On Thursday afternoon, we went in to get some IV fluids at the oncology clinic since she's been feeling really crappy. We told the nurse of all the issues she was having and they did some rush blood work. We got the results right away and the results were not good. Both her white and red blood counts were critically low. They scheduled her for an emergency appointment with Dr. A that Friday morning. In that appointment, mom was evaluated and Dr. A wanted her to get admitted into the hospital right away. With her bloods counts as they were, she needed medical attention asap and they are putting a halt on chemo. Her white blood count is especially low that if she were to get an infection, it would be very troublesome.
So, that's where I've spent the last few days....many many hours in the hospital spending as much time with her as possible without burning out myself. Comforting her in a very scary situation and telling myself that it will be okay and not yet.... It's definitely not easy to watch your mom suffer and in pain but I am thankful that she's here now. I am right beside her as we go through this together and every time I leave her I give her a big kiss on her cheek and tell her I love her.
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| Celebrating mom's birthday in 2007 |
During the month of May, my mom was admitted to the hospital because of low counts. It was mentally and physically exhausting, trying to be there as much as possible while also struggling to manage other priorities. To be honest, I practically put everything on the back burner. I also know the feeling of fear or dread when you know your mom is in pain or discomfort, wanting it to go away. I hesitate for a second and then try to remove myself personally from the situation, telling myself to do what needs to get done. Don't be afraid to take a break from the hospital. At one point, I took a walk to a nearby froyo place and just enjoyed some peace by myself.
ReplyDeleteI love your mom's smile, full of warmth and kindness. I hope her counts go up, she is feeling well, and she can return home very soon. Also, if she's getting a lot of fluids, you might want to put a pillow under her feet to keep it slightly elevated because her feel can get swollen due to the fluid. Take good care.
Lana
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