New update on Courtney- She is in the hospital in Burlington Ma, still not out of danger, but is off the critical list, and may be transferred to Lewiston Me on Mon or tues, right near Jim. The prayers are working, and we all hope that some relief will come for Susan.
OMG! Thank you all for all the strength you have sent to Courtney and Me! Frank, what can I say, thank God I was wise enough to put your number in my phone. Without the connection to this group I never would have had the strength to get through this week. Frank and I have had some in depth conversations on the pressures of being caregivers to multiple people. Never did I expect that that one single number in my phone would be a lifeline to you all. Every time I sent off an update to family, I sent one to Frank, knowing he was updating this family. Each night he would update me on the support here and add something that would crack us up. Courtney had to ask him to stop, because it hurt her to laugh :o) Very good medicine. I truly appreciate the prayers and know that they worked! Courtney will be transferred tomorrow (Tuesday) to our local hospital, right next door to her apt. From there we hope she will spend a week in an Alcohol Rehab to refresh her coping skills. She had begun taking a ton of tylenol to try and deal with headaches that were worsening. She has had severe headaches since her teen yrs. That combined with the alcohol, put her over the edge and she went into complete liver failure.
The call came as I was putting away Jim's clothes at the nursing home. I talked to the dr who had put her in intensive care and he said he was sending her to a Boston Hospital with the best transplant team around, but he did not think she would live to get it one. Jim arrived I said a teary good bye, drove an hour home, packed clothes, called my ex and told him to get his butt in gear, that I wasn't doing this alone! Then I drove the 3 hr drive to the hospital. Once there I found the ex with Courtney, who looked horrible. They then told me that because of her alcoholic background she would not even be considered for a transplant. So they went to work and somehow managed to save her life. Her liver functions that were damaged from the Tylenol Poisoning were at 18,000 the normal range is 4-11!!!!!! Her INR was 8.8, normal is 1.8. She has been given a second chance. Meanwhile her headaches raged on. At one point she didn't bother with her nicotine patch and low and behold her headaches went away. SHE IS ALERGIC TO THE NICOTINE! Now that she is not smoking her headaches are gone! So she knows that she can NEVER have another drink, another Tylenol or another cigarette. I just hope she will be strong enough. As soon as she is stable enough, she is supposed to be transfered to the same hospital Jim was in for the rehab. Please don't stop praying or blowing that damm cloud away. Thank you all from the bottom of my weary, but oh so grateful heart. Arms around and around, Susan
Susan, so glad to hear directly from you. We've all been so worried, and most appreciative of Phranque's updates. I pray things settle down for you - soon! You're overdue for a period of normalcy, whatever that is. Living from crisis to crisis is just too damn hard. Take care of yourself as best you can. ((((hugs))))
Oh Susan, so good to hear from you! We all were so worried. I hope things settle down a bit. You have really been through it. Phanque was great at keeping us up to date. Puff, puff, blowing hard. A big warm hug for you!
Oh Susan, welcome back, and I am SO GLAD that Courtney is doing better! You've been in my constant thoughts and prayers, and will continue to be. Meanwhile, I'm getting dizzy from all the huffing and puffing, as I am blowing from California! I'm glad everything worked out.
Wonderful news! Prayers will continue for Courtney's continued strength to continue her battle to good health and to you and your family for continued strength.
Please keep those prayers coming. Courtney was release and is now at home. This was not the plan, but state to state transfers, when not emergencies are almost impossible to get insurance to approve. The plan was for her to go to an Alcohol Rehab for a refresher course. She left with the understanding that she would go to an AA meeting tonight, and her PC tomorrow to discuss inpatient. I know she won't go. I know it in my heart. She has an appt, made pre-hospital to begin seeing a Substance Abuse Counselor on 9/10, I just hope it will be enough.
I'm so sorry that they wouldn't approve putting her in re-hab. She probably needed that guidance. Hopefully, she'll realize that she needs the help this time. My prayers continue to be with you and your family!
Susan, sometimes people have to hit rock bottom before they can climb back up. I am praying that Courtney will start making baby steps toward a better tomorrow.
stupid stupid stupid stupid insurance people. What difference does it make what state the therapy is in. If one of my children were on vacation, had a car accident out of state, would the same rule apply. I'm just so tired of dealing with insurance/benefit people who are trained to say "no" first and then you have to grovel and crawl to the point that they say yes. A friend locally is having the same problems with getting SSDI for her autistic son. She's a single mom, no child support, unemployed (since November), and the SS Admin. said her pathetic unemployment check may disqualify her from getting the SSI disabiity checks for her son. (She's also on food stamps now... - and her last job paid her $75,000 year!) Her son has seizures, is sick so much of the time.... she never has a dime extra.
Just as I suspected, DD saw her PCP and chose NOT to go into rehab :o( She will see a substance abuse counselor on the 10th. I just hope she makes it. I can't focus on it anymore, Diego, Dylan, Mom and Jim are my focus. I need to move on.
Oh Susan, I'm so sorry. What a waste of a young life. Do you think she is simply denying her problem? Will she have someone to watch over her? This is so sad...she HAS a choice in her own health condition.... unlike Krissy and our DH's. Poor child.
Addictions of any type are the most difficult thing to overcome and not everybody is able. Prayer is about all that outsiders can offer of any help at all.
Susan, my prayers are with you and Courtney...How much more can be put on your plate!!Let us hope she gets the help she needs and learns to take what she has, and do better by it...
NancyB...have been following Krissys care giver web site...Praying hard for her...she is putting up such a fight. Hope you are feeling better. Hugs Rosalie
Thanks Rosalie, We're all praying for Krissy. It's really rough right now. The chances of receiving donor hearts from accident victims always increases over long holiday weekends. She got her last heart transplant over the July 4th weekend. Keep praying..Krissy said she can feel they are working... She has the most incredible spirit! She's amazing!
Courtney made it through a tough weekend. Tomorrow we go to court as the state takes custody of Dee and officially gives me temporary guardianship. I have been following Krissy's progress and posting on her site. She has an amazing spirit. I pray for her daily.