Saturday, April 11, 2009
Eileen Leavy Huber- October 16, 1948 - April 11, 2009
It is with a saddened heart that I report the passing of Eileen. After a trying and restless week, Mom finally fell asleep around 8 o'clock this morning, and is now resting peacefully and pain-free in God's warm embrace. Thank you to everyone for all the cards, flowers, posts, prayers and kind thoughts - they made my Mom's final days happy ones.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2009
Leenie's daily dos.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Tuesday, 04/07/09
Dear Friends,Yesterday was a very busy one for Eileen. She just couldn't seem to stop moving - from the bed, to the chair, back to bed, up to commode chair and so on. Her lungs are clear but only because of routine suctioning. Her mind was clear as well. This even though she'd had a respiratory crisis in the middle of the night - probably a large mucous plug that was not suctioned out quickly enough and had pulled out her tracheostomy tube this morning. She has three choices at this juncture:Transfer to ICU and ultimately be placed on a ventillator;Continue to be treated with radiation and a feeding tube in her stomach so that she will not aspirate the food and medicines we give her. However, if, during this phase, there comes a time that she requires a ventilator or CPR, neither will be offered to her. These are her wishes;The third choice is to stop therapy and be discharged on oxygen and Home Health Care Nursing visits every few days.She choses to continue therapy & will have a tube placed in her stomach tomorrow to stop the aspiration of food and meds and give her some strength and will go down to radiation to be re-measured & marked so that treatments can be given with her sitting at a 45 degree angle. She plans to give Henry as many hard, painful shots of radiation as the Lord allows.Sh,e has been flirting with the respiratory therapists, asking one and all for a cigarette and reading prayers to the Blessed Mother. So she is very much here. . . . Lorane , ,
Posted by Lorane at 6:32 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Tuesday, 04/07/09
Dear Friends,Yesterday was a very busy one for Eileen. She just couldn't seem to stop moving - from the bed, to the chair, back to bed, up to commode chair and so on. Her lungs are clear but only because of routine suctioning. Her mind was clear as well. This even though she'd had a respiratory crisis in the middle of the night - probably a large mucous plug that was not suctioned out quickly enough and had pulled out her tracheostomy tube this morning. She has three choices at this juncture:Transfer to ICU and ultimately be placed on a ventillator;Continue to be treated with radiation and a feeding tube in her stomach so that she will not aspirate the food and medicines we give her. However, if, during this phase, there comes a time that she requires a ventilator or CPR, neither will be offered to her. These are her wishes;The third choice is to stop therapy and be discharged on oxygen and Home Health Care Nursing visits every few days.She choses to continue therapy & will have a tube placed in her stomach tomorrow to stop the aspiration of food and meds and give her some strength and will go down to radiation to be re-measured & marked so that treatments can be given with her sitting at a 45 degree angle. She plans to give Henry as many hard, painful shots of radiation as the Lord allows.Sh,e has been flirting with the respiratory therapists, asking one and all for a cigarette and reading prayers to the Blessed Mother. So she is very much here. . . . Lorane , ,
Posted by Lorane at 6:32 PM 0 comments
Monday, March 23, 2009
Update
Hi All,
Brennan, Cousin Phil, Marge, Paul and I all visited Mom this morning and she was in great spirits. She'll be going home to Linbay tomorrow (Tuesday).
In between all the joking around, we were actually able to arrange for "bridge care" (help with the transition from the hospital to home). They'll be setting up Mom with a take-home oxygen tank and PCA (the direct pain reliever, which is working much better than the other stuff we've tried). For precautionary measures she'll also get a wheelchair, hospital bed and a home nurse for monitoring.
We're going back to the hospital in a little bit to smuggle in some outside food, since the hospital grub is pretty bad. Mom did however manage to have sausage, toast and a Wendy's chocolate smoothie this morning!
More news later, as it develops...
~BDH
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Hospital Days
Hi,
Actually, I wrote about yesterday and for some reason it was never published (although the blog says I published last on 3/21. Go figure.) So yesterday, I brought her some supplies and, having just come from Patrick's first b-day party, she wanted to hear all about it since she knows all the guests. Physically, she was quite comfortable re: right arm pain b/c they put the pain medicine (Dilaudid) in a portable well attached to tubing that goes to her IV. It has a "joy stick" connected by a tube which she can use to give herself extra pain relief 6 x's each hr if needed. Otherwise it runs continually at a set, effective rate. So Henry's effects - pain - are taken care of. Henry has now wrapped himself around an artery going to ber right arm so she has some hand numbness. Tomorrow, she will resume radiation as an in-patient aimed at eradicating Henry. Meanwhile, she is on oxygen through tubing in her nose so her breathing is comfortable. They are giving her IV antibiotics for the pneumonia demonstrated on the spiral CT and they will get a culture to be certain it is the right antibiotic therapy. She has to stay in the hospital as long as she is getting IV antibiotics. But she enjoyed the pictures I had taken at the party. In fact, I went backwards one picture too many, and asked her who THIS GANG WAS:
She studied it for a long time, smiling. "well, that's MY baby teaching baby Patrick to wave. And it looks like he did a good job , too!" Then her brother brought her candy bars & she dug in while he ate her burger.
We had forgotten to tell them that she takes a liquid, Megase, every morning to stimulate her appetite. Well, she got it today b/c when I called at 10 am, she was in her recliner having a huge breakfast. Take a deep breath, like she is, and pray to St. Theresa - I think she's in charge of pneumonia. Lorane
,
Actually, I wrote about yesterday and for some reason it was never published (although the blog says I published last on 3/21. Go figure.) So yesterday, I brought her some supplies and, having just come from Patrick's first b-day party, she wanted to hear all about it since she knows all the guests. Physically, she was quite comfortable re: right arm pain b/c they put the pain medicine (Dilaudid) in a portable well attached to tubing that goes to her IV. It has a "joy stick" connected by a tube which she can use to give herself extra pain relief 6 x's each hr if needed. Otherwise it runs continually at a set, effective rate. So Henry's effects - pain - are taken care of. Henry has now wrapped himself around an artery going to ber right arm so she has some hand numbness. Tomorrow, she will resume radiation as an in-patient aimed at eradicating Henry. Meanwhile, she is on oxygen through tubing in her nose so her breathing is comfortable. They are giving her IV antibiotics for the pneumonia demonstrated on the spiral CT and they will get a culture to be certain it is the right antibiotic therapy. She has to stay in the hospital as long as she is getting IV antibiotics. But she enjoyed the pictures I had taken at the party. In fact, I went backwards one picture too many, and asked her who THIS GANG WAS:
She studied it for a long time, smiling. "well, that's MY baby teaching baby Patrick to wave. And it looks like he did a good job , too!" Then her brother brought her candy bars & she dug in while he ate her burger.
We had forgotten to tell them that she takes a liquid, Megase, every morning to stimulate her appetite. Well, she got it today b/c when I called at 10 am, she was in her recliner having a huge breakfast. Take a deep breath, like she is, and pray to St. Theresa - I think she's in charge of pneumonia. Lorane
,
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Just the facts.
Last night Uncle Phil informed me that, given Mom's fragile condition, it might be best to visit earlier in the week, rather than later. We've made travel plans, which are as follows:
The Hubers, Paul (and potentially Linda) will be flying/driving to Virginia over the next two days. Phil, Brennan, Paul and Brian will fly down tomorrow (Sunday). Tim will drive down from Cleveland on Monday.
Flight Details:
Phil, Paul and Brian
The Hubers, Paul (and potentially Linda) will be flying/driving to Virginia over the next two days. Phil, Brennan, Paul and Brian will fly down tomorrow (Sunday). Tim will drive down from Cleveland on Monday.
Flight Details:
Phil, Paul and Brian
Depart TF Green (Providence): 11:35am
Arrive Norfolk International Airport: 2:58 pm
Brennan
Arrive Norfolk International Airport: 2:58 pm
Brennan
Depart Logan (Boston): 4:20pm
Arrive Norfolk International Airport: 8:54pm
Arrive Norfolk International Airport: 8:54pm
-Brian
It was a frightened Little One. . .
Usually on Fridays I am at Jennie's spending the day watching & playing with little Emma (Peanut). But I had switched our day to Thursday because Friday promised to be quite hectic - I was taking a continuing ed course on line & Leenie didn't have an alternate driver to radiation whereas I was free at 3. . . Friday kept its promise. At around seven, I was saying morning prayers, looked up and saw Leenie standing in the archway of our open door; and then a small voice said, "Lorane, would you please help me to breathe?" So fragile and frightened,this little one. And then we were in her room. . .just sit up against these pillows. . . you took your anxiety pill? That's good. . . . up last night AND the night before? Short of breath , , . . (Remembering yesterday morning,"I'm leaving now. I'll miss you. " "I still have the daffodils from yesterday," she said. "Have fun with Emma . . ." "Phil, keep an eye on her. Something's not right. . ." I heard this keening during the night.")
I paged Dr. Cross. He didn't call right back. "I know you change the patches today. "No pain meds yet? Good. I don't want you to take any. . . They depress breathing . . ." The phone. It was Dr. Cross. . . I'll drive you to Beach General. . .no choice. . .no oxygen."
He called ahead & spoke to the ER attending, gave orders. . . Too slow, hazard lights, horn, passing, passing and in the ER waiting room passing the waiters . . . Finally, she's in bed, shivering, skin warm. . . Pneumonia? Infected Mediport? pent all day searching with microscopes, radiology rays, stethoscopes. Finally, CT says pneumonia and Henry has now wrapped himself around the artery that supplies the R arm & shoulder. , , , More probing and poking.
We bave a working Dx of pneumonia. . .Treat w/ IV antibiotics. Find delicate balance between enough IV pain medication & not so much that breathing too depressed. So Leenie reminds us that Dr. Cross told us Tuesday that things will get worse (from treatment swelling) before they get better And now is the time to beat the clock, the drums, our breasts in prayer. She is comfortable, has a great staff and a ferocious desire to win. It's now, team and Gospeed. . .
I paged Dr. Cross. He didn't call right back. "I know you change the patches today. "No pain meds yet? Good. I don't want you to take any. . . They depress breathing . . ." The phone. It was Dr. Cross. . . I'll drive you to Beach General. . .no choice. . .no oxygen."
He called ahead & spoke to the ER attending, gave orders. . . Too slow, hazard lights, horn, passing, passing and in the ER waiting room passing the waiters . . . Finally, she's in bed, shivering, skin warm. . . Pneumonia? Infected Mediport? pent all day searching with microscopes, radiology rays, stethoscopes. Finally, CT says pneumonia and Henry has now wrapped himself around the artery that supplies the R arm & shoulder. , , , More probing and poking.
We bave a working Dx of pneumonia. . .Treat w/ IV antibiotics. Find delicate balance between enough IV pain medication & not so much that breathing too depressed. So Leenie reminds us that Dr. Cross told us Tuesday that things will get worse (from treatment swelling) before they get better And now is the time to beat the clock, the drums, our breasts in prayer. She is comfortable, has a great staff and a ferocious desire to win. It's now, team and Gospeed. . .
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