May 31 - Bob Golisch
All went perfect for Mom’s pacemaker procedure on 8/26/2021. Then her Electrophysiologist not being based at this hospital full time, did not release Mom that night or next morning. Not good!! After several days, hospital personnel said Mom needed physical therapy, a week or two intense PT in a rehabilitation center. I wanted home PT. I had no clear direction from God, and agreed. Mistake! Should have brought her home.
Mom’s stay at the facility was from Wednesday 9/01/2021 to Friday 9/17/2021. During the week of 9/05/2021, we recognized that her health and well-being were deteriorating (sleeping during rehab, not opening eyes during visitation, etc.). Visibly, she was not receiving the benefit of intense rehabilitation. How could she not be improving? What was going on? I prayed to know. But God, in the next few days revealed. Jesus is always there, even in the storm (Luke 8:22-25).
Thankfully God unveiled, revealing just what was going on! Because there were no visitation hours on Saturday, my brother, an unbeliever, called that evening and spoke to the on duty nurse. At the same time, my daughter also an unbeliever and physician in Phoenix, sent me an article titled “Phony Diagnoses Hide High Rates of Drugging at Nursing Homes” (just published then, September 11, 2021, updated October 15, 2021) which sadly confirmed exactly what my brother found out. Sad when you rely on and put your trust in health professionals, only to be betrayed. Why? Lack of staff. Love of $.
The facility medical team made medical decisions without contacting her Health Proxies (sons), nor her PCP and nor Ophthalmologist. Unilateral unauthorized drugging (around the clock) took place for over a week until we determined what was going on. Also, although we gave specific instruction upon admittance to administer two types of glaucoma medicine daily, this was not carried out, without us being informed.
We immediately directed them to stop drugging, and they stopped one drug, the Lorazepam. The second drug, Depakote, was reduced to one time per day. Mom never needed these meds, never used them before. In a few days Mom’s health and well-being improved, becoming more lucid, and was discharged.
These 16 days provided no benefit to Mom: 1) to resume daily activities and 2) to improve overall health and well-being. Limited visiting hours daily, no visiting hours on Saturday, and not permitting us to be with mom on the transfer day from the hospital. A fearful situation, a frightening thing for an elderly person to be brought into an unfamiliar place and not be able to see a family member on the first day.
Anesthesia can impact people with dementia (Mom’s dementia is very early minimal), and the effects lasted only couple days. The drugging that was done severely impacted her for weeks after discharge. And it took more than a month for her body to be detoxified. She completed at-home physical therapy provided by hospital home care, and released. Hallelujah!
Lord, may this experience be used to help guide other patients and their families (advocates) so they forego such tribulation. God help the patients with no advocates. God values human life.