my mom

On Friday the 27th my parents came over so my dad could help Rusty cut and split firewood.  They spent the night since we were having a family get-together here the very next day.  When we woke up Saturday morning both of my parents had a slight cough, nothing out of the ordinary.  After the party my parents went home, about 7:00pm.  My mom seemed to get congested during the night and did not sleep much.  Sometime between mid-morning and lunch she started to complain about not being able to breathe very well.  A hour and a half later it was worse and my dad decided to take her to the ER.  While getting ready he had this feeling of "she is not going to make it" and called 911.  Panic began to set in and he did his best to calm her and to get her to sit.  Their next door neighbor is a fireman and was the first responder.  The paramedics showed up quickly and gave her oxygen and that did not help at all.  They quickly put her in the ambulance and got her on meds and began breathing for her, the neighbor rode with them.  She was taken to Williamson Medical Center.  Rusty and I met my dad there and they allowed me to go back with him.  My brother and Aunt and Uncle were also there in the waiting room.  A couple from church also came.  I walked into her unit and the Dr. quickly asked who I was and tells me she is a very sick person and may not make it.  My dad was on the phone so I was still pretty unaware of what was going on.  She was quickly diagnosed with the flu and pneumonia.  Even on the ventilator her breathing was not good, her blood pressure was not good and her O2 saturation levels were too low.  It was scary.  Every person that entered told me/us "she is critical" or "this is very serious and could go either way".  They were preparing us for her death and had my dad not called 911 she most likely would have died on the ride to the hospital.  With every breath her chest would rise and violently fall, time and time again.  It was quickly determined that she needed to be moved to Vanderbilt Medical Hospital.  We waited for a room to open in the critical care unit at Vandy, it took forever.  They transported her from WMC to Vanderbilt by ambulance.  My dad rode with her in the ambulance.  Rusty, myself and my brother met them over there.  We all agreed that it would be best for Autumn to stay home since they have a 4 month old and the hospital is over run with flu cases.  The ambulance ride went well.  The sweetest nurse came out to the waiting room and got us and took us back.  At this point one of our pastors had come.  Again, we were told she was very sick.  There was obvious concern about the abrupt onset of this sickness and there was immediate thought and concern that more was going on in her body than they knew.  We were told that with her on the ventilator at 100% her lungs could not take a turn for the worse because they were doing all they could, there is no other treatment to give her.  The word was spread and we had people praying.  She was being given Tamiflu and strong and aggressive antibiotics.  We were told that people were dying on this floor with the same symptoms.  The doctors and nurses were very upfront and professional and we have the utmost respect for them.  During the night they were able to reduce her vent and by tonight it was set at 40% verses 100%.  Today held progress for mom.  She was alert at times and responded to commands.  An ultrasound revealed blockage in mom's aortic valve.  We later learned from the cardiac team that her valve is heavily calcified and that "it is the smallest opening they had ever seen and that if it were any smaller she would be dead".  So the recommendation is that she have valve replacement surgery before she leaves the hospital.  Right now they are trying to control her fluid levels with Lasix, which they began this morning.  The concern here is that Lasix lowers blood pressure and she can't stand to have it drop at all.  The vent is breathing for her so that she can take at least 30 breaths per minute to get the built-up CO2 out of her body.  We are told she is still walking a very fine line with getting over the flu and pneumonia.  She is still a very critically ill person.  Early evening they put a central line in to monitor fluids more closely and to be able to administer meds differently.  She will also need this for the heart surgery and while she was under heavy sedation it seemed like the best time to do it.  The attending doctor told us tonight that it was divine that mom got the flu.  The condition of her valve would most likely have created what they called "sudden death" because of the condition it is in.  So while this flu and pneumonia is hard, the complications are due to the heart condition and without the flu/pneumonia she likely would have died because of her heart.  Tonight we are thankful but still have heavy hearts for her complete healing.  There is no place to turn except to the Lord and for Him we are so thankful!  The outpouring of love has been overwhelming.  We decided to keep our kids isolated for a few days since they were with her for 48 hours.  If they do not get they flu they can still be carriers, we did not get flu shots.  I think I have covered it all.  I will continue to update here.  Your prayers are much appreciated!  Also, my dad is not feeling well at all.  He went to the Dr. today and does not have the flu.  He got a flu shot, cortisone shot and was put on a zpak.