Stroke- Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.
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2018 Medical Complications:
My mothers name is Carmen Alvarado. My mom has two years worth of going in and out of hospitals. Last year my mom was rushed to the hospital because she needed a blood transfusion due to her having a severely low hemoglobin. Her one day stay turned into weeks. Her lungs, heart, and kidneys started to malfunction while at the hospital with no available reason as to why. I will never forget my mother's screams from the unbearable pain that she felt as the doctors tried to debunk every possible reason for her pain.
After a couple of tests came back, she was diagnosed with class IV Lupus Nephritis and chronic kidney failure. The doctors said she needed an emergency surgery to wash out the bacteria that was causing her organs to shut down and begin dialysis, and all of this was being caused by the same lupus. My mom had some complications during and after surgery so she was placed in ICU. She eventually started to show signs of improvement and as she got better she was transferred to a general floor. The discharge date I prayed for finally came but we still had more battles to win. My mom went home without being able to walk and was bedridden. Staff at the hospital insisted on my mom going to an assisted nursing facility due to her needing dialysis and being heavily dependent on others, but I declined. Those facilities do not have the best reputation and in order for her to recover, she needed to be in a loving environment. My mom started to walk two mothers after her discharge date. As my mom recovered, I felt an indescribable joy because I truly believed that we were in the clear. 2019 came around and showed us how wrong we were. My mom's hospital bills and dialysis treatments are still being paid off.
STROKE ON May 29, 2019 AND AFTERMATH.
It was around 2:30pm and my mom tried to stand up but immediately fell on the floor. My nephew and I tried to help her stand but her body was limp, her speech was lethargic, and there was facial drooping. When she was at the hospital they did an MRI and confirmed that my mom had not one, but TWO strokes caused by a clot in her upper right chamber. The two strokes my mom had caused flaccid paralysis on the complete left side of her body. I was told that they weren't sure if my mom would be able to recover her mobility and that the only chance she has at walking and moving on her own again would be by going to rehabilitation center. I prayed and prayed to God that he would guide me in all of my future decision making scenarios, and we found a rehab center that I felt 'safe' leaving my mom at. She eventually began rehab and my hopeful thinking was then taken and it slapped me in the face. She was able to recover in little areas here and there, but I refused to accept that my mom had a high chance of her baseline being at a bed level, her baseline even being at a wheelchair level would be more than would I could ask for at this point. She was able to interact, her cognition was good, memory intact, I was happy. I thought that it could only be uphill from here but we were in for another surprise.
Sometime last week I decided to leave and surprise my mom with some food and when I came back I found my taking a nap.
I woke up her up and immediately knew that something was wrong. I rushed the nurses and doctors in because there were drastic changes in her cognition and physical shakiness, obviously more stroke symptoms, so they took her down to get an MRI. The MRI showed that my mom had 10 cerebral embolic stokes. The same clot that was in her heart, caused her to have 10 more strokes in her brain. Whatever my mom had improved or regained while in rehab, set us back even further was immediately sent to CCU. My mom might not improve from her current condition, now both sides are flacid, among all of the other side affects that stoke victims have to endure. The neurologist told me that the same clot, that is still in her heart can cause another stroke, and that I should consider to, "Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst" because if she were to suffer from another stroke there is a high risk of the of being fatal.
My mom is frustrated, tired, overwhelmed, and I can tell that she wants to throw in the towel. I pray that God heals her, I desperately want her to recover but I also need to keep in mind that that may not happen. Accepting God's will has proven to be difficult, and I'm frustrated, angry, and broken. Regardless of how distraught I know my mom feels, and how hurtful this entire situation is, no matter what comes, we will not turn away from God's word.
Any donation, big or small, will be a tremendous help. If you are able to help in any way, we would really appreciate it. Thank you for your support and prayers.
My mothers name is Carmen Alvarado. My mom has two years worth of going in and out of hospitals. Last year my mom was rushed to the hospital because she needed a blood transfusion due to her having a severely low hemoglobin. Her one day stay turned into weeks. Her lungs, heart, and kidneys started to malfunction while at the hospital with no available reason as to why. I will never forget my mother's screams from the unbearable pain that she felt as the doctors tried to debunk every possible reason for her pain.
After a couple of tests came back, she was diagnosed with class IV Lupus Nephritis and chronic kidney failure. The doctors said she needed an emergency surgery to wash out the bacteria that was causing her organs to shut down and begin dialysis, and all of this was being caused by the same lupus. My mom had some complications during and after surgery so she was placed in ICU. She eventually started to show signs of improvement and as she got better she was transferred to a general floor. The discharge date I prayed for finally came but we still had more battles to win. My mom went home without being able to walk and was bedridden. Staff at the hospital insisted on my mom going to an assisted nursing facility due to her needing dialysis and being heavily dependent on others, but I declined. Those facilities do not have the best reputation and in order for her to recover, she needed to be in a loving environment. My mom started to walk two mothers after her discharge date. As my mom recovered, I felt an indescribable joy because I truly believed that we were in the clear. 2019 came around and showed us how wrong we were. My mom's hospital bills and dialysis treatments are still being paid off.
STROKE ON May 29, 2019 AND AFTERMATH.
It was around 2:30pm and my mom tried to stand up but immediately fell on the floor. My nephew and I tried to help her stand but her body was limp, her speech was lethargic, and there was facial drooping. When she was at the hospital they did an MRI and confirmed that my mom had not one, but TWO strokes caused by a clot in her upper right chamber. The two strokes my mom had caused flaccid paralysis on the complete left side of her body. I was told that they weren't sure if my mom would be able to recover her mobility and that the only chance she has at walking and moving on her own again would be by going to rehabilitation center. I prayed and prayed to God that he would guide me in all of my future decision making scenarios, and we found a rehab center that I felt 'safe' leaving my mom at. She eventually began rehab and my hopeful thinking was then taken and it slapped me in the face. She was able to recover in little areas here and there, but I refused to accept that my mom had a high chance of her baseline being at a bed level, her baseline even being at a wheelchair level would be more than would I could ask for at this point. She was able to interact, her cognition was good, memory intact, I was happy. I thought that it could only be uphill from here but we were in for another surprise.
Sometime last week I decided to leave and surprise my mom with some food and when I came back I found my taking a nap.
I woke up her up and immediately knew that something was wrong. I rushed the nurses and doctors in because there were drastic changes in her cognition and physical shakiness, obviously more stroke symptoms, so they took her down to get an MRI. The MRI showed that my mom had 10 cerebral embolic stokes. The same clot that was in her heart, caused her to have 10 more strokes in her brain. Whatever my mom had improved or regained while in rehab, set us back even further was immediately sent to CCU. My mom might not improve from her current condition, now both sides are flacid, among all of the other side affects that stoke victims have to endure. The neurologist told me that the same clot, that is still in her heart can cause another stroke, and that I should consider to, "Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst" because if she were to suffer from another stroke there is a high risk of the of being fatal.
My mom is frustrated, tired, overwhelmed, and I can tell that she wants to throw in the towel. I pray that God heals her, I desperately want her to recover but I also need to keep in mind that that may not happen. Accepting God's will has proven to be difficult, and I'm frustrated, angry, and broken. Regardless of how distraught I know my mom feels, and how hurtful this entire situation is, no matter what comes, we will not turn away from God's word.
Any donation, big or small, will be a tremendous help. If you are able to help in any way, we would really appreciate it. Thank you for your support and prayers.
Organizer
Julie Alvarado
Organizer
Alexandria, VA