My last post was about me being up all night with no sleep. Man! I will never complain about that again.

Last Wednesday, the 10th of January, my Mother started having difficulty breathing after having bronchitis for a few days. She is a smoker and could no longer even smoke. I have learned now, that if a smoker CAN'T smoke because of being short of breath, GET THEM TO A HOSPITAL IMMEDIATELY!

I had to call an ambulance at about 8:30 pm because I was afraid she was about to stop breathing at that point. By the time the ambulance arrived (10 or so minutes later) Mom was gasping for air. They loaded her up and headed to the hospital, the nearest one is 25 minutes away and it's a horrible place to go. Anyway, on the way there, Mom became non responsive and wasn't breathing, so they intibated her through her nose and started breathing for her.

When we gotto the hospital, the doctor tried to remove the tube from Mom's nose and put a different kind of machine on her but then she had complete respiratory failure and could no longer breathe by herself. They immediately put her on a ventilator and then to ICU she went. She stayed on the ventilator in ICU for about 24 hours and then they removed the vent and she continued to stay in ICU for 2 days. Then they put her in a room and the care she had been getting went down the tubes.

From that point on for 4 days Mom did not sleep more than 6 total hours. She was so tired and getting weaker by the minute. By Monday, I had had enough and starting chewing on people's heads around there. I wanted Mom transferred to a different hospital, but the one I wanted her in was on diversion (No room). So this particular hospital sent her home on Tuesday, 2 days ago.

We had home health care come here to watch her, but she continued to get weaker and weaker. Today they brought oxygen here for her, a permanent unit and a portable unit. We loaded her up this afternoon and took her to see her regular primary physician. He took one look at her and put her right back in the hospital, but in the one I wanted her in. He is a wonderful doctor and I know that she is very much taken care of now. They wouldn't let us stay with her all night because she is in a semi private room. We have her on a waiting list for a private room.

They are telling us she had a heart attack last week, along with Congestive Heart Failure, and COPD, and beginnings of emphysema, an enlarged heart and it is very difficult for her to breathe still. Now the doctor is going to do a Heart Catherization to see what the problem is with her heart. He also said that before she comes home again, he will send her to a rehab hospital to help build up her strength so that it will be easier for me to care for her once she gets back home. THANK GOD FOR HIM!

That's all for right now. I am very tired, and going to bed. Gotta get back to the hospital early in the morning.......Good night.