Backstory, dear brother had surgery to have stents put in leg on 2/13. He developed several clots in his leg and they had to amputate his lower leg, about 8 inches below knee. He wasn't expecting to lose his leg.
He hasn't been in his right mind since. He had 3-4 surgeries in 3 days. He is a functioning alcoholic, so some alcohol withdrawal.
Whenever I speak to him, he doesn't make any sense. Yesterday's conversation was him asking me if I or one of our other sisters drove him and his partner to work that morning. He also wanted to know why when he got to work there was a note from one of us directing him to a garage where men with guns tried to force him and the other guy to work in some kind of car wash. They escaped.
I try to explain to him where he is (rehab facility) and what happened to him. He told me he is scared. He is afraid he is going nuts. He is afraid he will kill himself. He keeps forgetting he doesn't have a leg and keeps trying to stand and walk and falling.
He wanted to know if I could drive him to work in the morning. He works at his doctors office. I reminded him I live in the Midwest and he lives in the South. I asked if he meant he was going to PT in the morning to "work" and he said "Yes, and I am damn good at it!" He said he was sorry and didn't mean to bother me. He will call my sister in Indiana and ask her for a ride to work tomorrow. Love you sis, bye!
His leg is healing very well. He is scared to death they won't give him a leg which is motivating him to work very hard in PT. He keeps telling me our oldest sister has connections with the Archbishop (my sister doesn't know any Archbishop's) and the Archbishop says my brother is a good candidate for a leg.
I feel so helpless. I want my brother back. I am so concerned for his mental health.
"Oh, why do my actions have consequences?" ~ Homer Simpson "She knew my one weakness: That I'm weak!" ~ Homer Simpson
Surely the hospital staff has noticed this going on?
She was putting down his confusion at first to the trauma and anesthesia, but it seems that this is going on for far too long. We are hoping that a change or lessening of meds (they have him on Librium, amongst other meds) will make a difference.
..sending prayers for your brother's healing.
smy
I cannot even begin to imagine the pain and worry this is causing you and your family.
Prayers your brother is able to heal and the docs can get his meds regulated.
My son was rx'd prednisone. A low dose, and a fairly common drug (steroid). The dr was trying to calm some inflammation from a lesion on my son's tibia.
He had a PSYCHOTIC reaction. Full on. I'm talking aliens, government listening devices, secret mind control. It was HORRIBLE and TERRIFYING. The drs said yes, it was a reaction to the prednisone, a very rare reaction. And that usually once it was out of one's system, the psychosis would go away.
It didn't.
They said that that, too, was a rare complication...the lasting psychosis. They said it could last months....or forever.
It took over nine months to get my son 95% back. We pretty much just had to wait it out and keep him under careful observation and treatment. He is almost himself....but still has lingering feelings about mind-control, etc. Can't really blame him too much....he took a pill the dr told him to, and lost his mind.
Most people never have a reaction like that to something so commonly prescribed. But everyone reacts to drugs differently.
Another thought....any chance he went through a period of oxygen deprivation (one time, or recurring)? That can also explain symptoms like that.
If you can check into these things do, although I know how hard that is to do with privacy laws. But even if a doctor won't GIVE you info, you can express your concerns to them.
I'm so sorry this had all happend.
Eta: WXH had been a hardcore alcoholic for years. Sober now 10 years. But he does have brain damage from those years of abuse. Memory issues, attention issues. Perhaps any/all of the above combined with alcohol damage could be a factor.
Also...cross posted. Glad to see your sister has a medical PA for him. Hopefully she can light a fire under their asses. It really IS the squeaky wheel that gets better medical care in some situations, unfortunately.
[This message edited by Grace and Flowers at 10:11 PM, March 12th (Wednesday)]
strength and prayers.
How scary. Keeping all of you in my thoughts and prayers. Hopefully when he gets farther away from the meds and surgery the psychosis will fade.
Grace and Flowers, that is frightening what happened to your son. I am so sorry. Sending mojo for his complete and full recovery very soon. Yes, who could blame him about his fears!
((((Grace and Flowers and DS))))
Please, keep us posted. If it is indeed a drug reaction, or some strange byproduct of the surgery in general, what you learn may help someone else. I'll keep you and your entire family in my prayers. I know how heartbreaking it is and how helpless you must feel. But we are all here behind you.
(((SMS)))
What a traumatic and unsettling situation for you all.
The rehab facility does not know his cognitive level before, your family has to be a strong advocate for him.
Prayers for all of you. I know how frightening this is.
me (WW/BS): 48 him: (BS/WH)52 4 kiddos in mid 20's
“Most things will be okay eventually, but not everything will be. Acceptance is a small, quiet room.”
He is a functioning alcoholic, so some alcohol withdrawal.
I hope the medical providers are aware of this issue. Alcohol detox is a big deal, and if it's been hidden from the medical staff, they may be chasing the wrong issues.
Hallucinations could be part of this. And insomnia, and sweats, and lots of other things.
I know it's a scary time; my thoughts are with you.
My aunt went into the hospital for surgery, she recovered from that just fine, went home and felt "off." When she went back into the hospital she had all sorts of infections. At one point she said she saw deer running through her hospital room.
The episodes my aunt had sounds very similar to the what you describe your brother is going through.
Please don't let anyone tell you it's just the meds or how he's handling losing his leg without being tested because it could be something else and you don't want an infection (blood or otherwise) to go untreated.
Good luck.
I'll be keeping your brother and your family in my thoughts and prayers.
[This message edited by simplydevastated at 8:51 AM, March 13th (Thursday)]
..that feeling you get in your stomach, when you heart's broken. It's like all the butterflies just died.
