Had to take my 90 yr old mom to the hospital via ambulance today, she hurt her back somehow several days ago, I began doing everything for her til she could recover but she got worse and worse quickly, til she was so weak this morning she couldn’t get out of bed.Did Not want to go to the hospital but I made that decision for her. CT Scan shows vertebral compression fracture, pneumonia, VERY low potassium and magnesium levels. She got sick so fast!
Doctor finally came in and said this is likely “the beginning of the end”. Is this true?? She had been doing so well up until her back began hurting.
90 is a good run. keep her comfortable and stay with her as you can this final chapter. It will be comforting for her to know you will be okay without her.
I am sure she knows how much you love her and your presence will give her comfort.
My mom had a compression fracture in her 90s. I think about 95. She was not a candidate for the kyphoplasty. Therapy was what helped her. She was in extreme pain when she moved, knew the pain meds would constipate her but took them to get moving. She also found ice packs helpful.
When she went to rehab the combo of the poor diet and trauma of being hospitalized and the rehab probably combined to cause her CHF to flare and she ended up back in ICU. After stabilizing her CHF she completed her therapy in the hospital instead of a rehab.
My mom was very strong until she fell and suffered the fracture. It took a lot out of her.
It will depend on your mom’s ability to respond to meds and her willingness to be up sitting in a chair to keep the pneumonia away and doing the therapy. Managing the pain will enable her to participate if she is not too debilitated. It is very much an individual matter.
My mom said she didn’t hurt at all as long as she was sitting in a chair. Lidocaine patches also really helped her.
Let us know how you and your mom are doing.
In our 90s I suppose any new development can be the beginning of the end relatively speaking.
Please seek hospice or palliative care for her to keep her comfortable. If she makes a full recovery and shows improvement, hospice will simply discharge her from hospice care. They will not help to kill her, as many people fear. But, they will keep her medicated which could leave her heavily sedated, only adding to her growing weakness. Follow the doctor's guidance on this.
🙏❤️🍀
never expected her last text before the
Nothing is easy about your mother's condition at this point. My mother had her second or third bout of pneumonia at 92. The doctor did not think she'd make it, but she did. Becoming wheelchair bound and going into Memory Care Assisted Living where she lived 3 more years in misery.
Nobody can predict the outcome here, but when pneumonia takes an elder, it's quick and painless.
Best of luck to you.
My Mom fell and fractured her L1. They did a procedure were they were able to put some sealant into the fracture to reduce the pain and let her heal. It was done by just puncturing a hole in her back.
The rest of her problems can be solved by giving her potassium, magnesium and antibiotics for the pneumonia. Pneumonia will be her main problem. It can cause Dementia type symptoms.
Back pain is extremely painful. One goal should be that she's as comfortable as possible. I'm sorry you are both going through this. I wish you wisdom and peace in your heart as you go on this journey with her.
Only God knows the day and time that He will take your mom Home.