Latest update

(Sorry if this seems confusing or scattered---just trying to process my thoughts as quickly as possible so I can get them out and refocus.)

(Wednesday 5/14/08) Well thanks be to our Lord and Savior, everyone survived the day yesterday. Mom was having what they call ICU psychosis which is apparently very common for patients when they are starting to feel better, have been in bed too long, and are feeling the need to go home. They had to restrain her during the day because she tried to pull the balloon pump out of her femora artery and because she wasn't able to calm herself down they felt that was the best thing to do to protect her from herself. They shared they pulled the big guns out yesterday with respect to sedatives for her but because she was so anxious over being restrained the effects also caused confusion.

The doctor informed my dad yesterday he was very happy with my mom’s progress and they would be removing the balloon pump today as well as performing the procedure for installing her pace maker. A time has not be scheduled. In light of what happened yesterday, which I believe was normal with her wanting to get out of there, I feel my brother and I also need to be there today to support my dad. Yesterday was really rough for him because not only did he have his wife tied down but every time she looked over at him she was asking him why he was doing this to her. It just wasn’t a good scene.

On top of all this, I was finally able to get my mom to focus and calm down so she could rest. We took a few minutes to wait in the lobby while the nurses did their shift change procedures. During this time a woman that works for the hospital who also knows my parents (not a close friend----and certainly someone my mother does not like, although I don't think this woman knows this) took it upon herself to go into my mother's room which is designated for immediately family only. While she was in there my father decided he needed to go home and rest as he was thoroughly exhausted. I went back in to see my mom again before leaving only to discover my mom was more hysterical and telling me to call the police. I calmed her down by assuring her I'd called the police even though I didn't have any idea what was going on until this woman surfaced saying, "oh there you are I just tried calling and and I called you dad". So now not only is my mom upset but my dad is driving and could possible go insane from finding out his wife is doing bad.....which she wasn't until this woman came in. Anyway, we got her out, calmed my mom down enough to sleep and then we left for the evening as visiting hours were nearly over.

After arriving home the doctor called me about 10 to advice they had to put a new temporary pace maker on my mom as they other one went out due to her moving around a lot yesterday and trying to pull the wires out around her leg (apparently temp pace maker was also in the groan/leg area). The doctor shared he placed another temporary pace maker in my mom’s neck which is much more stable and they also put the breathing tube back down her and had her sedated. He said that all of her vitals were good and strong and she was finally resting. He also explained about the normalcy of what they call ICU psychosis. He didn’t call my dad last night as he wanted to reach either Clint or I to tell us what happened and to allow us to talk to my dad, which I agreed not tell him last night as he was very exhausted and thought it was better he got rest. Clint and I talked last night and agreed it was better not to tell dad as the point was mom was doing well and she was resting. The doctor just wanted us not to be shocked when we came in the next morning to find a breathing tube down her throat. He assured us not to be alarmed and this wasn’t a setback --- she was doing fine. In the meantime I reported the woman that was being a busy-body to the medical staff to forbid her to come anywhere my mom. Also, I had to call another family friend who this woman had called to run her mouth about my mom causing that woman to become hysterical. Thankfully after we talked she, too, calmed down.

Today (Thursday) we discovered that some time during the early morning of the hours mom had a stroke. As to the severity of damage we are uncertain as of yet as we’ve not seen a neurologist. However, aside from this they removed the balloon pump from her heart and her femora artery is doing well. Over all her vitals are doing well and they have her off sedation medication. The goal for the evening is to get her off the respirator. She is scheduled for surgery tomorrow morning at 7:30 a.m. for a permanent pace maker, inshallah.

Thank you for your continued prayers. The result of these prayers is feeling the peace of God and His angels around us at all times.