This post is in regards to my mother. I have questions and will be as thorough as possible.
59F, 5'3, 127lbs, current smoker (up until her er visit a week ago), partakes in edibles, drinks a beer every night, depressed, not active, has lupus, renauds, sjrogrens, COPD, had a stroke 11 years ago. High blood pressure. Depression
\\\*Anytime she would have a coughing fit, she would yell she couldn't breathe and have a full blown panic attack\\\*
I took her took the er for breathing issues last Saturday morning. Oxygen looked good. Diagnosed her with complications from rhinovirus and COPD. Discharged her with steroids, antibiotics, some pearl medication that relaxes your throat and an inhaler with Albuterol.
Got her meds, brought her home. She took her meds. \\\*Drank a THC drink and took a Klonopin\\\* I stayed with her until my brother got home. She said "they should have kept me"
Got a call about 2 am Sunday that my brother called an ambulance for my mom and she asked to be intubated, so ems did that on the way to the hospital. ( She had another panic episode with my brother)
Fastforward to today. She's been sedated and intubated for a week now. I've been told any time they try to ween her off the sedation, she is very very very agitated. The nurse said it's normal for for people to be confused and anxious coming off sedation. But for her they say she's just wild, irritated, agitated and just " not there ". Instead of sedation, they're trying paralysis so maybe her breathing will be more relaxed. They said she's holding onto air and her lungs are stiff. So hopefully the paralysis will work. She did seem to be breathing easier \\\*ventilator\\\* not her breathing I guess. Her face was very red and she had soaked through 3 pillows since the middle of the night. That's new. But started before the paralysis.
They're scheduling her for an MRI today or tomorrow.
I really am just confused and worried and wondering if anyone has any other advice or ideas as to what's going on. I know her lifestyle is terrible and probably contributes to everything , but with all the details I've mentioned, will she be ok?
\\\*\\\*Td;rl My mom has been in ICU, sedated for a week on a ventilator and every time they try to wake her up she freaks out and they have to put her back under COPD related visit