Chirrosis of the liver caused from hepatitis

Hello, Sad Daughter, and welcome to the forum.  I'm glad that you found us, but sorry for your mother's illness.  I, too, have cirrhosis from hep C, but am fortunately stable at this time.

Are they giving your mom Lactulose?  That should help with any "brain fog" she may be having.  You do need to keep a close eye on her in the NH, as they usually have just one doctor to cover all patients (basically writing orders for meds) and that doctor is not a specialist in liver disease.  I would suggest that you get Power of Attorney and Medical Surrogacy, if you don't already have it.  This way, you can communicate more effectively with the nursing staff and the doctor.  Because of privacy concerns, it is next to impossible to receive any information unless you have these things in place.

Fluid restriction is not unusual if a patient has ascites and edema; however, it is a real balancing act and it does sound like your mom wasn't getting enough fluid.

I know you will get a lot of support and info in this forum, so keep posting!

Hello Sad Daugher and welcome to HealingWell.  So sorry that you are going through this with your mom. 

In answer to your question.......yes .....strokes are very possible with end stage liver disease....my husband started with seizures and eventually he had a mild stroke.  

Connie bumped up some real informative educational posts for liver disease.   Please read them over they are on this first page of the hep forum.   

Again welcome,  you have found the best forum on the net for well educated and very compationate people who are or have dealt with many forms of liver disease.........

thoughts and prayers..........

Hello sad daughter and welcome to HealingWell. You have come to the right and tremendous compassion. Like you I suffered watching my mom deteriorate with chirrosis caused by hepatitis. Eventually she succumed to liver cancer. I can only imagine your frustration at this time as your mom is in a NH and not recieving the medical attention she needs. Connie is absolutely correct in advising you to get medical POA. I would like to suggest that you educate yourself as much as possible about her disease. At a time when you are comfortable with it you can request a conference with the Dr. at the NH. I would ask for his plan of action concerning her medical care. You can feel free to make a list of questions related to her ongoing care. Also, you have every right to request that the NH schedule an appointment with her hepatologist. You will have to make arrangements for transportation to and from the NH but there are transport companies available near most facilities. As for your question concerning the possibility of your mom having a stroke the answer is "yes". The NH has has a responsibility to answer your questions and should definately send her to the hospital to be evaluated. I would reccommend that you be asertive in your conversations with the staff of the NH. I would ask to speak to the charge nurse first, explain to her the changes you see in your mom and propose that she be evaluated immediately. If the RN chooses not to follow thru then approach the DR. Don't take NO for an answer. Be strong, be brave, and be your mom's advocate. Most importantly, be educated about her illness. That way no one can fool you about her care.

Dear Shelly,

You said "Most importantly, be educated about her illness. That way no one can fool you about her care."   I've been reading on the forum since April or May of this year and it was some of your posts and others that pointed me in that direction!    I'm glad to see your name in print here again!  

Joan