sing like wildflowers

My full and kooky life as a homeschooling mommy to 2 great kids, raising a child with HLHS (Hypolastic Left Heart Syndrome), coping with depression, following Jesus, and being much too camera happy.

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Welcome to my blog! My name is Esther and I’m so happy you are here. I’m an avid nature photographer and a daydreaming thinker. My posts revolve around photos of nature’s beauty, homeschooling adventures with my 2 kids, sporadic reflections on my child’s heart condition, Bible reading reflections, gardening feats, and other mish mash things. Hopefully you’ll leave encouraged, pensive, or smiling at the simple things of life. Thank you for stopping by and hope you’ll find some interesting posts to read!

8th hospitalization and ICU for mom

Hi everyone,

I’ve completely fallen off the  blogging wagon for about 2 weeks now. We went to visit her and our visit got extended as her condition worsened when she was home from the hospital: lack of appetite, aches and pains, weakness and extreme fatigue, vomiting, and general malaise. It was looking bleak. I’d sit by her at night, fan her with a paper plate, and massage her for blood circulation until she’d fall asleep for minutes and then wake up again. All she wanted was her catheter to be removed. The home health nurse did remove it but that didn’t solve the problem. Then, she’d feel better for a few hours and then go right back to feeling miserably weak.

Her discomfort was difficult to witness and it shook everyone up with fear and frustration. She’s been through so much since June! At one point, we were floating the idea of hospice care at home: anything to give her comfort.

She’s now in the ICU and getting treated for a UTI that is a resistant organism. When she came in to the ER on Saturday night, they diagnosed her with blood pressure shock. She’s on some strong medication and another catheter.

I’m here to pick up any call and talk to the doctors and nurses anytime. I was doing terrible emotionally earlier in the week and a talk with my psychiatrist led to increasing the dose on my antidepressants while this health drama unfolds for my mom. I was trying to decrease it over the past 2 months, which probably wasnt the best timing.

It’s been a trying time and still is. God is in this turbulence and I believe He is with me through it all. When we were with my parents, it was good to reconnect in person and to be of assistance to them. It was all God who helped carry me with physical strength. This has been a recovery week and I’m learning to let go and have realistic expectations.

What a year it is for me. Wow, I thought 2025 was tough with Ellis’ many hospitalizations. Thankfully, Ellis is doing well and we haven’t had to use her rescue medication in a few weeks. That medication has kept her out of the ER and her cyclic vomiting from getting triggered.

We’ve been trying to catch up on our homeschooling and trying to live life as well as we can. I know kids see me sad and I feel terrible they feel the weight of it. Yesterday we went to the mall and feelings were low. Decided to go into a selfie shop and take some silly pictures. Gave us some smiles and joy! Take out dinner was also a big mood booster!

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24 responses to “8th hospitalization and ICU for mom”

  1. Thistles and Kiwis Avatar
    Thistles and Kiwis

    Wishing you all the best at this tough time.

    Reply
    1. singlikewildflowers Avatar
      singlikewildflowers

      Thank you so much!

      Reply
  2. vkonstantinova76 Avatar
    vkonstantinova76

    I like seeing you smile. May God help you overcome all difficulties and ease your mother’s suffering!

    Reply
    1. singlikewildflowers Avatar
      singlikewildflowers

      Thank you, V! You have helped me so much this month and I’m very grateful for you. Dart and Teddy were in the best hands and they were so well taken care of. Thank you for all the comforting text messages while I was in the midst of the breakdown.

      Reply
  3. Liz Gauffreau Avatar
    Liz Gauffreau

    I’m so sorry your mother’s health has taken a turn for the worse. She’s being put through the wringer. It’s good that you’re being treated by a psychiatrist to help you get through this difficult time. I know that your faith helps as well.

    Reply
    1. singlikewildflowers Avatar
      singlikewildflowers

      You’re absolutely right! She has been put through the wringer and her mobility has declined so much. After the multiple bladder irrigations from her previous hospitalizations, her leg strength has diminished and her leg muscles are so weak and wobbly. I was shocked to see her legs in that state.
      My faith has helped me tremendously and I am assured that God knows what He’s doing. I feel bad that I get help from a psychiatrist and medication, but it is what it is and God has made those treatments to help. I know better than to fall to the stigma of mental health, but I do at times. The help as been greatly beneficial during this time. I did not know that UTI’s in the elderly causes mental confusion like it did for her recently. She is also resistant to certain antibiotics so they had to treat her with a very strong antibiotic and that contributed to the confusion. Wow, that was so frightening. Thank you for your kind thoughts always and cheering me on.

      Reply
      1. Liz Gauffreau Avatar
        Liz Gauffreau

        You’re welcome, Esther. There is no shame or weakness in being treated by a psychiatrist and medication.

      2. singlikewildflowers Avatar
        singlikewildflowers

        Thank you for your affirmation! Rationally, I know it to be true but the old stigma beliefs kick in and that kicks my butt.

      3. Liz Gauffreau Avatar
        Liz Gauffreau

        You’re welcome, Esther!

  4. Linda Schaub Avatar
    Linda Schaub

    This year has not been kind to you and your loved ones Esther, but God is looking out for Ellis and keeping her healthy and out of the E.R., so yes, there are good blessings to be grateful for. Please do get your shingles shots before you suffer with another bout of shingles. I keep each of your ailing loved ones in my daily prayers. I hope your mom is back on her feet and feeling 100% soon. {{{ hugs }}}

    Reply
    1. singlikewildflowers Avatar
      singlikewildflowers

      Thank you for your prayers! I feel comforted knowing that we are in the prayers of so many people. Linda, I think this year has been the worst for me. Both my parents had surgeries, mom’s constant hospitalizations, Teddy’s glaucoma, Dart’s tail infection, my shingles, a terribly difficult summer class for Elliot, mom’s recent mental confusion and vacillating between home and nursing home for her, brother in law’s kidney transplant, and today my mother in law had a fall in her apartment and had to go to the ER. wow! what a crazy year. Thank the Lord that Ellis has been well. If she were to get sick, I would be in a big rut. We just got home from L.A. on Saturday after going home for another week. It’s a miracle I survived all the pressure and heartbreaks. Hopefully, we won’t have any more pressing emergencies and we can do our regular lives and schooling. Thank you for the hugs!

      Reply
      1. Linda Schaub Avatar
        Linda Schaub

        And now Chris’ mom will be on my prayer list – my goodness! You are lucky indeed that Ellis has been well and it makes up for the repeated visits/stays to the hospital last year. I know the prayers and good healing vibes people are sending your way help and soon you can spend the rest of the year concentrating on school and getting some enjoyment out of the upcoming holidays (including the few holiday school/work down times for the family and Chris). Take care of yourself Esther!

      2. singlikewildflowers Avatar
        singlikewildflowers

        Thank you! All the prayers has been helping. We’re getting back into the hang of things, and then this morning I had to call 911 again for my mom. She got super weak, sleepy and lethargic starting yesterday and we didn’t know why. My dad called me, worried and nervous. Her blood sugar was at 60 and she has another UTI. This time for her hospital admission, I am going to get some kind of solution for her recurring UTI and a solution for the catheter. Whew, I am on full advocacy and bedside caretaker mode from afar.

      3. Linda Schaub Avatar
        Linda Schaub

        Wow Esther … this is just never-ending and I’m guessing the meds for the recurring UTI are no longer doing the trick as she’s become immune to them? When my mom used to get the cellulitis flare-ups she was put on oral meds for the flare-up, then a daily antibiotic all the time to thwart the problem, then a really bad flare-up would cause her to be in the hospital on an IV of Vancomycin, which, at that time, was the most-powerful antibiotic available. Then, after a few years, the doctor no longer did a hospital admission, but instead we had to go to a clinic that specialized in intravenous antibiotics. In the beginning of the regimen, it was twice a day for about 90 minutes, then gradually daily, then every other day … the hospital stay was easier for her, because two trips a day on her sore legs (up and down the stairs to the back door, etc.) was painful. I hope they come up with a remedy soon for the recurring UTI.

      4. singlikewildflowers Avatar
        singlikewildflowers

        Oh my, the treatments for your mom must’ve been exhausting for her to receive! The trip over to get the treatment is a challenge when you have mobility issues. Your mom endured a lot of physical pain! She was a trooper and you were there to help her through it all.
        I am praying that some remedy comes forth and she can have a heathy bladder soon. It’s been terrible for her…just a constant thing that she can’t get rid of.

      5. Linda Schaub Avatar
        Linda Schaub

        Yes, it was one thing going into the hospital and being admitted for the IVs which was actually much better because it was less of a hardship for her mobility issues. The twice-a-day regimen was the worst. I hope they come up with a remedy for your mom to get her bladder infection-free. Surely the most-potent IV antibiotic might be the cure for the infection? I know at the time Vancomycin was the strongest IV antibiotic on the market … probably there are stronger oral and IV antibiotics by now.

  5. VJ Avatar
    VJ

    Sorry you are all going through this. Thoughts are with you.

    Reply
    1. singlikewildflowers Avatar
      singlikewildflowers

      Thank you! It’s been a wild health journey for my mom and for the family to navigate.

      Reply
  6. heavenstobetty Avatar
    heavenstobetty

    Oh those photos turned out so cute! 🥰 . That was a great idea for some silliness in the midst of great difficulty, sadness, and frustrating circumstances. We will keep you all in our prayers as you navigate your mom’s health crises. I’m sorry that you’re all having to go through this. Sending love and hugs!

    Reply
    1. singlikewildflowers Avatar
      singlikewildflowers

      Thank you! We’ve always wanted to take a trip pic at this place and it was the perfect time to lift our moods. Thank you for your prayers. It’s been terrible this month and last week we thought her confusion was here to stay with her lack of mobility. We all freaked out. When I went to see her in the hospital at 12:30 a.m. in the ICU, she was curled up in a fetal position. ugh, it was awful. Her mind started clearing up on Thursday afternoon.

      Reply
  7. cindy knoke Avatar
    cindy knoke

    Love to all of you.

    Reply
    1. singlikewildflowers Avatar
      singlikewildflowers

      Thank you!

      Reply
  8. ghostmmnc Avatar
    ghostmmnc

    Prayers for your mom, and for your family to keep strong during the hard times. … Glad y’all got to go out for a bit of fun, too. <3

    Reply
    1. singlikewildflowers Avatar
      singlikewildflowers

      Thank you! It’s been the worst time ever for my mom. We had to go down to L.A. again to visit her in the hospital.
      The photo selfies were a bit of fun to make us happy.

      Reply

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