Though, I've heard the rooms there are pretty cramped—some don't even have windows or natural light. During flu season, I imagine that could be really risky. Even so, everyone I talk to says the staff there is wonderful. Since there aren't any openings available immediately anyway, I have to start looking into backup plans. It feels like, in the end, she'll probably come home regardless. I haven't even ordered a hospital bed yet; I have no idea how many days delivery takes. I'll need to move her old bed outside too. She hasn't needed a hospital bed until now, so we haven't gotten one yet.
We finally figured out why she’s been so drowsy today. Well, I think we did, anyway. Her bloodwork came back looking pretty rough—she's dealing with some anemia following the surgery, so they actually had to give her two units of blood immediately today. Honestly, the nurse on duty today was just wonderful; she was easily the best one on the shift. She really goes above and beyond and is so incredibly kind. The nurse yesterday kept insisting she was just "a little sleepy," but I could tell something was genuinely wrong. There's a difference between being tired and how she actually looks. We also had a chance to talk with the young doctor today. He was very polite, though he's technically the one on call for the weekend. He wasn't at the hospital all day, though—just popped in for a few hours today and might show up again tomorrow. I wouldn't exactly call it being "on call" in the traditional sense; it feels more like he's just on standby. From what I understand, they haven't cut their on-call pay entirely, so they aren't working for free. It’s more like their on-call differential was reduced, or... I don't know the exact technical term they use.
So, I’m at the hospital with Mom today. She's getting her first two units of blood because her anemia is just really bad. I could tell she wasn't doing well yesterday afternoon, but the nurse mentioned she just seemed sleepy.
We also checked out that Ćorluka facility today. The issue is, there aren't any openings right now, even with how expensive it is. A spot might open up in about a month once we pay the deposit, but that's a long wait. Honestly, I haven't heard anyone recommend any other place quite as highly. For me, the most important thing is that the staff is actually good and truly cares for the patients. Maybe a spot will clear up sooner, but I can't count on it. Does anyone know of another good care facility in Washington, D.C.? I'm not entirely sure how long she'll be stuck in the hospital, but I need to have a plan in place. It’s going to be so hard for me to manage everything at home given her current condition. She only has me—I'm an only child.
I’m just counting down the minutes until she can finally leave that hospital. I honestly just want them to take her stitches out so we can get this over with. The worst part has been the sedation, though... she’s just sleeping all the time. This afternoon, I couldn't wake her up at all, which was scary because she was totally fine and actually conversing with me this morning. She had a pill after breakfast, and then she just drifted off and stayed asleep the whole day. I mean, she was pretty restless on the day of her surgery, so I suppose they probably had to give her something then. But today? She definitely didn't need to be out cold all day long. On top of that, her blood sugar was low. I managed to get some food into her this evening, so maybe that helped stabilize things. I really hope tomorrow is better. When I asked the nurse about it, she mentioned she gave her something for the pain. I don't know... I don't think a simple painkiller should make someone sleep that much.
Look, even the nurses need their breaks. I’m not just making this up—I saw it happen today, and honestly, it’s happened plenty of times before. Of course, you have to be incredibly tactful about it. You have to play nice and go along with them because my loved one is still stuck in the hospital. If I’m not careful and act too difficult, they might restrict my visiting hours, and then my loved one would end up going hungry all day. This way, at least I feel like I have some tiny bit of control over the situation, since I can pop in more often, even if it's just for a quick moment. We're talking about someone who is immobile and can't feed themselves. The staff tries to help them eat, but it’s always such a rush, and they basically force it down their throat. When someone is seriously ill, they eat slowly, and you really need patience—something the staff just doesn't seem to have, even though it isn't like they are impossibly busy. And don't even get me started on how the nurses dose medication like they're the doctors; I've seen it with my own eyes. Sometimes, they don't even get it right. I mean, I wouldn't mind being treated abroad someday, maybe even in Canada. Everything there just seems to be on a higher level than what we deal with here, and at least they aren't constantly striking.
I know of some positive experiences, personally, but those were at different hospitals, not this one. Besides, younger patients probably don't require nearly as much attention or care from the staff as the elderly do.
I’ve had some pretty intense experiences working in hospitals lately. Honestly, they're all over the place, and a lot of them are deeply unsettling. I mean, look, I’m certainly no medical expert, but if I hadn't stepped in to prevent certain things—if I hadn't basically been praying and doing everything in my power to fix mistakes—my patient probably wouldn't have made it through today. It’s hard to wrap my head around the fact that this kind of stuff actually happens within our healthcare system. But clearly, it does. I won't go into the specifics right now, but I am prepared to lay it all out here one day, just so some of these doctors might actually stop and think about how their actions end up hurting individual patients. Unfortunately, I don't have everyone's names written down, though I'd definitely recognize those people if I saw them. It seems like they've watched way too many American medical dramas.
And honestly, they don't even get that much actual work done during those on-call shifts. For most of them, it’s basically just a break away from home. Well, maybe not everyone, but I guess the majority. I wonder if doctors in Romania have such low salaries that they don't even bother striking.
We're heading out tomorrow to check out the facility, and then we'll stop by the hospital to see her. I honestly never intended for her to move into a care home permanently. My thought was just to have her stay at the Ćorluka center for about a month while she gets back on her feet. Once she can sit up on her own, all her wounds have healed, and she’s feeling a bit stronger, we'd bring her right back home. I'm just... I don't know how to break the news to her. She is so incredibly against the idea of nursing homes. Neither Grandpa nor Grandma ever stayed in one, so she’s really resistant to the whole concept. Maybe I should just tell her she's going there temporarily for rehab or something like that. It might be easier that way.
Mom is doing a little better. She managed to eat some breakfast and seems to understand everything. It just feels like they have her sleeping all the time; I guess that pill her nurse gave her after breakfast was meant to make her drowsy. She’s peaceful and isn't bothering anyone, so I honestly don't get why she has to be asleep constantly. She drifted off within about thirty minutes of taking that medication. She still has the drains in, and the doctor told me today that the bleeding from the wound is perfectly normal. I haven't been able to check for any Pressure ulcers because she's in a diaper. The nurse mentioned I don't need to worry about buying Granuflex patches for Pressure ulcers right now since they have them on hand. We're already trying to figure out what happens after she's discharged, because I think they'll let her go pretty soon. We were thinking about putting her in that nice assisted living facility, Ćorluka in Gajnicas, for maybe a month while she gets back on her feet. They have their own physical therapists, doctors, and nurses there. So, they can handle things like IV drips or changing her catheter if needed. I just wouldn't know how to do those things at home, and my nurse only stops by once a day at one in the afternoon.
Thanks for getting back to me. She isn't actually a candidate for the ICU because of her neurological issues. We actually went there before her first amputation and asked a ton of questions. I’m just really worried about how she’ll be able to sit up, given those blisters on her skin—that initial Pressure ulcer. The nurses here take great care of immobile patients; she had been lying there before and didn't develop any sores. But honestly, the ward where they first admitted her when she arrived at the hospital... they just didn't pay attention to it at all. Within four days, those blisters had already formed, even though I was so careful with her at home—her skin was literally like a baby's. Another huge issue for her is her kidney function; her creatinine levels are incredibly high. One kidney isn't working at all, and the other one is damaged and has cysts, which is why the creatinine is so elevated.