To add to the rough week that baby Katea had, Ma had a really rough week too! :(
She started feeling sharp pains in her left leg....and we already knew what that meant. De ja vu of what happened last year at this exact same time....the blood clots that the Dr's anticipated would cause her problems were the culprit. (Click HERE to read what happened last year)
We were all so sad and really shocked that she was in pain, because a few months ago when she started feeling a little discomfort in her leg, Tea took her in and they did a little same day surgery on her.... they put a balloon in her leg to help stop the blood clots and to catch them from moving in her body and possibly going to a place that would cause her more severe damage. That same day surgery was supposed to prevent any further problems. Well, it worked for a few months and then the pains came back even more severe.
Tea took her to a Dr appointment because of her pain, and they found out that she needed surgery. Her veins were so old and weak and the lining so thin that the balloons they put in didn't hold. She was going to have the same surgery she had last year on her right leg...on her left leg. They were going to insert tubes to help catch the blood clots and prevent them from going to her heart. The Dr's were thinking that this time would be easier than the last time because the circumstances were a little different. With the surgery she had last year on her right leg, she couldn't feel her leg...it was numb....there was no blood flow going to her leg at all, so if they didn't do the surgery, she would have had to get her leg amputated. This time, with her left leg she was in pain. The Dr's were thinking that the surgery would be easier this time around, but that was not the case.
The surgery took even longer than last time....it took a full 7 hours...and probably could have gone even longer. As they were trying to fix the clots from bleeding out, she continued to bleed more...one of the clots from her leg moved, the Dr saw it but couldn't stop it....he said that she was bleeding so much and he was worried that that blood clot that moved was on it's way to her heart, that after hours and hours of trying, they needed to stop while they were ahead and try again the next day. They wrapped up that surgery and started again the next day bright and early in the morning. Poor Ma. Another day and 7 more hours of surgery... 3 incisions, several pokes to attempt to start and IV, and finally one that took in her neck, ....and lots and lots of pain and tears, she was finally done. Poor Ma. She was exhausted and she was in pain.
She spent almost two weeks in the hospital to heal. Tea was by her side every single minute of every single day, she always is, Ma's other kids came to visit and then left....but Tea stayed with her 24-7....she even just took her clothes and showered there at the hosptial. Since Ma doesn't speak any English, she couldn't be left alone....someone would always have to be there to translate what the doctors and nurses were saying.
It was bad for us too because we weren't really able to visit her, as much as we would like. Ova was still recovering from his surgery on his wrist and his lupus was acting up, so he was in pain and bed ridden at home. Baby Katea doesn't leave the house because it's still RSV season....and I was in charge of our two foster girls while Tea was gone. Let's just say that was a very stressful, busy, hospital filled month :(
We did get to visit her was after baby's doctor appointment, kind of. Since baby's pediatrician was at the same hospital that Ma was at, we took advantage of going to visit her that day. I made sure Ova was ok and had every thing he needed, then I loaded baby Katea, my 3 kids, and the two foster girls into the Durango and headed to the hospital. That was the 6 month appointment where baby got her shots.....I had the fosters and Makai stay in the waiting area with Mone and Lautala and I went back with baby to the appointment. I was thinking that would have been easier, but it actually ended up being more of a headache because the fosters started fighting with each other and made a pretty big scene at the hospital (that's a whole nother blog post)... after I came out and got them settled down, we went to visit Ma. Only problem was that Ma was still in the ICU, and no kids are allowed....and Ashlee and Diana were still be dramatic from the fight they had, so we just had Tea come out for a second so we could say hi to her and then we left. I was very frustrated that day!
Ma got to move to her own room a few days after that, so I took my kids there to visit her on Sunday night. I wanted to cry when I saw her....she was so tired...still in pain....totally not her happy self. I made her some ufi before we left home and took her some kapa pulu to eat with it...I know she hates the hospital food. We stayed there at the hospital for several hours with her...then it was time to go. Ma is a strong woman, so incredibly strong. I'm so blessed to be so close to her, and more blessed that she loves, knows and disciplines my kids. She'll be 90 this coming January....and even though she's so strong and such a fighter....we don't know how much longer she has with us, so we try to take advantage of every moment we have with her! Get well soon Ma, so you can come home! We love you!
She started feeling sharp pains in her left leg....and we already knew what that meant. De ja vu of what happened last year at this exact same time....the blood clots that the Dr's anticipated would cause her problems were the culprit. (Click HERE to read what happened last year)
We were all so sad and really shocked that she was in pain, because a few months ago when she started feeling a little discomfort in her leg, Tea took her in and they did a little same day surgery on her.... they put a balloon in her leg to help stop the blood clots and to catch them from moving in her body and possibly going to a place that would cause her more severe damage. That same day surgery was supposed to prevent any further problems. Well, it worked for a few months and then the pains came back even more severe.
Tea took her to a Dr appointment because of her pain, and they found out that she needed surgery. Her veins were so old and weak and the lining so thin that the balloons they put in didn't hold. She was going to have the same surgery she had last year on her right leg...on her left leg. They were going to insert tubes to help catch the blood clots and prevent them from going to her heart. The Dr's were thinking that this time would be easier than the last time because the circumstances were a little different. With the surgery she had last year on her right leg, she couldn't feel her leg...it was numb....there was no blood flow going to her leg at all, so if they didn't do the surgery, she would have had to get her leg amputated. This time, with her left leg she was in pain. The Dr's were thinking that the surgery would be easier this time around, but that was not the case.
The surgery took even longer than last time....it took a full 7 hours...and probably could have gone even longer. As they were trying to fix the clots from bleeding out, she continued to bleed more...one of the clots from her leg moved, the Dr saw it but couldn't stop it....he said that she was bleeding so much and he was worried that that blood clot that moved was on it's way to her heart, that after hours and hours of trying, they needed to stop while they were ahead and try again the next day. They wrapped up that surgery and started again the next day bright and early in the morning. Poor Ma. Another day and 7 more hours of surgery... 3 incisions, several pokes to attempt to start and IV, and finally one that took in her neck, ....and lots and lots of pain and tears, she was finally done. Poor Ma. She was exhausted and she was in pain.
Old surgery scars from right leg surgery last year
New scars from left leg surgery
She spent almost two weeks in the hospital to heal. Tea was by her side every single minute of every single day, she always is, Ma's other kids came to visit and then left....but Tea stayed with her 24-7....she even just took her clothes and showered there at the hosptial. Since Ma doesn't speak any English, she couldn't be left alone....someone would always have to be there to translate what the doctors and nurses were saying.
It was bad for us too because we weren't really able to visit her, as much as we would like. Ova was still recovering from his surgery on his wrist and his lupus was acting up, so he was in pain and bed ridden at home. Baby Katea doesn't leave the house because it's still RSV season....and I was in charge of our two foster girls while Tea was gone. Let's just say that was a very stressful, busy, hospital filled month :(
We did get to visit her was after baby's doctor appointment, kind of. Since baby's pediatrician was at the same hospital that Ma was at, we took advantage of going to visit her that day. I made sure Ova was ok and had every thing he needed, then I loaded baby Katea, my 3 kids, and the two foster girls into the Durango and headed to the hospital. That was the 6 month appointment where baby got her shots.....I had the fosters and Makai stay in the waiting area with Mone and Lautala and I went back with baby to the appointment. I was thinking that would have been easier, but it actually ended up being more of a headache because the fosters started fighting with each other and made a pretty big scene at the hospital (that's a whole nother blog post)... after I came out and got them settled down, we went to visit Ma. Only problem was that Ma was still in the ICU, and no kids are allowed....and Ashlee and Diana were still be dramatic from the fight they had, so we just had Tea come out for a second so we could say hi to her and then we left. I was very frustrated that day!
Ma got to move to her own room a few days after that, so I took my kids there to visit her on Sunday night. I wanted to cry when I saw her....she was so tired...still in pain....totally not her happy self. I made her some ufi before we left home and took her some kapa pulu to eat with it...I know she hates the hospital food. We stayed there at the hospital for several hours with her...then it was time to go. Ma is a strong woman, so incredibly strong. I'm so blessed to be so close to her, and more blessed that she loves, knows and disciplines my kids. She'll be 90 this coming January....and even though she's so strong and such a fighter....we don't know how much longer she has with us, so we try to take advantage of every moment we have with her! Get well soon Ma, so you can come home! We love you!
2 comments:
:( poor Ma.. hope she feels better soon... love you guys! Come out for a 'break' soon :)
So sorry to hear about Ma. Hope she recovers soon. Such a cute picture of all your kiddos with her.
Glad Katea is doing better. It can be scary when they are that little with all that is going around. Glad all is well.
Miss ya!
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