Stories from Caregivers: Danny from NEW YORK
NY
Danny
FROM NEW YORK
My name is Danny Ortega, I am one of 4 sons to my mother America Gonzalez. Around April 2009 my mother suffered a stroke, she was in a NYC hospital for several weeks then transported to a rehabilitation center in Brooklyn for about a month, upon her discharge she moved in with me to provide the outpatient 24 hour care she needed. In the beginning, I received 8 hours of Home health Care, at the time I was unemployed looking for work, several months later in Dec 2009 my mother after a catheterization was determined by doctors to have clogged arteries at which point a stent was placed and Plavix 75 mg was prescribed. My mother was also taking high blood medication Lipitor 80 mg, and Lexapro 10mg for depression. In early month of 2010 at home night time I heard a loud thump noise and when I went to the dining area my mother was on the floor knocked out trembling with vomit, I called 911 and my mother was transport to the Hospital ER. Later on that year a Queens Neurologist diagnosed my mother with Parkinson Disease, and prescribed Carbidopa-Levodopa 25-100 tab, my mother HBP med was switch to Crestor 10mg. I didn't know that Lipitor combined with the other medication would cause her to knockout. Around April 2010 I was employed, but during my course of employment there were days when the HHA (home health aide) would not show up, and I would have to leave work to attended to my mother. March 2012 when I returned home from work around 9PM my mother was feeling ill and I called 911 to have my mother transported to the Hospital ER, my mother was admitted stating she had an pneumonia, a few days later when she was suppose to be discharged I receive a called from the hospital. They were going to install a heart monitor, because of her age 78 years old, I told the hospital not to perform the surgery because I want to research the information, at which point they told me it was too late, my mother had signed authorization, I stated I had power of attorney, and my mother was taking mind altering medication they hung up, I immediately went to the hospital and my mother was removed from her room & floor, I was able to locate her where they performed the surgery. The heart monitoring devise needed to be monitor when and if my my mother felt chest pain, the doctor aware of my mother Parkinson Disease felt that her falls might be due to heart condition even though when she came into ER, I stated because she was unattended at the time she fell. Several months later October 2012, I came home from work and found my mother on the floor, again I called 911 and had her transported to hospital ER, she was admitted and on the day of her discharge I notice she had a Black & Blue injury to her back, and the nurse aide stated for my mom not to return.
