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Posted 7/19/2011 5:46 PM (GMT 0)
I have a question hoping someone has experienced this before. Anna has been having a lot of bright red blood in her stool. She has no sores on her bottom and doesnt complain of it hurting. There is a lot in there though and it worries me. She goes to the doctor today, but he isnt always so up front about things like I think he should be. Anyway, any ideas on what could cause this? I have read many different things online, but nothing really about someone with liver disease doing this. I am afraid she may have a bleed somewhere and with all the meds flushing her system so quickly, it doesnt have time to process through and change colors.

Natalie
Posted 7/19/2011 6:32 PM (GMT 0)
Nat,
You definitely need to bring this to the doctor's attention. It sounds like she does have a bleed somewhere, and you need to tell the doctor to be up front and specific and not sugar coat anything with you guys.

Please let us know how the doc appointment goes. Hang in there!

Mer
Posted 7/19/2011 7:12 PM (GMT 0)
Well, I am going, so he wont have a chance to sugar coat, lol. I want to know upfront what I am dealing with. I called and talked to hospice today and another home care agency. Going to have the doctor refer her to hospice today and making an appointment with the other place. We dont have a choice but to keep her at home, if we put her in a nursing home, they are going to take his family home. It isnt big enough for us, but he wants to keep it for his oldest son when he is old enough. I dont think she really has long enough at the rate she is going to even look into a home anyways.

In the last 2 weeks I would say she has lost about 30lbs and eats very little. She sleeps most all the time now. I am going to tell the doctor I need the truth because we have 4 young kids in the home and when my step sin gets out of camp, we will have 5. I dont want them to walk in and find her gone. I lay awake at night worrying about it all the time. This probably sounds bad, but for her sake, she needs to go on and go. She is suffering so much and has no quality of life at all. It is very hard to see her going down so fast.

As soon as we get back, I will update
Natalie
Posted 7/19/2011 8:43 PM (GMT 0)
If it's bright red blood in her stools, it could be hemorrhoids, or a bleeding ulcer. Both could be bad news for someone with a failing liver. Blood won't clot easily and one could bleed out from either problem.
Posted 7/19/2011 9:59 PM (GMT 0)

There's no reason for the doctor not to refer MIL to hospice, since the requirement is 6 mos. or less to live...and I certainly don't think she will last that long.

David is right.  For a normal person, BRB (bright red blood) in stool is usually from hemorrhoids or diet (tomatoes, beets), but in someone with advanced liver disease and clotting problems, it can be a big deal.

Let us know what the doctor says.

Hugs,

Connie

Posted 7/20/2011 4:28 AM (GMT 0)
Hey everyone. Connie, I am glad to see you on here. I hope you are feeling good!

He is referring her to hospice and they also referred me to another agency that can help me while Mark works if she is in a HE spell. So, we got the ball moving in the right direction now. He did say she had a very small hemorrhoid and is giving her a foam, the suppository wouldnt really work well for her, lol. He said if that doesnt stop the bleeding to call him and he would consider a colonoscopy, but he is not sure she could handle the prep for it or the sedation. So basically, we have to deal with it the best we can. He did mention that the bleeding could be a problem, which we knew. He also told us the spells every day to every other day is due to her being very near the end and that nothing will help that probably. He wants to keep her on the same meds, but give her magnesium every day to try and help the cramping. I was right also, she has lost near to 30 lbs since her last dr appt at the end of last month.

I feel better with hospice getting involved now, because atlest they can tell us when it is closer to the end and when to get the kids out of here. That has been a very big fear for me, that they will find her dead.

Here is hoping for a good day tomorrow, she had one today, so we will see.
Natalie
Posted 7/20/2011 6:01 PM (GMT 0)

Natty, thanks for the update!  That's great that Mark can get some help when he's at work and it all won't have to fall on you.  Hey, maybe you can get out with the kids!

I am very tired today and need to go back to sleep.

Hugs,

Connie

Posted 7/20/2011 9:56 PM (GMT 0)
Just got off the phone with Hospice, they are coming at 2:30 tomorrow to get all the paper work done and to get vitals on her and monitor her to see if she needs O2 as her breathing can be really erratic. I am so glad that they are now involved. Makes me feel so much better. Now just to find her insurance policy and get the other people out here for help when she is sick and he is working. Finally getting things going feels great. It sounds crazy, but it is like a victory for me, I have been trying to get this since I moved in and started taking care of her.

Connie, I am glad to see you are doing better. Just get all the rest you need and get your strength back. Praying for you everyday.

Natalie
Posted 7/21/2011 1:09 AM (GMT 0)

That is GREAT news, Natty.  It's about time your efforts paid off!

The pain is less today, but the nausea, fatigue, and lack of appetite are worse than yesterday.  I've slept a lot today and am now going to force myself to eat some cantaloupe and soup--the only things I think I can eat.

Hugs,

Connie

Posted 7/21/2011 3:39 AM (GMT 0)
Natty, so glad you are getting the help you need! Hospice will work with you, keep her comfortable, and they are a great support not just for her but for your whole family as well!! It will take such a load off of you!

Mer
Posted 7/22/2011 3:46 AM (GMT 0)
Hospice came today and I think it was the best thing we could have ever done for Anna! I am very relieved and excited about all of it. I was told today, that a nurse will come once a week to do vitals unless she is sick. Then she will come everyday and the need is there another nurse can come and stay for up to 8 hours. Longer if need be would of course be a different one. We will have an aide come in daily if needed to help with bathing, toileting, changing beds, ect. At this point I dont need that, but it is nice to know that it is available. It may not be long before I do need it. Also, her insurance is covering 100% of the services, which includes them getting all her meds. They will be delivered every 2 weeks by a local pharmacy and we no longer have the large co pays that go with it. The only thing I didnt ask about was depends, but in the book it said I can call during the day to request supplies such as depends and chucks, so I will have to find out. That will help out so much if they do, those get expensive when she goes through so many of them. They also have volunteers to come in for up to 4 hours in case I need to take the kids to the doctor, or just need time out. So we wont even need the other place for that. My mom said she would come on the days her HE is acting up so we dont have that expense. It seems like everything is coming together. She is getting a hospital bed and oxygen also. Her breathing can be erratic and labored so that will help her.
The only downside is when the nurse very directly told me the doctor said she is terminal with less than 6 months for sure. He said her labs are showing very little liver function at all. Her kidneys are failing and her heart is weakening. I knew that but it is hard to hear it like that. She is also signing a DNR for EMS. That way if they get called, they cant revive her, because in the state of KY, if you dont have it, they have to.
Just an update on things finally falling into place and making her life a little better and ours too! Hope you all have a good night

Nat
Posted 7/22/2011 3:56 AM (GMT 0)

Nat, so good that this is falling into place.  It will be such great help to both Anna and the family.  The people they have come in to sit with Anna is respite care.  You only have to request it a day in advance (I think.)  Just tell them you need respite care so you can take your kids somewhere or run some errands.  I'm sure they gave you some written material about this.  They will also provide Depends and Chux upon request.  Everything should be paid for.

I hope you all will be breathing easier soon.  You really needed this help.

Hugs,

Connie

Posted 7/23/2011 1:32 AM (GMT 0)
Natty

So glad all this has fallen into place for you guys! This has needed to happen for some time, and in reading your post I can "hear" the relief!! Do take them up on having a volunteer come in, just so you and the kids can get a break and take care of you, even if it's only for a couple of hours once a week or once every other week!

Hang in there!

Mer
Posted 7/23/2011 12:57 PM (GMT 0)
natali, so pleased that you are finally getting the help you need. now you can take a step back and be less stressed. it must be hard knowing she dosent have long but i am sure having the extra help, you can begin to like your m.i.l again. its obvious you love her for all you do but to like someone into the bargain will be great.
pleased for you and the family, thoughts and prayers.xxnatasha.xx
Posted 7/23/2011 6:37 PM (GMT 0)
I will definitely take them up on the offer to come about once a week. I miss my friends and family and so do the kids. It will help out a lot. They go back to school on the 10th so that will give them a break away.

It is hard hearing that she doesnt have long, but I have to look at it as she wont have long to suffer. We have gotten a long a lot better in the last couple of weeks, and it gets better everyday. I had a long talk with the kids on their level and let them know what is going to happen and asked them to kinda over look some of the stuff she does.

Update soon
Nat
Posted 7/24/2011 3:54 PM (GMT 0)
Natty, Hopsice is wonderful!! At some point, when her condition is failing, and you get overwhelmed, you may want to ask about her going to them inpaitent.
I was taking care of my mother, Liver Cancer, and hurt my back. We had it set up for a bed, and all the necessary equipment, the nurses were already coming to the house weekly, and bi weekly. My Aunt camedown from Ohio to give me a few days off, and Mom fell trying to get to the bathroom, and they couldn't get her up, so they called the ambulance and she was taken in. She died 3 weeks later. The things that happened in her last 3 weeks, I could never have dealth with!! She had a seizure, that required emmediate attention that she would have had to wait hours for if she had not been there. Also, they flipped her every 2 hours to prevent bed sores, they knew emmediately when her swallowing reflexes were no longer working. These are just a few of the things that I knew nothing about that mean alot when trying to keep her comforatble her last days. Hospice was my salvation, and she got the best care there. better care than I could have given her for sure!!

Good Luck, and I am glad to hear things are going better for you all.

Debbie
Posted 7/24/2011 11:04 PM (GMT 0)
Debbie, unfortunately we dont have an inpatient hospice center here, the closest is 3 hours away They wont take her there, because we dont live there. I have been trained to notice this stuff, I worked as a cna for a while and also in a home for mentally and physically handicapped. It has been a while but I am hoping I still remember it all.

Nat
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