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My mother is in critical condition

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B

Besthelboy

Banned
I've seen a few threads like this and dreaded the day I'd post one, but here I am.

She has liver cirrhosis and hasn't had her MELD score high enough to be eligible for a transplant and she's been on the waiting list for years. Her liver hasn't been able to filter her blood very well due to it and her ammonia levels would get high, so she's been taking medication for it but occasionally it wouldn't help and they would rise too much and she'd be "out of it" either unconscious or not thinking rationally. This happened a few times over years but as her condition got worse so did the frequency, and we took her maybe 3/4 times over the last 6-8 months. We took her to the hospital, they'd give her medication and the levels would lower and she'd be back to normal after a few days of resting and medication This time it happened again, but they can't get the ammonia levels down and its rising. If it continues to rise she might slip into a coma and suffer brain damage. It's a thing where the medication can start working at any moment or she can slip into a coma at any moment.

I'm trying to stay positive for everyone and let them know she's not dead just yet and we need to stay strong and positive and look at it in a light where it can get better and all that. But it's beyond worrying, it's sudden and of course there's always warning signs but nobody thought it'd get so bad so quickly. I just wanted to post something, I don't want her to die. She's in her mid forties, I love her so much, and I really hope she knows that.

Edit 1: Ammonia levels dropped after the first night significantly

Edit 2: Ammonia levels dropped to good levels, however they found she has a blood infection and all focus is going there.

Edit 3: infection is serious and she is not beating it as of now. Next 48 hours are critical.

Edit 4: Over the last 30 hours it's been a turnaround and we're heading in the right direction, still a very long road but she's doing much better.

Edit 5: My mom beat septic shock, she cleared a few small infections and held in with a very sick liver for two weeks to get a transplant offer. Surgery today at 4 PM.
 
E

echoshifting

Banned
Wishing you and her all the best, mid-40s is way too young. I can't imagine waiting to see if the meds will start working or if she'll slip into a coma. Sounds like a nightmare. Cirrhosis is very scary.
 
F0rneus

F0rneus

Tears in the rain
Damn that's awful. Hopefully the meds kick in, and everything goes back to normal for you and your mom. Sending positive thoughts your way.
 
M

my6765490

Member
Oof, that really sucks. Hopefully something will come through with a transplant or medication. Mid-40s is way young, so I can't imagine you are very old, just remember that your mother likely wouldn't want you to be too sad and worried about this.
 
B

Besthelboy

Banned
Thank you for all your warm thought and wishes. It's crazy how you can worry about sports and video games or whatever to this.
 
I

inm8num2

Member
My best wishes for your mother, OP. I hope the medication works and gets her back to stable levels.

Hang in there and just keep doing what you're doing - being supportive in any way and giving your mother strength through your love.
 
U

User 479360

Banned
Sorry to hear that, OP.

I know all too well what it's like to have a sick parent who's in and out of hospitals. I felt like I lived in them for years, and would gladly do it again if it meant having my beloved Mom back. I loved her so much, and maybe in an unhealthy way, and miss her.

Hopefully you won't have to deal with what I'm going through.
 
B

Besthelboy

Banned
OCDChewie said:
Sorry to hear that, OP.

I know all too well what it's like to have a sick parent who's in and out of hospitals. I felt like I lived in them for years, and would gladly do it again if it meant having my beloved Mom back. I loved her so much, and maybe in an unhealthy way, and miss her.

Hopefully you won't have to deal with what I'm going through.
Click to expand...

There's some lyrics I listened too that fit; "You used to annoy me when you did that back then, now I'd pay to have you do it again."

Still, as long as she's breathing I'm going to stay positive until it changes.
 
A

akira28

Member
I'm hoping and praying for you both.

a lot of things make zero sense in the face of this. how we can waste billions on fluff when it could go towards saving lives, research, rehabilitation and therapy for people.

is there some other opinion of care or something that can be done like regular dialysis or transfusions that can help, or something? I hate feeling like our lives are just a matter of cost effectiveness and known procedure.
 
E

Easy_D

never left the stone age
Best wishes to your mom, yourself and your family OP, hope everything turns out well for you.
 
B

Besthelboy

Banned
Hey everyone, I thankfully woke up to the best news I could hope for. They managed to bring the levels down, they're still high and she's on an unreal amount of medication, but they lowered them out of the range where she was heading for brain damage. She's not out of the woods yet, but it's just the best we could hope for. I'll keep everyone updated .
 
S

Stinkles

Clothed, sober, cooperative
Besthelboy said:
Hey everyone, I thankfully woke up to the best news I could hope for. They managed to bring the levels down, they're still high and she's on an unreal amount of medication, but they lowered them out of the range where she was heading for brain damage. She's not out of the woods yet, but it's just the best we could hope for. I'll keep everyone updated .
Click to expand...

Great news, good luck!
 
L

Lights and Waves

Member
Besthelboy said:
Hey everyone, I thankfully woke up to the best news I could hope for. They managed to bring the levels down, they're still high and she's on an unreal amount of medication, but they lowered them out of the range where she was heading for brain damage. She's not out of the woods yet, but it's just the best we could hope for. I'll keep everyone updated .
Click to expand...

Every little bit of progress counts - rooting for you and your mama, OP!
 
E

E92 M3

Member
Besthelboy said:
Hey everyone, I thankfully woke up to the best news I could hope for. They managed to bring the levels down, they're still high and she's on an unreal amount of medication, but they lowered them out of the range where she was heading for brain damage. She's not out of the woods yet, but it's just the best we could hope for. I'll keep everyone updated .
Click to expand...

Great news. Have they looked at the liver compatibility of family members? Maybe you can donate half of yours.
 
S

Sheytan

Member
Isn't there a high chance that a liver is compatible if a close relative or family member donates one or do i got that wrong?
 
T

The Artisan

Member
goddamn OP. i feel for you right now i guess all i can say though is i wish and hope the best for and i'll keep you & your family in prayer
 
B

Besthelboy

Banned
Another bump, this time with worse news. They managed to get the ammonia level down to good levels but they're not concerned with that now. She has a serious blood infection and all focus is going there.
 
C

chronic_archaic

Member
Had a similar situation with mine in late 2014 - it was at the point basically she was considered dead, and I accepted that fact she was going to pass away. Right before my 18th birthday as well. She had about a 10% chance of coming out of it, it was her lungs completely were infected and she wasn't healing or something. Amazingly the day I went to the SS office to explore my options and afterwards went to see her, she spoke for the first time in a month. And... she's here today and it's business as usual. Still can't believe she lived but it's a good thing she did. Would probably be dead in the street if not.
 
B

Besthelboy

Banned
chronic_archaic said:
Had a similar situation with mine in late 2014 - it was at the point basically she was considered dead, and I accepted that fact she was going to pass away. Right before my 18th birthday as well. She had about a 10% chance of coming out of it, it was her lungs completely were infected and she wasn't healing or something. Amazingly the day I went to the SS office to explore my options and afterwards went to see her, she spoke for the first time in a month. And... she's here today and it's business as usual. Still can't believe she lived but it's a good thing she did. Would probably be dead in the street if not.
Click to expand...

That's an amazing story and I'm really happy for you and your family. My mother is really the integral part, the glue of my immediate family and other than your mother or wife passing away you have all these problems and things that needed to get and were handled by her and now you don't even know where to begin. In hindsight relying on her isn't ever good but she never wanted help and was able to sort things out so quickly.

Anyway. There's room for hope, her chances are better than 10% but with the infection she has its a thing where she needs to start getting better ASAP. The more it progresses the more the chance of stopping it fades.
 
B

Besthelboy

Banned
Sheytan said:
Isn't there a high chance that a liver is compatible if a close relative or family member donates one or do i got that wrong?
Click to expand...

Yes, my brother or myself. First they needed to get the ammonia down before they considered it. Now the transplant is off the table of course until any signs of an infection are killed off.
 
B

Besthelboy

Banned
My mother is not beating the infection as of now, the longer that the infection stays in her body the more her oragns will begin to shut down. The good news the infection is not worsening and once they determine the origin of the infection they can fight it off with more effective results hopefully. I still have hope, but it'll be difficult. Need to start seeing good news soon.
 
B

Besthelboy

Banned
She's been getting better over the last 30 hours and is responding to the antibiotics. Her heart and kidneys are holding up without any dialysis or blood pressure medicine which means the infection isnt getting worse and she's holding up. It's a complete turnaround since my last update. Much, much better news and now we just have to hope the good news continues for a long time, since there's still such a long road.

Thank you everyone for your thoughts, we all really appreciate it.
 
ajim

ajim

Member
Fingers crossed for you and your mother mate. I really hope there's a turn around.

Stay strong.

I know words don't mean much but my heart feels for you
 
B

Besthelboy

Banned
Hello everyone, my mom is going for a liver transparent surgery at 4 PM today. Thank you foreveryone's support during a very difficult almost four weeks. Let's hope/pray for a successful surgery now.
 
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