2-3-25: My mom had sent in for surgery, just a simple hernia repair with placement of mesh. Was told everything went good and she was Discharged home following the hernia repair.

2-5-25: My mom returned to the ED where they completed more labs and imaging and following those results she was admitted to the hospital. During this admission, she received IV antibiotics, had a foley catheter placed, and was informed that she had an accumulation of fluid in her abdomen. The fluid was assumed to be urine and she was ordered to leave the foley in for at leasst 2 weeks and then return for follow-up. Placement of the catheter was so that her bladder could heal from the damage that was caused to it during surgery.

2-7-25: Discharged from the hospital

2-8-25: Returned to the ED for continued inability to have a bowel movement, increased pain, emesis after eating, and abdomen significantly more distended. More imaging and labs were again completed and with the results and consults to other doctors, the ED doctor determined it would best to transfer my mom to the U of I ED for further treatment. So she was transferred to the U of I where they then again did repeat labs and imaging. The fluid accumulation had again increased in size in her abdomen.

2-9-25: My mom was admitted to the U of I and had an Anterior Abdominal Fluid Collectioni drain placed. This allowed for them to not only removed 100’s of mL’s of fluid from her abdomen, but they were able to culture the fluid and with those results it was determined to no be urine, but bowel that had been sitting her abdomen for days. Increasing the infection and risks.

2-10-25: She remained at the U of I hospitals and underwent surgery on this day where they performed mesh explanation, bladder repair, abdominal wall washout, and apthra placement. Due to the increased amount of inflammation and inability to view the entire bowel, my moms abdomen was left open (that is what the apthra device was for) and she was moved to SNICU. She had an NG tube placed and was intubated and placed on a ventilator for the remainder of this day and into the next. Continuing to receive IV antibiotics with completion of MANY more tests and imaging.

2-11-25: She was extubated but remained in the SNICU for close monitoring due to her abdomen still being wide open and continued IV antibiotics. Plan at this time was to take her in for surgery the following day to close up her abdomen since contrast imaging completed on the 10th determined that there was no longer a leak in her bowel anywhere.

2-12-25: She was taken into surgery and the surgeon made the decision to not close her abdomen, reapply the apthra device for another 2 days, with hopes that inflammation within her abdomen and bowel will have decreased. She will re-main in post-op ICU.

The current plan is:

Surgery on Friday, 2-14-25, and during surgery she will have a temporary ostomy placed which will remain in place for 6 months up to a year. They will close her abdomen. She will also be required to continue with the foley catheter for 3 weeks starting on 2-10-25.

During this time my mom is obviously not working and her husband has been spending his every waking minute at the hospital. My sister and I knew my mom would never reach out to others for help so we thought we would do it for her. The money will go towards bills, food, gas, and significantly unexpected medical costs.