DDLee, hello, and welcome to the forum. I am glad you found us, though sorry for the reason you had to.
If you will read some of the other posts here, particularly regarding alcohol and liver disease, you will learn a lot. I also suggest you read the info in the folder Hepatitis Resources at the top of the forum page. You will get some of your questions answered there.
Fatty liver disease is often caused by alcoholism. My father had it, but it wasn't known until an autopsy at his death. He was a secretive drinker. Has your mom stopped drinking now? Has anything been said about her being evaluated for a transplant? If not, it's possibly because of her drinking. If the liver disease is caused by alcohol, she will need 6 months of documented attendance at AA or alcohol counseling, depending on the transplant center, before they will even evaluate her for transplant. It is crucial that she not drink anymore.
Some of the symptoms she is having reflect end-stage liver disease. The confusion and lack of coordination are likely from a buildup of ammonia in her brain. This happens when the liver isn't working properly. It can also be caused by alcohol abuse, which causes irreversible brain damage. Lactulose is usually prescribed for encephalopathy. Do a search on here and you will find a lot of info on this. (The search function is at the top of the page. Type in encephalopathy or Lactulose and hit the return or "go" key.)
You definitely did the right thing in getting POW and MPOA. This will enable you to make decisions on her behalf and to obtain her medical records.
When you meet with her doctor, ask about diuretics if she is not already on any. This might help with the ascites. I say "might" because she is already at the stage of needing draining. She should also be following a no-salt or very low salt diet. Also, eliminate beef from her diet and increase fruits and veggies (fresh or frozen.)
As I said previously, you will find a lot of information if you will just do some reading on this forum. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask (we don't have a space limit. ;) ) You will also receive a lot of support from the wonderful people here.
Let us know how her doctor visit goes and what he says. BTW, she should be seeing a hepatologist (liver specialist.)
Hugs,
Connie