6 replies to this topic

[pmfc44]

Hi,

My mom (74) had an 18" aortic endograft on 7/11 for aneurysms which left her paralyzed from the waist down. There has been no mention of a # (T3 T4 etc), complete or incomplete but she cannot move anything from the waist down except move her toes just a little. She has no bowel or bladder control. She got moved to rehab a little over a week ago. The day before they moved her to rehab she was given a laxative (which worked a little too well) which took about three or four days to "wear off". She has had at least one BM everyday since then until 3 days ago. They gave her a laxative night before last, which did not work. Then they gave her another yesterday and one of the girls told her if that did not work she was going to have to go back to the hospital and they would give her a colostomy. This has my mother VERY upset. I've told her I don't think that's true, but she is scared to death now. Since her anuerysm surgery went so horribly wrong, she swears she wil never let anybody cut her again. Anybody got an answer for me??????

[smokymtn memories]

Talk to her doctor and/or the charge nurse. That isn't the kind of informtion that comes from anyone but a doctor.

Sorry I can't help, but if it were my mother, I'd be talking to her doctor.

[alyssa]

Quote

There are a number of reasons to perform a colostomy:

Intra-abdominal infection, such as perforated diverticulitis
Injury to the colon or rectum (for example, a gunshot wound)

Rectal cancer

Perineal wounds or fistulas

Whether a colostomy is temporary or permanent depends on the specific disease or injury. In most instances, colostomies can be reversed

A colostomy sounds a bit extreme to me. Not that I'm a doctor but it seems to me that she just needs to perfect a bowel routine...which is a challange we all come across...Also, in my non-medically trained opinion might i suggest the magic bullet?

Edited by alyssa, 11 August 2007 - 10:38 PM.

[hockeydahc]

I agree with Smoky. That was improper, and the nurse supervisor should be notified.

[KimAndSophie]

pmfc44, on Aug 11 2007, 10:49 AM, said:

Hi,

My mom (74) had an 18" aortic endograft on 7/11 for aneurysms which left her paralyzed from the waist down. There has been no mention of a # (T3 T4 etc), complete or incomplete but she cannot move anything from the waist down except move her toes just a little. She has no bowel or bladder control. She got moved to rehab a little over a week ago. The day before they moved her to rehab she was given a laxative (which worked a little too well) which took about three or four days to "wear off". She has had at least one BM everyday since then until 3 days ago. They gave her a laxative night before last, which did not work. Then they gave her another yesterday and one of the girls told her if that did not work she was going to have to go back to the hospital and they would give her a colostomy. This has my mother VERY upset. I've told her I don't think that's true, but she is scared to death now. Since her anuerysm surgery went so horribly wrong, she swears she wil never let anybody cut her again. Anybody got an answer for me??????

When I was in the hospital I was told the same thing one day. A different nurse was working that day, and she just didn't have the patience to wait for anything to happen. She was the type that thought she could bully the patients into doing whatever she wanted. At the time I had just been taken off of the "stool softener" I had been taking in the mornings because it was giving me more problems than it was fixing, so things took a bit longer to work. She basically told me I didn't need anything and to just sit there and keep trying to go on my own. After almost three hours of sitting there, she got mad because I "wasn't trying" hard enough, and threatened that if I "wouldn't" go then they would do a colonostomy. I had tried explaining to her what we alwqays did and she would have no part of it. I was so upset by what she had said that I threw up and spent the night laying in bed awake and crying. When the regular nurses came back in the morning and I told them what happened, they said not to worry about it and that that is one of the very last things they would ever do unless they absolutely had to. They also found out that this same nurse had the same attitude about my bladder. She kept telling me to "try to pee on my own" and that I'd never get out of the hospital if I didn't do it and things. I went over 24hours without peing. By the time the regular nurses came back I was laying in bed, looked grey and would barely respond to them. Right after that they found out that I had a blood clot in my bladder the size of a softball.



You really have to do something if a nurse starts treating you or a family member in a way they shouldn't, or God knows what could happen. This nurse decided that because I was on a floor with all of the older people who were waiting to be sent to nursing homes etc. that I was just like them. (They don't have a place for people with sci's), so she would treat me like I just didn't want to do anything for her rather than that I couldn't. Once the nurse supervisor found out they looked into what happened and she never worked with me, or there again.



If I were you I would find the nurse supervisor and talk to her about what happened, and also talk to her Dr's and ask them to explain to her that it is a very last option that she wont need for the reason that the nurse told her. The last thing you want is for your mom to be upset over things like that.

[edlee]

It is much too soon to be talking about surgical procedures for your mom. It took me many monthes to get things operating properly and dependably.

Both the nurse and the aide should be reported for their attitudes ( which came very close to abuse) and hopefully she will learn to stand up for herself. I have chased one nurse out of the room and fired two visiting nurses for similar insulting behavior.

Keep in mind that you are the customer and if you don't like the way you are being treated you need to speak out.

You will find a wealth of information on this site that will help you deal with such behavior in the future. Use the search feature to find older postings that may be more on topic for you.

I wish you and your mom much luck.
ed

[Tinbasher]

pmfc44, on Aug 11 2007, 03:49 PM, said:

Then they gave her another yesterday and one of the girls told her if that did not work she was going to have to go back to the hospital and they would give her a colostomy. This has my mother VERY upset. I've told her I don't think that's true, but she is scared to death now. Since her anuerysm surgery went so horribly wrong, she swears she wil never let anybody cut her again. Anybody got an answer for me??????

This is the kind of nonsense poorly trained careworkers come out with and the reasoning is often because it is easier for them. A complaint to her supervisor or higher is entierly appropriate. Colostomy is sometimes needed in SCI but never for simple bowel management reasons and if other complications were absent not so soon after injury.

Just a few thoughts, your mom does have a "non traumatic" SCI and these are often not treated in the same way as traumatic SCI. Often these patients dont get proper explanations of their injury or proper bowel and bladder managment training and rehab. If you can try and get your mom to at least have a consultation with a spimal injury doctor to advise on her bladder and bowel management. Dont let them say shes too old for any rehab.

Good luck.

Tom