My mom is coming home today!

My mom is FINALLY coming home today, Saturday the 11^th, at 10am, after being in the hospital for 19 days and at the SNF for 44 days, for a grand total of 53 days away from home...almost TWO MONTHS! I didn't expect her to come home so soon. It was Jeff's idea to have her come home Friday, but that wasn't possible because of all the paperwork, approvals, etc. that have to be done.

So this is what I was bitching about when I said I was waiting around all day for calls on Friday. At 5pm I finally called the SNF to check up on the status. I thought that most people were about to leave and after 5pm I probably wouldn't hear anything, so I hurried up before the shift change.

I started out Friday by calling the SNF and asking what I would have to do to get my mom discharged. The woman I talked to said they'd have to hear from the doctor for approval and there was a lot of paperwork involved, so it probably wouldn't be until Monday. Remember when they were ready to discharge her on the 24^th of February? I talked to the human resources person at the SNF and she said that she needed a NEW doctor's approval, even though I have paperwork that STATES that she no longer needs care (as did they).

Also, we would be left paying for days that we no longer wanted to use, and that the doctor had previously ordered discharged. This is all a bunch of bullshit. So I called the doctor, waited for his nurse to call back, she called back and she said the doctor had already given discharge orders a while back. So I called the SNF and the woman I talked to told me the discharge order would have to come Friday, even though he had ordered one a week or so ago. So I called my mom's doctor's office back and told the nurse about that. I got a call back saying that the doctor filled out something and they were trying to fax it over to the SNF, but fax wasn't going through.

So when I called Friday at 5pm, I finally talked to one of the head nurses at the SNF and FINALLY got some answers. The nurse said she was just about to call me. She said that the SNF FINALLY got the fax from my mom's doctor (I guess it finally went through) approving her discharge and recommending her getting home health care set up for her wounds, an evaluation for physical therapy, and probably wheel chair...oh and her meds. Friday evening I talked to my mom and she found out before me!!! I called her and said, "Mom, you're coming home tomorrow," and she said, "I know, I found out before you." I started crying and she asked why, and I said because I was happy.

We made this decision to have her discharged because she is doing much better and we are just basically paying for room and board, meals, etc. I am hoping that we will be able to get some physical therapy that is covered by her insurance, but I'm not going to get my hopes up. I'm really nervous about her being home so soon and it took quite a while and a lot of convincing to get me to finally say yes. I just didn't (and don't) feel prepared to start taking care of her yet...cooking (which I don't do), helping her do things that she can't get up to do herself, cleaning, etc. Of course I can do these things and don't mind doing them, I just hate short notices or spontaneous decisions. Mostly though, I could tell how badly she wanted to go home, and she said she felt capable enough to start to do some things on her own. She seemed very eager to be more independent. I felt that I had to grant her wishes; I didn't want to make her stay there any longer than she wanted to, especially if she felt ready physically and mentally to go home. She said that she is just taking up space there because they don't really do much for her anymore, so I guess it's time for her to come home.

What's also exciting is that my dad doesn't know. I'm hoping it will stay that way. We are going to bring her home today and just walk (with her walker of course) in the door with her. My dad is going to be so happy. I am already so happy for him!

It will take some getting used to and she'll need a lot of care and time for me at first, but I don't mind. I like spending time with her. It's just like I said, I find it a little scary, like when you have your first baby (though I don't have any children) and you go home and don't know what to do. I'm sure things will fall into place. I know I already said this, but I am just nervous and scared. And I have hopes that she will one day walk on her own, but that might not ever be possible. I know things and she will never be the same, and that makes me sad.

If anyone has any suggestions as to how to handle this, please send them my way!!!

I am so relieved that they were able to push this through so quickly. Even though it was a pain in the ass going through all of this yesterday, I think it was worth it. It hasn't really sunk in quite yet though. No more going to that awful, depressing place and having to drive my dad there! Yay! My mom is coming home!!!