Posted on 07/16/2009 3:01:05 AM PDT by Concerned
URGENT PRAYERS NEEDED - STEPHANIE'S 3RD TRACH OCCLUDES - HOSPITAL ARM-TWISTING for DNR
Earlier thread and updates:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2283778/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2283778/posts?page=181#181
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2283778/posts?page=203#203
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2283778/posts?page=239#239
===========================================
(1) THE 3RD TRACH (2ND CUSTOM) ALSO OCCLUDING
===========================================
Prior to the ENT Doctor inserting the 3rd trach (2nd custom), she told us it was our last option, other than re-intubating Stephanie.
For some reason, the trach keeps moving around inside Stephanie's trachea and occluding. It is EXTREMELY positional. Supposedly, the shape of Stephanie's trachea is sort of zig zag.
===========================================
(2) SHE WAS STABLE & IMPROVING WHILE INTUBATED
===========================================
The ONLY reason why we trached her was that the Pulmonologist Doctor (that I do NOT like), and the Respiratory Therapist, kept STRONGLY PUSHING it, saying it would really help her and be FAR BETTER than Bi-Pap or intubation.
STEPHANIE WAS **STABLE** WHILE INTUBATED!!!!!!!!!
SHE WAS **IMPROVING** WHILE INTUBATED!!!!!!!
AND SHE DIDN'T HAVE INFECTIONS!!!!!!!
Of course, although no one could know for sure how well it would work, we RELIED on their training, expertise and CONFIDENCE that it would be "THE" ANSWER.
===========================================
(3) DOCTOR / HOSPITAL PUSHING DNR
===========================================
I am absolutely SICKENED that the Doctor and hospital are PUSHING us to give them orders to DNR.
First, they PUSH to get RID of the intubation---which was WORKING---to go to a trach, then when the trach doesn't help, but instead makes it FAR, FAR, FAR WORSE, they want us to order DNR!!!
They especially don't want to have to give her CPR compression, claiming that they would likely break her ribs if they were to have to do it to her.
Clearly, I don't want Stephanie to hurt or be hurt, but I am VERY CONCERNED a DNR would give them an excuse to not give her CARE if/when she occludes. Since she has no assets or income, she is over 18 (and we could not get insurance on her), and she is on Medicaid, they have been ESPECIALLY eager to get her out the door instead of getting her well first.
===========================================
(4) DOCTOR PUSHED FEEDING WITH BI-PAP
===========================================
When I saw the Bi-Pap Stephanie was on, I was NOT real comfortable with it. I wanted her intubated and to get an "NG" tube so that she could NOT have to worry about breathing or eating.
But the Doctor and hospital RESISTED INTUBATING!!!
And they kept saying that you couldn't get an NG tube with Bi-Pap because it would leak air. But they EVENTUALLY DID JUST THAT ANYWAY!!!
She IMPROVED SO MUCH with the NG tube, they sent her to a regular floor!!!
Once we got to the regular floor (with Bi-Pap), the Doctor then INSISTED that we try to FEED HER BY MOUTH even though they had put in an NG tube---and it WAS WORKING!!!!
And then, she ASPIRATED when fed because she NEEDED the Bi-Pap to breathe yet could not swallow fast enough to get it out of the way before having to have the Bi-Pap!!!
She had been MAKING PROGRESS until then, but then she CRASHED when she tried to eat WHILE STILL DEPENDENT ON BI-PAP (WHICH BLOWS FOOD/LIQUID DOWN YOUR AIRWAY)!!!
At that time, SHE HAD NO INFECTIONS!!!
============================================
(5) I'VE CRIED SO MANY TEARS I CAN'T STAND IT!!! BP 176/108
============================================
Every time the Doctor wants to have a "conference," it is REALLY BAD NEWS!!! And it gets WORSE EACH TIME!!!
Each time, my blood pressure SKY ROCKETS! I took it today after the meeting and it was 176/108!!! (And I take BP meds, although my Doctor just changed it because of a reported defect with the med).
I have cried and cried and cried---till it HURTS!!!
And it REALLY HURTS to think that we may lose Stephanie when she just went in due to a STUPID SEIZURE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONTROLLED WITH MEDS!!!!!!!!!
And then she ASPIRATED and got ASPIRATION PNEUMONIA---NOT viral or bacterial pneumonia---ASPIRATION PNEUMONIA ---as a result of a STUPID SEIZURE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONTROLLED BY MEDS!!!!!!!
I am HEARTBROKEN!!!
============================================
Prayers and fasting today for you and Stephanie. God bless you all and be with you.
Ping, prayers needed against the futilitarians...
Prayers up.
What we found out with our mother was that with a trache they can move her out of ICU. If she’s still intubated then she has to stay in ICU.
I am going to Mass soon and I’ll be praying for you and your daughter. Say this prayer if you like: “Mary, Mother of Jesus, be a mother to me now, make me [and Stephanie] better.” It was a prayer my husband received from Mother Teresa of Calcutta that I was to pray.
Very Urgent Prayer Request
Please read the updates on the thread and post your prayers to Concerned.
Thanks and God Bless
they should consult with the risk manager...i had to do that when my dad was dying in the hospital...everyday i was getting conflicting stories from his drs...the risk manager got involved and omg!! the things he found out for me....to much to go into here...
“Dear Lord, we pray that Stephanie be entirely in Your care, far above the care of doctors or professionals. We pray that You grant them the insight necessary to best do their life-saving work with Stephanie. As always, we trust You for healing, but we do not tell you what healing to grant. If by doctors or medicine or grace or miracle or by calling Your child home to be with You, we acknowledge all of the above as healings. It also means we release her totally to You, and trust in Your great love for her demonstrated ultimately in the life of Jesus Christ.” We pray for healing in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Thank you chaplain!
It should, and the people in that position we've dealt with were trained to help patients and their families when the latter had questions/issues with what the doctors were doing. Hospital clergy can also be of great help and comfort.
Concerned, we'll keep you and Stephanie in our prayers. God bless.
Prayers for Stephanie.
My heart aches for you and Stephanie.
Lord I lift them up to you, ask that you comfort and keep them, give the Doctors divine wisdom and knowledge in dealing with this for your glory.
Ask or demand a reintubation with feeding tube until the
pneumonia gets under control. Ask for a peg(tube placed into the abdomen) tube for feeding. Once the pneumonia gets under control, get her weaned to Bipap again and don’t allow oral feedings again until she is a month or two stable and can be weaned off Bibap so that she only needs it at night. She can be fed and hydrated through a peg. Even regular food can be ground up and pureed/slurried thru a peg tube. I have been an RN for 23 years, working in an ICU currently and I’ve seen this scenario constantly. Get a lawyer and speak to administration if the doctors won’t listen. Change your pulmonologist.
What I don’t know are what are your daughter’s other conditions. You mentioned seizures, is she disabled in any other way?
So let me give you the plan again so it will give you a place to start.
1. Pray and get support like you are doing now.
2. Demand a peg and reintubation until the pneumonia is under control, ask for Precedex sedation and/or try to keep sedation light as a bowel shut down is not needed at this time.Ask for Reglan to help with gastric motility. Hopefully the pneumonia is still at a curable state with minimal lung damage at this time.
3. Watch that suctioning and pulmonary toileting(percussion and vibration...some beds do this) is being done at minimum every 2 to 4 hours. Mouth care and teeth brushing ever 2 hours is also very important as the mouth breeds harmful bacteria that causes pneumonia as well as general sepsis, if this care is not done. Ask the nurses to show you how this is to be done as it will help you feel like you have some power and it will take some off of the load of the nurses.
4. There is a practical limit to intubations as they wear away at the oro/pharyngeal linings so even if they reintubate, you have about 10 days to 2 weeks before problems start showing up, including permanent damage to the larynx, ulcerations, abcesses, and bleeding.
5. Hopefully though the pneumonia gets under control, and they can set the vents for spontaneous breathing(patient’s own diaphragm) with pressure support...then wean her to a bipap mask again, while being fed thru a peg. Since the peg is inserted into the abdomen thru to the stomach it won’t interfere with a Bipap mask seal. There are nasal masks that are much more comfortable if she is able to tolerate them as she gets stronger.
Hope this helps or at least gives you ideas for other paths to follow!
They always do that. No need to panic, it's up to you. At least that is the way it is right now, before the government takes over.
Oh I saw your other postings so I have a better understanding as to your daughter’s other issues. Still wouldn’t change any other advice I have offered to you.
I’m praying that Stephanie survives the shoddy treatment she’s been getting, and that you get her into a facility where she will be well cared for.
What you’ve told us sounds painfully familiar to me. My father-in-law had similar treatment at a community hospital. It didn’t end well for him. I don’t mean to worry you unnecessarily, but do whatever it takes to get Stephanie to a better hospital.
God bless you and yours.
Prayers up for you and Stephanie.
My heart goes out to you. Please find the patient advocate in the hospital. If that doesn’t help, contact your church - there may be someone they know who can help.
May God hold you up through this.
In reading through your ordeal, a question came to mind...Can they not intubate her again since it seemed that was helping her? I don't know anything about medical procedures so this may be a really stupid question and I apologize in advance...
One more thought occurred to me as I was reading this sentence:
Since she has no assets or income, she is over 18 (and we could not get insurance on her), and she is on Medicaid, they have been ESPECIALLY eager to get her out the door instead of getting her well first.
Obama is so set to take over our health insurance but, with Medicaid, we already have a gov. run program. They should just fix the Medicaid system and make it work better.
Again, sending prayers for Stephanie and all of you.
I am so very sorry to hear what has been happening. Our family witnessed poor treatment of a loved one at hospitals, too, and I remember what it was like fighting doctors (and nurses).
You have been very strong. Stay strong. That means be sure to take care of yourself, too.
Thoughts and prayers for your daughter, Stephanie, for a full recovery, and for you and your family to continue to be strong for her.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.