Off We Go Again!!

I am sorry if the title is a little flippant but yesterday started, as i said in my blog, with nothing to report.  How things change.

I got into hospital at 9.45 am and Margaret was being showered and she was pleased to see me as for some reason she thought that I wasn't visiting that day.  The nurse told me that there had been some excitement that morning as it had been impossible to take her blood pressure due to the fluid build up in her arms.  Her oxygen level was a bit low 92% and more alarmingly her heart rate was over 160 and erratic.  Apparently she was in Atrial Fibrillation (AF) which is another thing to add to her long list of ailments.

Her Specialist came in about 10.15 am and said that it was essential, considering Margaret's poor state of health that they reverse the AF using medication and that he would be increasing her Frusimide to try and get some fluid off her.  She was doing a pretty good job on her own as fluid was now seeping from her broken arm and hand and both legs.  The kidneys will have to take their chances for a few days.  If the AF is not reversed she will have to go into the ICU and be placed on a drip.  She was told to stay in bed and her steroids reduced from 15 mg to 10 mg a day which means that she will have little energy reserve.

The specialist came back at midday to check on her and ordered more medication at 4.00 pm.  He returned at 5.00 pm and appeared pleased with her state but attached a Halter Monitor to check her long term heart state.  It  showed that the heart rate was up over 150 once again and he immediately prescribed even more medication which was given within 20 minutes and would be repeated throughout the night.

I haven't had any reports overnight and shall be visiting early this morning.

The big worries are a heart attack or a a stroke.