Dodging Bullets

[Bubblelady]

Both my human & birdie flocks need your prayers right now. My mom, aged 97, had a small stroke yesterday. She is much improved--sufficiently to tell me this morning that she would "raise holy h***" if I got out of her sight. We are hoping she will be able to come home tomorrow. When I came home after 26 hours at the hospital I found Buddy near death. She was laying on the bottom of her happy hut w/ her eyes half open & her head at an unnatural angle. She was totally unresponsive when I picked her up: her body was limp and her head rolled from side to side as I moved her. I was sure she was dead & began stroking her sweet face. Then I saw a barely perceptable movement of her beak. I pried her beak open & gave her water & hand-feeding formula, drop by drop, from a syringe. At first it just ran out of her mouth but eventually she started to swallow occasionally. After about 20 minutes she had a severe, prolonged seizure but a few minutes later began actively swallowing. I gave her water & formula every few minutes for about 2 hours. Then she & Gussie & I curled up in my mom's chair & had a restorative nap. When we woke she ate 2 avicakes, drank from her dish & not just a syringe, then crawled into my shirt to her proper place, right above my heart, & went to sleep. I had left food & water for my babies before I left for the hospital & I see that Buddy did eat but I guess she was too weak to climb up to her water dish. I have been hand feeding her for some time because of her weakness. Right now I'm hopeful we have dodged a couple of bullets, yet again. My sister called & said mom is doing better & doesn't need one of us to stay the night. Both my mom & Buddy are fiesty, tough "old birds". And now I'm off for a hot shower, a glass of wine, and bed....

[Flapjack]

(((HUGS))) to you and Buddy.
My mother-in-law had a stroke almost a year ago, and still is not functioning by herself, even to use the restroom. Thank goodness your Mom's wasn't as severe.
Poor little Buddy- Jack and Chino send their love.

[lemonypickett]

Wow!

That is an amazing story. My eyes were so wide in amazement as I read it.

Wouldn't it be both wonderful and terrible if the two had died at the same moment? Like E.T. and Elliott almost. That would be so strange. Almost like your mom and Buddy were going to meet at the Rainbow Bridge or something. Then when your mom got better, Buddy did too.

Well, I hope they both improve. I feel bad for you. It would be so tough to lose two special ladies at the same time! We are here for you though.

[Flapjack]

Wow- I just realized something as I was finishing my above post-
You mom had a stroke yesterday- which is also my mom's birthday- who also recently had a stroke.
Not really amazing or anything- just a coincidence...
Hugs and prayers again...

[cprcheetah]

Sending Hugs and Prayers for a quick recovery for both. My MIL has 'mini' strokes. She's still on her own, but we know one day that may not be the case.

[HaleBoppPeachyluv]

Hugs and prayers and skritches.... my dad has scared us a couple of times this year, and I shall light candles in my heart for all of us!

[maya_exquisite]

My mom had a stroke when she was around 55 years old... she's fine now, but still has limited mobility and little strength in her right hand and arm (unfortunately it's her dominant hand). I know how you feel and am glad she's improving!! It's a scary thing when anything, big or small, happens to our parents...

Do you know what may have been the problem? That's so crazy (but good) that she was non-responsive and got better so quickly!!

[Bubblelady]

My mom has had 3 major strokes and more "mini" strokes than we can count. She has been on blood thinners for years. The biggest concern about this episode is that it was caused by a bleed in her brain--something that we have known was a hazard of blood thinners. So, no more blood thinners & thus an increased likelihood of another major stroke of the blockage type. Tis worrisome. With Buddy, I think the problem was dehydration. She is so weak I think she couldn't reach her water dish. When I am home I just put it on the floor of the cage to make it easier for her but I hooked it where it should go because I was afraid she'd spill it when getting a drink & if I wasn't there, she'd have no water at all. Which is apparently what happened anyway, since she couldn't reach it. I'll have to think of another solution, since more extended hours at the hospital are a matter of when, not if. Ironic that dehydration is also something we face with my mom. Wish I had a dollar for every time I've said, Mom, drink your juice/water/coffee/milk....Old age is hard, on people and on fids :(

[linda040899]

Maureen,
I was shopping today and remember seeing some small, flat glass tealight candle holders. They were anything but light! Not something you could turn over very easily! Would something like that work for Buddy? They may not hold a lot of water by volume but they could be used as a water source, if nothing else.

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your mother. I lost my mom to a stroke and she had only had one prior to that. Yes, old age is hard on humans, fids and those of us who care about both!

:grouphug1

[lemonypickett]

How old is Buddy?

Strokes are hard. My grandmother had one and no one found her for 3 days. Poor lady laid on the floor all that time, trapped. She got a little better, but right before being able to come home, she had another. She never regained consciousness.

At least you know your mom is prone to them so that you can be extra vigilant. An early trip to the ER can mitigate the devastating effects of paralysis.

[LauraO]

I'm sorry to hear about your mom and Buddy, and am happy to hear they both made it through!

One of my lovebirds has a bad leg so we put all her food and water in dishes on the floor, and we use those small ceramic soufle dishes. You can get them at any department store. They are low enough the bird doesn't have to perch on the bowel but can walk up to it and drink. The bowels are also strong enough the birds can't tip them over.

Good Luck

[lemonypickett]

Bubblelady,

Any update on the girls today?

[luluxoxo83]

I am so sorry to hear about your Mom and Buddy! How are they doing today? I Pray they both get better soon. Our thoughts and Prayers are with you all. Hugs and Kisses from my flock to yours!

[cp.lovebird]

I'm so sorry to hear about your Mom and Buddy. I hope both will be regaining their strength and feeling better soon. Hugs, prayers and scritches coming your way.

[wilkiecoco]

i was so upset when reading your post until i got to the end and realized that both mom and buddy made it through! I am sending only positive thoughts and prayers , hoping that they start feeling better soon. how are things today????

[Buy A Paper Doll]

Oh my gosh. I'm so sorry to hear this news.

I hope that everything turns out OK.

[michael]

Hi Maureen. I'm very sorry to hear your experiencing some tough going lately.......:(........Hopefully, things will taper off soon and once again settle into a more comfortable pace. Its good to hear both your mom and Buddy are currently making a wonderful pair of "tough old birds". Really, with all the great support your giving them it sounds like your definitely following in their footsteps....:wink:....You know, I do understand how taxing this can all be as my own mother had four strokes followed by my mother-in-law who suffered a nonfatal aneurysm. Mom eventually passed from a second round of cancer. None the less, she still did very well despite being confined to a wheelchair for almost 17 years. You could say she too was a tough old BAT...(sorry mom :rolleyes:). Mother-in-law later passed from natural causes (bless her stubborn soul :whistle:). Anyways....:)....Prayers for you, your mom and Buddy. And of course....Please take care.

[Bubblelady]

Buddy is Buddy again today:happy: Before I left for the hospital this AM she was climbing the side of her cage, all the way to the top. And when Gussie got too close, she literally charged out of my shirt with beak in attack mode, full speed ahead. And I got to thinking, she had climbed up onto her swing on Thursday. So I'm not sure what happened yesterday. Given that she had a substantial seizure soon after I came home, I'm wondering if she had just had a big seizure right before I got home as well. Guess I'll never know. She did miss 3 successive doses of her alopurinol on Friday-Sat AM. Anyway, she seems just fine now. Maybe she was just punishing me for leaving her alone for so long, with just Gussie for company.:evil:

Mom gave us another day of worry today. She was so good yesterday but today kept falling asleep between bites at breakfast. And when the PT came to assess her, the last criteria for discharge, she fell asleep while sitting on the side of the bed. The PT said she'd come back tomorrow. When mom finally woke up she got REALLY upset & vocal 'cause we weren't taking her home yet. We wondered if something else neurological was going on. She kept yelling & saying we were trying to get rid of her & that she'd have to stay in the hospital till she died & that she didn't believe anything we said. Very worrysome! Then the evening nurse came on duty & I found out mom was sleeping at pill time so they didn't give her her sleeping pill. But she woke at midnight complaining about itching. So they gave her a sleeping pill AND a benidrille (sp?) at MIDNIGHT. Anyway, once I told her that she had been given something that made her sleepy & that the PT would come back in the morning, she settled down. I sure hope she comes home tomorrow or everyone in the whole hospital is going to hear her yelling, "WHAT AM I DOING HERE!!! WHAT AM I DOING HERE!!! ...over & over & over. :omg: There is clearly nothing wrong with her lungs. To be continued. And thanks for all the warm fuzzies. I need all I can get.!

[Buy A Paper Doll]

Sending more warm fuzzies. :)

I'm so glad to hear that Buddy is doing much better today. :happy:

Sometimes strokes come with confusion and memory loss, even if it's only temporary. This makes otherwise reasonable people a bit, uh, yeah. I'm quite certain the staff has dealt with worse, so try not to worry too much about how she's acting. If I were her, I'd be raising holy h*ll too. :whistle:

I'm concerned about the itching; is she allergic to sxomething they're giving her? That's why they gave her the Benadryl, I'm sure, but it seems like they're not taking the time to determine what she's allergic to and change that medication.

[bbslovie]

Hi,
I just wanted to send our thoughts and prayers your way. :grouphug:

Barb