ugh. 2 steps forward, 1 step back

So, not such a great weekend. Dad and I went out Friday afternoon to buy mom some workout pants and a top and some special soft socks with the rubber grips on the bottoms and a new purse in anticipation of her discharge to the rehab/transition center. We brought her the gifts Friday night and she was very positive and ready to go, but had some blood in her BM that day.

On Saturday we arrived and packed and were ready to leave, but she had more blood and I just wondered to the nurse if there was any concern about that. Apparently the staff had failed to note these in her chart, so at that point the nurse brought it to the attention of the Dr. and they stopped all food and liquids and put her back on an IV in preparation for a colonoscopy. They made it seem like that test would be Saturday night or Sunday, but when we arrived on Sunday after church, nothing had even been ordered and mom was very discouraged again. She just wanted us to take her home so she could die at peace. She was weak from not eating and feeling very ignored by the staff. We were not happy, and Dad was disgruntled too.

I started ringing for the RN. The nurse’s aid said she was on lunch. I was insistent and when Jan the RN arrived Dad just started badgering her. Being the J that I am, I stepped in and said, "look, we're not mad at you, but I need you now to step up and advocate for her. She was very motivated and positive about getting better, but 24 hours of starvation is a major setback and nothing is even scheduled. There is no way she needs to fast for this long, this is unacceptable." I told her she had 1 hour to get it scheduled or we were going to give mom the Arby's sandwich Becky brought and a cookie.

In 45 minutes Jan was back to say mom could have a clear liquid diet and she ordered a tray and we could get clear juice, tea, broth and sherbert from the patient kitchenette to feed her and the GI Dr. would be there within an hour. He did arrive and it took some insisting to get mom to agree to go forward with the test this morning. The causes of the blood could be hemorrhoids, (which mom says she's never had, but that would be the best case scenario) to cancer or damage to her colon from the bypass surgery.

She was allowed to eat the clear liquids for another hour and then they began the process of cleansing her with 4 liters of a liquid that she said tasted like perfume. She had a rough night. My dad spent most of the night with her, and as far as I know they're testing now. I'm planning to go back after I get Abby from school today.