Need Ans PLS

[TJ1996]

my mom is 57 yrs old n she went 2 the hsp last night n they told her she has double pneumonia they also said her heart rate was only 25 bpm is that bad i mean is mom gonna b ok? pls tell everythin u can mom also has CHF. pls help ty. TJ

[BLM_56]

Hang in there, TJ.  Your Mom is very sick but we have a level of capacity to support sick patients that would have seemed miraculous just a few years ago.

57 isn't old.  It isn't young (I should know since I had my 57th b'day beginning of August) but it is not old.  If she was in generally good health before the pneumonia she stands a good chance of full recovery.

You need to be supportive of her.  She is going to take a while to recover.  I had viral pneumonia in my 20s and it took me a good 3 months before I felt 100% - and that wasn't even DOUBLE pneumonia.  Her body is fighting very hard but it is using up reserves of (for want of a better term) vitality that will take a while to restore.  Your love and caring will be vital to her recovery.  You did not mention a "Dad".  If your Dad is still alive and folks are still together he is going to have a hard time taking care of her.  He will need your love and support, too.  If your dad is not available, then you are going to be all the more needed for your mother's recovery.

It will be hard for - and on - you.  I have a couple of those t-shirts (as in "been there, done that, got the t-shirt).  Both of my folks are gone now.  But caring for them kinda goes against the grain.  "They" are supposed to take care of "us" not the other way around.  But if our folks live long enough, we eventually get to pay back a tiny part of the debt we owe them from OUR raising.  Think of it as paying a debt and rejoice in the chance to act out your love.

Keep us posted.  You can count on a "dry shoulder" - HECK! a bleeping ROOM full of dry shoulders - here.  Also if it happens that she needs to have a pacemaker implanted the good news is that the long term prognosis for that is quite good.  My EP says I should live for several replacements for mine (they don't replace the batteries they replace the whole device with a newer model).  The best bet is that something else will kill me not my heart.

Warmest regards,
Bionic Bill
Cyborg At Large

[RNRita]

Double pneumonia together with CHF and bradycardia is rough.  If you have a good hospital, she'll be treated with strong antibiotics, lasix, probably a healthy dose of steroids and they should give her meds to help her heart rate, or possible put a pacer in, if it doesn't come up on its own.  She is young but very sick right now.  Keep a positive attitude and be there.  I have seen this many times on the unit.  They fixed all the ones I saw!!!!!!