Originally Posted by
OZZIE4DUKE
I stopped reading the thread back on November 1st. My mom was transported to the hospital with shortness of breath and being flushed on Friday night, Oct. 30. On Saturday she tested positive for Covid-19 and viral pneumonia. On Sunday they gave her the convalescent plasma with antibodies and steroids to help her lungs. She was on oxygen, varying from 2 L/min through a nose tube to 8 L/min with a full mask. On that Tuesday, she got the 5 day course of Remdesivir. A week or two later she had a bladder infection and they started antibiotics. Then they discovered she had MRSA, not sure where because they couldn't/wouldn't do a T.E.E. (Trans Esophageal Echocardiogram) to see if there was vegetative matter on the back of a heart valve, so they started her on more powerful antibiotics. After 6 weeks, she finally tested negative twice for Covid, but she still had the MRSA. They did the T.E.E. and found two heart valves were damaged, but because of her age (90) they didn't do any surgery because "she'd likely die on the table".
When I spoke to her on the phone almost daily she always sounded out of breath to varying degrees, but said she had just eaten and she said she felt "fine".
Last week they started talking about moving her to a SNF (Skilled Nursing Facility) so she could continue the steroids and antibiotics, but then her heart rate raced and her potassium level dropped. They got that back under control, but her speaking became very muffled. Apparently last week she stopped eating and drinking and the nurse said her tongue was so dry it was sticking to the roof of her mouth. More talk of the SNF "in a few days" and discussions about hospice to keep her comfortable.
This morning at 1:30 a.m., waking from a deep sleep, I heard my cell phone vibrating and I ignored it. How dare those spammers call that late/early. But then it rang again I answered it and it was my brother. I had slept through the first two calls, from the hospital (they left a voicemail after the second call and then called my brother). He told me the hospital called and that Mom had passed about 30 minutes ago. I had to call the nurses' station to tell them about our per-arrangements. I asked what happened and the nurse said her pulse had dropped to ~30, they gave her atropine and then her heart just stopped. She had a DNR so that was it.
My mother was a relatively healthy 90 year old, living in an assisted living facility (ALF) at care level "0" on a scale of 0 to 5, she took care of all her daily needs without assistance. She didn't have any heart problems and certainly didn't have MRSA. I assume the official cause of death will be Covid related symptoms, like the Louisiana congressman who just died, even though she didn't "have" Covid at the time. She is one of the 300,000+ and counting that have died from this virus.
Wear a mask, wash your hands, social distance and for God-sake, get the vaccine as soon as you can.
To all you anti-vaccers and Covid statistic deniers, go to Hell. It is real.
Oh, my Lord. I am so sorry for your mother. Thank you for sharing the incredibly touching story. All the best to you and your family.
Sage
Sage Grouse
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'When I got on the bus for my first road game at Duke, I saw that every player was carrying textbooks or laptops. I coached in the SEC for 25 years, and I had never seen that before, not even once.' - David Cutcliffe to Duke alumni in Washington, DC, June 2013