Almost Lost My Wife

Last Sunday, 1-18-15, the wife woke me up around 4:30am crying with horrible back pain. I asked her if she had taken a pain pill and she said yes. Then I asked if she had a pain patch on and she said she did but it was time to put on a fresh one. I gave her a back rub and she seemed to relax some so I went ahead and got up. Fixed my coffee and breakfast and started some quesadilla ingredients. Sometime around 10:30 I heard a loud thump (like someone falling) and indeed she had fallen so I managed to get her up and back in bed. I figured that was the end of that but she got up and fell 3 more times (didn't break anything, thank God). Around noon she called me and I went into the bedroom and she was trying to get up again. She seemed a little confused at that time so I told her if she got up again I was calling 911 so she tried to get up and I called 911. The EMT/Etc in this area is the quickest respose team that I have ever seen. Before I could finish talking to the 911 operator there was a knock on the door. The Paramedic came in and started on her vital signs. The only thing that wasn't ok was her BP which was 218 over 187 by this time 5 other people had arrived along with a fire engine, an amblance and 2 EMT Suv's. They transported her to ER in Conroe Regional Hospital and by the time I got there she was sedated and on a ventilator with IVs in both hands and both bends of her arms at the elbows, plus 2 BP cuffs. I WAS SCARED THEN At that time I knew she was in trouble so I went to calling her son's and family and my family. They did blood work, CT scan, EKG and some other tests before moving her to ICU

She stayed on a ventilator for 3 days and when she came to, she couldn 't communicate. Nothing she said was audible plus her tongue was real thick. At that time they also had a feeding tube in her nose.

She slowly improved each day and by day 5 we could communicate pretty good but she still had some recall problems. On day 5 they moved her to a regular room and then on day 6 I got to bring her home. The Neurologist diagnosis was that she had accidentally forgotten to take the old pain patch off when she put the new one on, therefore, she had an overdose of Fentanyl that kicked her over the edge. After all is said and done we were blessed that is what it was and not a stroke or heart attack.

We've been home for 2 days and she is doing very good. It took a little while for her to learn to swallow good because of the 3 days with that ventilator that was in her throat but all of that plus her recall is coming back slowly but surely.

I don't mind telling Y'all that for 2 days I didn't know whether she was gonna pull thru and for 4 days I wondered if we would ever be able to carry on a conversation again. I am a Christian and my take on this is that God answers prayers and she had plenty going up for her. Thanks to HIM she fought the good fight and I now have her back in our home and will never take any of that for granted again.

Sorry for the short novel,
Em

God bless my friend, prayers for a speedy recovery!

I'm glad she's coming around Em, but what's with all the back pain?

.

Glad she's on the mend, that's some scary stuff there. You be a good home nurse to her......

Richard, a good description would be that her back is shot. She had a complete MRI done and when she pointed to a disc and said that one is horrible her doctor told her that one the "only" one what wasn't messed up. I've been after her to see what The Lazer Spine Institute has to offer but she has procrastinated on that one. "WE" are on a eating better routine and she agreed to let me get her into some low impact water exercises. So we're just waiting for both of us to be healthy enuff to go. FWIW, I came down with the crud (head cold?) the day I brought her home so I'm not the best "hauler arounder" at the mom.
Em

Glad to hear that things worked out as they did at the hospital, Em, and that they were able to come up with the reason for it. You're blessed to have such quick response, and it sounds like good people, too. As you're nursing, don't work yourself into a problem without asking for help. Being a primary care giver can wear on a person.

I'm sorry to hear of all of the health problems Em, but it sounds as though you're on the right track. My best wishes and prayers go out to you and your wife.

Em, our thoughts and prayers go out to you and your wife. Take care.

Crikey mate!
She's had a pretty rough time of it there for a while.
Good to note the medicos have found the cause and that she's on the mend.
Good luck to you both.

Oh my a horrid story with a very good ending, God bless you both. So glad it turned out to be something they could identify as the exact problem.

So delicate, so precious is the life and well being of a loved one.

Amen

God Is Good!!
Glad Mrs.Em is going to be fine!
The Mello Yello family in our prayers tonight.

Hope she is feeling better!! Pete

SO VERY SORRY FOR YOUR WIFE'S HEALTH SCARE. TAKE GOOD CARE OF HER Em.

Hey Y'all, please don't go there on this thread - - - - my only intention was to let some of my member friends here know what I had been thru and to also possibly be of help to anyone who could or should encounter such a scary happening as my wife and I just went thru. If this thread should start getting ugly, I would appreciate it if Bill would just delete it for it has served it's purpose. Thanks to "everyone" for their comments and kind words.
Em

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MelloYello

Hey Y'all, please don't go there on this thread - - - - my only intention was to let some of my member friends here know what I had been thru and to also possibly be of help to anyone who could or should encounter such a scary happening as my wife and I just went thru. If this thread should start getting ugly, I would appreciate it if Bill would just delete it for it has served it's purpose. Thanks to "everyone" for their comments and kind words.
Em

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Sorry!! I was wrong!! I deleted my comment!! Pete (If terpngater deletes his it will be all gone.

Our thoughts and prayers also.

.

As a man whom has lost his wife, some of this sounds unhappily familiar.

My best hopes for you.

All I can say is WOW & it was a good thing you were at home.
My brother in law is on pain patches because of a botched back fusion also & he's done the same thing in the past.
My sister now takes care of it so he doesn't accidentally OD again..
And get her moving, as a guy w/8 disc fused w/hardware I have found even on my worse days the best thing to do is MOVE. It sounds like your wife & mine could be sisters. I have finally got it through my wife thick skull that sitting on her butt for the last 5yrs wasn't & isn't good for her, lots of health problems. Well finally after a stern talking to by ME she is finally walking at least 200-400 ft twice a day. I told he take baby steps cause that's what it takes. I didn't lose 70 pounds over night it took a little over a year, yes I feel a hellva lot better & yes I am eating food that a year ago I would have never even looked at or ate & I grew a lot of it last year. Need any green, red, yellow, purple, chocolate, white or black bell peppers?? Not only do I have bags of them in the freezer but also have lots of seeds :D:D:D ..joe

Thanks for the info, Joe. I too have a bad back from hanging sheetrock, horseshoeing and thinking I was 10' tall a bullet proof. Just like you, MOTION, is my therapy and it works but my Wife's reply is "that's good that it works for you but the only relief I get is laying down with the heating pad". What's a guy to do??? I have talked with her about low impact water exercises and they do have an indoor heated pool in Conroe that offers classes. She was very agreeable but, as of now, we ain't done nuttin but the bed but I'm not giving up on her just yet.
Em

I'll tell you right now that laying down is NOT going to help her in the long run, it'll make it worse. Plus all the additional health problems that may come along w/out moving. Denise has fell a few times herself & the last time she did I told her, "Let it happen again & I'll be calling the ambulance for you" That in itself helped her motivate herself to do what she's doing because she knows I am a man of my word & won't take no crap. I've told her several times that this old crippled up SOB would be the one who would have to take care of her which isn't right &&& that I'm the one who should be bitchin & complaining about how they feel. Problem is I feel pretty damn good for a guy who has had 25 surgeries in the past 35yrs w/4 back fusions, 2 knee replacements & having a shoulder rebuilt just to name a few. But I ain't complaining at all...
Like I said Baby Steps & it'll start getting better & better & she'll do more & more.
BUT make sure she does the work. & I'll tell you why. After my shoulder & sternum surgeries both my doctors were surprised I could raise my arm above my head at 10 weeks. Their jaws dropped & they said most can't even raise their arm to the shoulder. What have you been doing?? My reply was, My Therapy at HOME several times a day. It'll take work as you know & yeah I know all about that "What's good for you may not be good for me" thing but oddly I have found thats just plain BS for 99% of the people. Most I'm ashamed to say, some just don't get it or understand how bad it is for you health to do NOTHING but sit on your ass all day long and NOT do the therapy......joe

You'll get no argument from me. Sometimes the Wife asks why I get up so early and I just tell her that "If I lay here any longer, it's just gonna get worse" and within 30 minutes of fixing coffee, feeding the cats and starting breakfast, it's all much much better and I"m ready for the day.

Whew! Scary start to this thread Mr. EM..
Good news that Mrs. EM is on the mend.. I had to have my back surgery a few years back. Discectomy they called it, L5 is now a little smaller on one side to give the nerves room and it allows me to walk. And as you already know, keep moving is the key to feeling better.

Chris and I will say a prayer for you both.

Em,,I,,WE are so sorry to hear about Sherry's back problems,mate.. That sounded like scary doo doo's..So glad that your local paramedics are quick off the mark.. prayers to the both of you,mate..and I hope she gets better soon.. And you.... well... red wine,,warm,of course,,is one of the best remedies for a cruddy old nose/head cold.. If it don't fix it,,,you won't feel it,anyway.. ;)

Em, sorry to hear of this! I'm glad it was figured out and also glad you have such great first responders in your area! I'll keep you guys in my thoughts and prayers. Keep at it and good luck with getting to that pool!