My Momma is Coming Home...Still on the Road to Recovery

Thank you all again for your prayers and your patience!  I know my blogging has been sparse lately.  I promise there are more lighthearted posts in the works :)  My Momma should be coming home from the hospital in the coming days - maybe as early as today.  While we're all excited she's ready to be discharged, there's no big sigh of relief.  There are still some challenges ahead as she transitions back to home life. 

My Momma's biggest challenge right now, and the source of her pain, are the wounds on her legs.  She's been under special treatment for these wounds since last November.  A few months back, the initial wound (a small ulcer on her heel) was pretty much healed.  But, more wounds began to appear (this time on both legs) and it's been a battle ever since.  The hospital lab diagnosed the wounds as "pyoderma gangrenosum".  I must warn you before you Google, the images are not very pleasant.  Prior to being admitted to the hospital, my Momma was able to get about with the assistance of a walker.  Since she's been in the hospital, she's become somewhat bed bound.  She has the strength and ability to move and shift her upper body.  But, has been very reluctant (well, flat out refused) to even put her feet on the floor or any weight on her ankles for the hospital physical therapy staff.  This lead the PT staff to recommend my Momma be sent to a skilled nursing facility (ie nursing home) after discharge for further rehab.

The prospect of going into a nursing home greatly alarmed my Momma and brought up major concerns for us.  Our biggest concern being the level of care she would receive.  And, we felt that if she was at all able (which Momma has started moving around since the words nursing home came up!), she should try going back home first.  It's hard watching my Mother age and her health slowly decline.  I know at some point, a nursing home may be the best option when her medical needs are beyond our abilities.  But right now, it doesn't seem like we're at that point.

So, we're going to transition back to home - with home health nursing and physical therapy attending to her at our home.  In some ways, I don't think my Momma wants to leave the hospital!  The nurses and staff have been exceptional and are so caring.  But, it's not a hotel.  Now that Momma is medically stable, the doctors want her to move on.  I just pray the current steroid treatments for the wounds will jump start their healing and finally reduce the pain.  And, that my Momma will be able to get back into the swing of things - and cooperate with the physical therapist!  We're not out of the woods yet.  But, part of me is still hopeful we can turn the corner to better days :)

Mary Ellen