Because she is on Hospice, she will receive the antibiotic before bedtime. She'll also receive the steroid but won't start it until tomorrow morning. This is yet again one of the many benefits of Hospice. Any delay in receiving the antibiotic could result in a full blown pneumonia and a hospitalization.
This early intervention could prevent a multitude of problems in addition to the pneumonia. Once admitted to the hospital, these little old people become prey for all kinds of bad infections like staff and strep infections, flesh eating bacteria, you name it. The big, bad germs are alive and thriving in the hospital. It's way better to keep them out of the hospital if at all possible. We've navigated this road many times with my mom and her doctor. He stays way on top of her condition and always tries to be proactive. I'm so very grateful. However, I fear that one of these days, even the early intervention won't be enough to stop the pneumonia hospital freight train. Patients, especially the elderly, can reach a point where they and their bug of choice becomes resistant to the antibiotic. There are only so many options out there.
At any rate, my mom's a fighter and she's just mad enough most of the time to stay alive in spite of all the naysayers. For now, it's a wait and see situation. I'm just so grateful that she's getting the best of care and everything is being done to prevent this train wreck.
And so it goes. Pneumonia goes with the territory of the end of life journey. If your loved one lives long enough, he or she will experience it. My mother's a pneumonia "repeat offender". She's been hospitalized and diagnosed numerous times. One thing that we've added to her regimen that has been most helpful has been twice daily breathing treatments. Good luck getting these if your loved one is stranded in a big box ASS-isted living facility. BTs are simply not available or administered..end of story. Many hoops must be jumped through to accomplish this feat, but it is life saving and a spectacular pneumonia prevention technique.
As I'm writing this, I received a call from the 24/7 on call Hospice Nurse. Her name is Brenda and she is the weekend on call nurse. She's an absolute angel. She's making her rounds in frigid temperatures and wicked Oklahoma winds. She's already been to see my mom. She arrived just as the Home Health Nurse was administering the breathing treatment. She listened to my mom's lungs and totally concurs with her doctor. The antibiotic and steroid dose pack are in transit from the 24/7 pharmacy. She's already spoken with the doc about the dosage and administration. All is as well as can be.
Now really, who has an MD, LPN Hospice Nurse, and a Home Health Certified Breathing Treatment Technician visit, hang out, physically examine, do a lung listen, and administer a breathing treatment on a Sunday afternoon at a fabulous boutique ASS-isted Living Facility? Only my BSN Navy Nurse Mom. She deserves every morsel of it.
My mom was despondent, wanting to die and depressed while I was there after the doctor left. She tends to to lean this way while I'm around... She has a dramatic side to her. According to the Hospice Nurse, my mom was absolutely delighted with all the attention she was getting from her and the breathing technician and basking in the afterglow of her visit with her doctor. The hospice nurse arrived shortly after I left.
Let's hope the Levoquin and the Dose Pack do their job!
Teresa, hope the treatment is another home run for your Mom. She's amazing. Susan C.
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