Zoo Talk: Mom is in the hospital

Mom has been in the hospital since Monday night. Sis called me Tuesday morning early. The first time she tried I didn't hear it ring. Then someone where I work called me a little later and gave me a message from her.

Of course, I called her right back and learned that Mom had been taken by ambulance due to unexplained bleeding. She fell a couple of weeks ago and has been having a lot of back pain since then. Apparently, she took way too many ibuprofen and naproxin sodium...or maybe even combined them. This led to an already-present ulcer bleeding profusely.

She required 2 units of blood during the day Tuesday. She was also on an IV drip for fluids. She was taken for tests late in the afternoon and that's when they discovered the large ulcer. They also discovered that she had a compression fracture in her spine which is what is causing her so much pain.

Today, Wednesday, she seemed to be a little better. She ate about half of each meal she was given and she's been drinking tea and water, but she's still very very weak and needs a lot of help just to get to a sitting position on the side of the bed.

They seem to have everything as under control as they can right now. She will probably need a home health nurse in the weeks to come. The doctor hasn't said exactly what's going to be done about the fracture because she wanted to get the bleeding stopped first.

I took off work a few days again to be able to visit her as much as possible while she's in the hospital. If she comes home tomorrow, I may need to head back home tomorrow night so I can at least work the weekend.

I just really hate to leave at all. This has worried me beyond imagination.