Good News, Bad News

We've had blog silence lately because I've been too busy to blog.  My Mom had a stroke and just got out of the hospital yesterday.  We've been busy trying to keep up with a 5 month old, work full-time, have Christmas with all the extended family here and visit Momma in the hospital.  Whew!

Mom complained of a major headache but has always had migraines.  We were all concerned but not overly concerned as we thought it would be like all the others and pass.  She had an appointment with her PCP on the Wednesday before Christmas to do some blood work.  Once they got to the appointment, they immediately took her for a CTscan.  From the CT place they took her to the ER.  They ran some more tests and decided to admit her.

One of the tests came back and it was determined Momma had suffered a stroke some time the week before Christmas.  During the battery of tests they ran, it was also determined that she has Diabetes in addition to her High Blood Pressure.  So, she hit the trifecta.

Thank God the stroke didn't leave her with any right side paralysis, but she did lose some vision in that eye.  Both eyes were effected, but the right seems to be worse.  She said she sees wavy things in her peripheral vision and her forward vision isn't clear.  She isn't allowed to drive anymore for a while and is on a very, very restricted diet.  While she was in the hospital, she was given antibiotics and that killed off the good bacteria in her stomach in addition to the bad bacteria.  That then caused some bleeding and she was kept in the hospital while they figured out what it was from and what to do.  More antibiotics were given to restore the good kind of bacteria to her system and the internal bleeding was stopped.  So, she was much better yesterday so she got released.

At our insistence, they have temporarily moved in with us.  We have the perfect set up,  Mom and Daddy have taken over the front guest bedroom/bathroom.  They are on the complete opposite side of the house, so it's like they have their own space.  Momma has like 9 different medicines she's taking right now, so we're able to help Daddy figure all of this out.  They are both so tired and worn out from being in the hospital with round the clock nurses poking and prodding.  We figured 2 more sets of hands to help out was much better.

In the meantime, we've all been studying Diabetes and trying to figure out what she can and can't have.  It's very hard to cook a low fat, sugar free, low sodium meal that tastes anything like actual food!  Daddy is a champ, he's committed to changing his diet right along side my mom.  While they're here, we're all eating healthier.  We're going to get her strength and vision back and then we'll start some kind of exercise program.

The doctors are optimistic that in a couple of months, her vision will come back.  The Good Lord has watched over us so far, so we continue to pray for her recovery and trust in Him.  It was bad that the stroke happened, and we'll all work like dogs to help her get healthy, but we're thankful that it wasn't much worse.

It turned out to be a Merry Christmas after all!