Fainting at Funeral

 Mom wanted to attend a funeral of a woman who lived in the Westview Ward with them many long years ago, Evelyn Curry. 

We went on Saturday morning at around 9:30 am. for a 10 am funeral. We were settled in on the chapel pew, kind of close to the front in a side pew. But by about 10:20 or so, Mom was saying she didn't think she could make it to the end of what looked to be a very long service, as she thought she might be fainting. She did not feel well. She slumped over, she was non- responsive off and on. . . She was pale, breathing,  but glassy- eyed or eyes closed. I tried holding her on my shoulder, offered to lay her down on the bench, but the non- responsive- ness was what really scared me. Was she having a stroke? Heart attack? Dying? Diabetic coma? I had no clue. She was just going in and out, but mostly out. I whispered to the people in the pew behind me that "I think we're having a medical emergency,"

Some nice folks behind me offered to call 911, the man helped me walk her out, his Mom grabbed my belongings I'd left behind on the pew while I was assisting Mom to stumble out to the foyer. She said she was feeling nauseous, so I thought it best to get her out before any vomiting took place! We had to climb over people in the pew next to us, while supporting her . . . All this while a funeral service was going on! I'm hoping because most of this commotion took place during a large group musical number that it wasn't too distracting. We tried to be quiet. 

When in the foyer, these nice people, Chloe and Daniel, called and stayed on the line with 911, called Mike Repeatedly on my phone, offered to help in any way. They were so kind. EMT's arrived very soon, but not the ambulance for a few more minutes. She threw up, agreed to go by ambulance to hospital. When she was transferred to the ambulance, there were several more minutes of waiting for the attendants to run tests, get her some fluids. . . While I waited outside and call Our House and Talked to Mike. I felt like we needed to get a copy of her DNR to the hospital to assure that they would not send her to the OR and do emergency Open Heart Surgery or some other drastic things. It DID seem to be a heart issue as her blood sugar was a bit high. 

I followed the ambulance in my car to the hospital. I had to wait outside in the foyer until she was settled in a ER room. She looked SO much better when I got back there! Had color back, was awake, alert, attentive. Whew! 

BUT she had low Oxygen and very low heart rate/pulse. They ran all the obligatory blood and urine tests. The wanted to keep her overnight, but we thought she would rest better at her place. We opted for no oxygen, so she was home in bed by 4:30 p.m. 

All weekend she rested and stayed in, had meals brought in and things seemed to e stabilized by Monday after . . . She had energy enough to take a shower. AND go to the dining room for dinner! 

Resting while waiting in OR

 Those heated flannel blankies are the best! 

Finally-- some FOOD in the ER room. Toasted Turkey and bacon sandwich and a shake.

Back at Our House, in her comfy jammies and ready to rest and relax. And breathe deeply to get her oxygen counts up. She was still a bit weak and dizzy when I left her there Saturday afternoon, but she is getting much better at pushing her button to get help.

And she did! 

Sunday morning she was a bit better, but tired easily after breakfast. They brought the sacrament in to her and even woke her up to do so!.

Monday evening, Nick found her in the dining room having dinner and she said she felt fine.

We THINK that what happened is that she mixed up some heart and other meds. I found a double dose of Carvedilol in a couple of daily doses when I checked her meds. She also had a mix up with a.m./ p.m.  She napped Friday afternoon and slept HARD. When she awoke at 6, she thought it was 6 a.m. Saturday, and took her morning meds, insulin shot, ate breakfast, and then wondered why it wasn't getting light. Then she realized it was NIGHT. She wasn't sleepy, so she stayed up and read, etc. Went to sleep at midnight, woke again at 6 a.m. ate, took meds. . .she doesn't know if they were a.m. or p.m. pills. But whatever she did, it really affected her heart rate. 

I'll be loading up her pill case weekly, or at least checking them for her. 

And SHE will be asking her Alexa device exactly what time it is more often!