Chicken Crack for the Soul

I'm thinking it should be the title of my memoirs? Thoughts?

Actually no- that is what we call Carol K's chicken dish with onions, capers, and kalmata olives. It is insane, and we've received it a few times (by request) as one of our Helping Hands dishes and we love it! Just in time too, because Mom is finally able to eat without too much discomfort. Carol, if it isn't a secret, you have to send me the recipe to post to the blog.

Yesterday was long, and today we are processing. Mom woke up in a great mood. She was able to have a long conversation with Gwennie and I, and then Paul, after she'd rested and absorbed our family meeting. She is accepting, graceful, positive, and hopeful. She seems to be leaning more and more towards McLean for a variety of reasons, and everyone has said, what you want is what you get. Period. Boom. Done. (Aunt Missy, that was for you.)

But surprise!!! Guess who's baaaack! C. Diff. I kid you not. You may remember Mom's run in with c. diff in January 2008 after her kidney removal. It was miserable, and we're really hoping and have every reason to believe this time will be very different. Clostridium difficile, or "c. diff" is a bacteria that is part of the normal flora in our gut that helps with all sorts digestive function. Because Mom has been receiving very heavy duty antibiotics to protect her body from infection, these antibiotics have suppressed the body's ability to keep these bacteria in check, and c. diff has grown out of control. The side effects are diarrhea, incontinence, and colitis (swelling of the colon). It is uncomfortable, inconvenient, and a pain in the ass. Literally.

It has to be treated with 2 weeks of (what else) a heavy duty antibiotic called flagyl. Her emotional reaction to hearing this news was significant, because she associates having c. diff with all awful post-operative period years ago, but her team has assured her, that this is almost an expected complication of antibiotic therapy, and will not last forever.

This buys her at least another few days in the hospital, and if all goes according to plan, we're looking at a Thursday or Friday discharge. "If all goes according to plan..." I crack myself up.

Because her diet has been so poor, and her circulation impaired from lack of mobility, we're seeing skin breakdown in places that are virtually impossible to prevent friction. Not to over share, but frequent diarrhea and spending most of your time on one's buttocks is a lethal combination. I say this not to be graphic, but only to express the laundry list that must be attended to when caring for people. Her nursing staff has been astounding in meeting both her emotional and physical needs, but even in the hospital here, we struggle with what we are taught are preventable things. Every day the severity of her needs is made crystal clear. Ideally, she should be repositioned every hour, and spending only a third of the time on your buttocks, which means being turned side to side. Doesn't seem like a big deal, but it is. People are not meant to spend a long time in acute care hospitals if they don't need to, so hopefully when she is discharged we'll be able to tackle some of these issues more closely.

Now she is resting. She is loving St. Francis emails, cards, and letters. News from the outside world is a welcome distraction!

Thank you for all the supportive and thoughtful comments. I read the blog to her daily and share all the comments, and nothing could make her happier.