In the months past Mom has been hospitalized repeatedly for congestive heart failure; seems to be about every 4 weeks or so. The adjustments in her medication during her last hospitalization actually caused her body to severely dehydrate which only added to her weakness. She began falling regularly and this last fall was a doozy!
As stated in my post from November 29, 2011, Mom took a bad fall. She was actually using her walker when the fall happened. Dad was not in the same room with her when she fell so he doesn't know what happened but her heard the commotion. When Mom didn't call out to him, like she had before, he knew she must be really hurt. He walked into the bedroom to find her laying flat on her back with her head resting on the corner edge of the doorjam, her chin pressed against her chest. Dad said she was "knocked out". He was afraid her neck might be broken because of the way her head was resting. At the time Dad didn't realize ther the back side of her head was split. Fearing the way Mom looked Dad called 911. When the EMT's arrived it was apparent that Mom was hurt terribly. The amount of blood lost, I was told, was probably close to a couple of cups full.
Mom was hospitalized for 3 days after her fall. The gash in the back of her head was about 3-inches in length which ended up requiring 6 stitches and 7 staples. When the doctors realized that she was dehydrated it was also discovered that her kidney's were malfunctioning. From here on out her medication will teeter-totter on a razors edge between keeping her properly hydrated which I think is not an easy task. Meanwhile her dementia has taken another downturn. Thankfully she has no memory of her fall.
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