New Years Eve

Nana was feeling particularly weak and could not get any breath just after dinner on New Year's Eve.  The decision was made to get Nana to urgent care.  Urgent care closed at 9pm that night--Laura and Nana barely made it there on time.  The staff at urgent care took an x-ray and found her lungs about half way filled with fluid.  So it was off to the ER, as they would better be able to treat Nana better.

Now this is New Year's Eve...a night with lots of crazy partying going on.  You'd think that the ER would be full, but it was totally vacant!  Nana and Laura had no problems whatsoever in getting a bed in the ER, or attention from the staff.

Nana was given a nebulized breathing treatment, which helped out tremendously.  She was moving around so well that Laura could barely keep up with her.  They got to ring in the new year with the nurses in the ER and were able to come home that night a little after 1:30am on New Year's Day.

While Laura and Nana were off on their little jaunt, I subjected the kids to a movie from the 1970's "Close Encounters of the Third Kind."  I just had to have them watch Richard Dreyfuss sculpt Devil's Tower out of mashed potatoes!  :-)

Christmas 2010

Nana's legs had been swelling prior to Christmas, and she didn't want to mess up Christmas for anyone by going to the hospital.  Things continued to get worse and worse so Laura took her into the ER on December 27. They finally got a bed in the ER, and eventually a room.  Nana was administered a diuretic via IV and was discharged on the 29th, having  spent a couple of days, and losing several pounds from excess fluid.

When she went into the hospital she was 10 pounds above her normal weight--from just fluid alone! Dr M. has put her on a strict fluid restriction to help with this problem.