I only have a few minutes...gotta get to bed so I can get up tomorrow early and go visit her again.

She's in neurology ICU. She's had pneumonia since last Monday. She yelled out and then collapsed at her Assisted Living facility this pm.

She was unresponsive after that. They THINK she may "only" have had a seizure. She's had 3 major strokes, so that was the first concern.

They had to intubate her, so she is knocked out. She seems to be coming around, but they have her sedated. Hope that makes sense.

Anyway, please pray for her. Thanks!

I love you all!

Gayle

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oops!
Lymetutu

 

Consider it done...prayers for your Mom (and you)!!

Hope all goes well,

Take care,
-lasered-
 

Take care and hope all is well,Sue.
 

Already sent up a prayer for you and your Mom. Please let us know how she is.
 

Heather
 

Sue
 

We'll pray for you and her both! So sorry to hear about your mom.

Keep us posted!

Lots of prayers from the east moving westward towards you and your mom.

get enough rest

hopeful123
 

Glad you had enough time to post your note so many more prayers can be heard for your beloved Mother.

Later, please post as you feel up to it after this major crisis is over.

Love, Bettyg, Iowa

I am just getting to lymenet, I am praying your mom will be ok and you have the support you need.

My thoughts and prayers are with ya'll.
Starr
 

She has responded to me with head nods and the squeezing of my hand. So, time will tell.

Thanks for the prayers. We're going to need it. I have one brother in Florida and one in Texas, so I'm the chosen one.

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Lymetutu

[This message has been edited by Lymetoo (edited 14 March 2005).]
 

My prayers are with you. Hang in there....

daniella
 

Hugs
Sherry

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Karen
 

Sending lots of concern & support.
Will be praying for both of you.
 

I just saw this.

So sorry this happened. Both your mom and you will be in my prayers for strength and recovery.

Take Care,
Jan
 

Pam
 

Yes, Gayle/tutu, is the chosen one for her family as well as this wonderful lyme board.

Gayle, thanks for the update on your Mom. Glad she is still able to communicate and knows you.

bettyg
 

Prayers, lots of prayers, are on their way for you and your Mom.

Healthy wishes,

lifeline
 

Mom struggled all night to move and to talk, and was exhausted today. I didn't get alot out of her today.

One of her caretakers from the assisted living came by to see her. She's known Mom for 6 1/2 yrs and has come to love her. [of course!]

She said after physical therapy at the hospital and rehab, she would still have 45 days to improve and try to become independent enough to stay in assisted living.

She can also have home health at the assisted living to help her adjust.

Her neuro said she may not be able to get back to where she was before, especially since she's already had 3 bad strokes and those were significant.

So keep the prayers coming. I'm doing the best I can with what I've got!

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Lymetutu

 

Keeping you and your mom in my thoughts and prayers!!!!

~Missy
 

Today, I spoke with her dr and he said "She's not doing very well." So I asked him if we could try giving her some mangosteen juice. [which of course, he had never heard of]

I gave him research abstracts from Pub Med and told him a little about it. He said sure, give it a try.

So they put in straight into her feeding tube. Her temperature was around 100...high since her normal is 97.

She has been on the juice since last June and even with the pneumonia last week, had very little fever and was not even in bed with it.

SOOO....30 minutes later, I felt her forehead and it felt cooler to me. Twenty minutes later they came in and took her temperature. It was 97!

Even I was amazed! She then became more alert .. opening her eyes at the slightest thing. Before, she only opened them [or one] if we begged, shook, and called out her name.

When I left around 6pm, the fever seemed to be coming back. The mangosteen has a half-life of about 6 hrs. So I'm hoping tomorrow, we can give her several ounces in the a.m. and more in the afternoon.

We can't make much progress until this pneumonia is cleared. It's not going to be easy.

Won't bore you with more details....just praying for more HOPE tomorrow.

Thanks to all for the prayers.

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Lymetutu

 

So glad the dr was willing to try something he was not familiar with.
Good thinking on your part!!

Will pray that the improvement continues!!
Take care of you, too, tutu.
 

So very sorry to know what you are going through...

Keeping you and your family close in my thoughts and prayers.

Much love,
Melanie

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C O L O R A D O * S U P P O R T * S Y S T E M
[email protected]
 

i hope that you have enough support around you.

blessings to you and your mum

warm regards
paisley
 

Hang in there, take care of YOU, and all our prayers continue flowing both your ways.

Bettyg
 

I now have to work on getting her things out of her place at assisted living and finding a good nursing home.

Thanks for all the prayers. They're working!

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oops!
Lymetutu

 

So glad the juice is working and the Dr listened.

ya'll are in our prayers.

Anything you need shoot me an email.

Starr
 

Hope the best works out for your mom!

pq
 

Lots of love & concern!!
 

I know without a doubt that if I hadn't pushed the drs to allow the mangosteen, she would not have made the progress she's made.

I found an acceptable nursing home 10 miles from us. The one that was closer smelled terrible. I was NOT IMPRESSED! And can you believe it cost $500 a month MORE than the other one?!

I think the only reason they get away with the higher cost is that it's in town. It's 8 miles from us, so no big deal that I have to drive 2 miles more to get better care.

They put the "permanent" feeding tube in today and that was causing some pain, but she should be fine in another day or so. I think they will take her to the nursing home Wednesday.

We hope to have her progress enough with therapy over the next few months so that she can still go back to assisted living. I really hope she can. Time will tell.

Thanks to all for your prayers. I know the prayers have done alot for her. She's on alot of prayer lists across the country. God is good.

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oops!
Lymetutu

 

Also glad that you found a suitable nursing home. To me, a 10 mile drive sounds close.
We had to drive 25 miles (one way) to the only nursing home that was suitable for my father. Since he would walk off, we had to have a secure unit for his safety.
He had been mis-diagnosed with Alzheimer's, but we learned very late in the disease that he had Lyme.

I hope that your Mom has been more comfortable today.
Will continue to pray that she improves & that both of you receive the strength you need at such a difficult time.

And to you, Miss TuTu -
I'm sending the Award for Kindness and Thoughtfulness!!!
With all the responsibility you have on you at this time, how did you find time to think about me?

Sending love & a very sincere Thank You!!!

hopeful123
 

And mom hasn't been doing as well physically these past two days. I hope she isn't having more strokes. They will move her to the nursing home tomorrow.

With all my family out of state, I'm really struggling. I broke down and cried for hours today. I needed to do that. Can't say I felt any better though.

Thanks for continued prayers. It breaks my heart to see my mom this way.

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Lymetutu

 

Her speech is coming back. At least she can say a few words. I won't find out until Monday about rehab and what they will do for her.....cost, etc.

I'm watching the home like a hawk, but wish I was closer to her. I have quite a few questions for them Monday.

She also has cellulitis because she's been retaining alot of fluid. Anyway, I'm rambling now!

Thanks to everyone for their prayers. They are really helping!

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Lymetutu

 

Thanks for the update; glad you/hubby got her things moved to nursing home. Yes, it's really hard especially when I moved Dad to hospice the afternoon before his death the next night.

Glad you had a good cry; do it as needed; take time for yourself, and quiet time just for you.

How old is your Mom, Gayle? Best wishes she continues making progress each day, and that you got her into a fresh-smelling home!

Betty G.
 

Glad to hear how well the mangosteen did for her. I just started on it about a month ago now. God Bless, Carol
 

Glad to hear both parents are doing a bit better
 

Betty, Mom will be 81 in June.

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Lymetutu

 

May God bless you and hold you and give you strenghth.

linda
 

My prayers are for you and your mom...It is indeed a hard time, but you must remember to look after yourself. Out of love and concern for the people we cherish, we often forget to "take care of the caregiver."

You are one strong woman, Tutu. I've admired and learned from your smart, good advice over the past year.

Take care, sending prayers from British Columbia
Peggy

What is Mangosteen - is it related to Mangoes?

Did you get the doctors comments on the Mangosteen after she improved?

DLL
 

I never saw the dr again. Probably was embarrassed I showed him up! But I can tell you that several nurses were very impressed!

Mom has kind of plateaued. Hope she will still improve. She started therapy the other day. I have to remind myself it's only been 2 1/2 weeks.

[This message has been edited by Lymetoo (edited 30 March 2005).]
 

I know others have mentioned the importance of taking time to take of yourself, be it a quiet walk, a talk with a good friend, or a good cry when needed....please do it for yourself and for her.

Continued prayers and good thoughts to you and your family as you go through this TuTu.

JavaBeing

PS Well done on the Mangosteen juice!
 

(((((((((((((hugs)))))))))))
 

The physical part is pretty bad. She can't sit on her own, nor stand [obviously]. They will be giving her therapy and i hope that helps SOON.

I had hoped to get her back to the hospital's rehab unit, but i don't know. She has to be able to shift her weight, sit and probably stand at least some.

So, thanks for the prayers. We've been blessed by them!

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Lymetutu

 

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Lyme Buddy
 

Tutu, thanks for the update on your Mom, 81 coming soon.

Yes, these are the days when you take 1 hr. at a time, 1 day at a time. When things progress then you can think 1 week to 1 month down the line.

Glad she has YOU, her precious daughter, being the strong advocate for her! Way to go Gayle, we're all proud of you being a 1 in a million daughter, and strong moral support person here on this board.

Soft hugs, Bettyg, Iowa
 

Corinne
 

She's blessed to have you in all of this.

I hope things get a little better every day.

Mo
 

Not much change since my April 5th report. She was talking so much today, that I couldn't keep up! It's very hard to understand her, but that's not stopping her!

She was also moving around in bed more than I've seen before. Hoping her "trunk control" improves soon, so she can possibly sit up on her own.

Right now, she can't turn over in bed, or anything, but maybe she will in a few days. She's getting "restorative" therapy. They are working on getting her to move her arms and legs.

She's made more progress than I ever dreamed she'd be able to. Even though this is her 4th major stroke, I'd never seen her during the first two weeks after a stroke until this one.

[She was living in Texas when she had her first 3 strokes, and I was already in Missouri. She's been here in MO for 6 1/2 yrs now.]

Anyway, thanks to everyone for all the prayers. God is listening!

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Lymetutu

 

I am so sorry for your mom! Sorry also not to have seen this post...Lyme Brain.

Please do some research on Vitamin E and strokes...depending on which kind, it may help a lot.

You and your family are in my prayers.

My mom is 78...had a quad by-pass four years ago...so I empathize with you.

Peace, Love and Wellness,
JRW
 

Will continue to keep both of you in our prayers.
 

just checking in on you.

i have not been on here much.

i do send you prayers and a big ((( hug )))

amyb

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Good friends are like stars... You don't always see them, but you know they are always there!!!
 

Carol