"She had a typed up list of meds she was taking and knew that she needed her asthma meds at all times. They knew, they said. It was written and stated verbally more than once. None of her asthma meds were to ever be withheld. Not one time. Everyone eveywhere knew it." A list of a patient's home medicines is taken as part of a history and customarily attached to the chart. But, what I am asking is are you sure they were on her chart as an order to be given? If they were, and she hadn't had them for days, SOMEBODY made the decision not to administer them. One issue is who and why? Since you say she didn't have them since Saturday, did she or you ask that question before her episode? It doesn't feel right that everyone who had given patient care to her would have missed it, and not questioned why that was the case. This is exactly where I was coming from when I addressed the flow of information. If she had been getting her meds right along, was there a possibility this would not have happened? I have to make the assumption the breathing treatment was given as a new stat order. Did I understand correctly that order had issued for a matter of hours and not acted upon? Did any one of the floor staff catch that fact well before she called you? Did any of them try to expedite the treatment by communication to the physician or pharmacy directly or did they leave it up to another department to follow through on it? At the facilites where I worked all the floor staff who were caring for a patient or administering meds would have looked that drug up in the a reference and educated ourselves to it's generic name and likely been in contact with the pharmacy about it quickly if there were an issue. We were required by our own policy to do this with every medication. Good, good policy. Is that a policy in that institution as well? Your description of the actions of the resp tech and LPN still leaves a question in my mind whether they had access to the drug to be administered. If that were the case, how could they give it? Were they trying to calm the patient to decrease her respiratory demand until they could get and administer the drug? Could they have been just as anxious as you or your mother, but doing the best they could under the situation? I guess what I am saying is that I still would question this a communications issue and also wonder if it could also be an accountability issue. Checks and balances likely exist in the system to prevent those things from happening. You might be surprised who "could" be considered accountable. Your doc did the right thing for initiating a complaint, and I'm not in any way saying your anger is inappropriate. You should be upset.......but I'm wondering at this point.......at whom. I'm not implying any particular member of the staff is at fault nor guiltless. I'm saying that an internal look-see is appropriate to address those issues not apparent from the outside. Been there and done that myself as an advocate. I'm very glad it turned out OK.

Hi terrene, I'm Marlene who has been helping Michelle for the past few years with her sale for the Childrens Hospital. Her computer keeps going on and off the fritz (I'm not very technical as you can tell) and she called to asked me respond to your post. First, thank you very much for your offer. The following seeds would be most appreciated: The seeds you mentioned, Echinacea and the Aquilegia McKana's Giants. Also, Campanula rotundifolia; eupatorium rugosum (white snake); Polemonium reptans (jacobs ladder) and Aquilegia careullea (rocky mtn columbine). If you would please send me an email, I can send you Michelle's address and get your address for sending stamps, etc. Thank you again so much for your contribution. If you'd like any annual seeds, please see my exchange list for seeds Michelle received as a donation from Ball Horicultural Company that she has not been able to use. Thanks!

Oh Lars, I'm just reading this thread. I knew of some family issues and your health issues. I had no idea that "stuff" was at this level. I'm so sorry that you and your family are going through this trying time. UTI's, in the elderly, can cause many difficulties in their health and well being. Sundowner's Syndrom comes to mind. Can make them feel like their days and nights are mixed up, dementia, painful without explanation and overall confusing thoughts. I thought I had Meningitis (again) 4 months ago...It ended up being a raging UTI! I kinda know what you are going through. Take care of you because if you don't no one will be there to do what needs to be done. Thinking of you today.

Raye, I love the music events at my parents' facility. It's amazing to see people who seem totally unresponsive start to sing when prompted by a touch on the hand. Recently my mother, at 94, started to sing along to Proud Mary! Who knew?! Pretty sure she didn't sing along with it back when it was on the radio all the time. Visiting depends on the person. When I see my dad, even when he was in the hospital and now in rehab and skilled nursing, we talk about the finances, historic events that occurred on that day, family stories (I've learned so much family gossip!). My brother comes and talks about his golf swing and old tournaments. My husband brings a beer, a glass, and peanuts on Bears game days. Visiting my mom is different. I like to take her for a walk, I wheel her around the facility or the courtyard, or go outside on the grounds. We stop in the lobby for a coffee, or maybe I bring a high-calorie coffee drink or shake from some place along the way for her. They both love it when we bring a little coffee cake to have with coffee, like at home. I help mom with some beauty regimen. I tell her what I made for dinner last night, or I join in with whatever activity is going on. (Which is also a nice way to get to know the other residents. I notice that, now that I can say "Hello, Ernie" or whoever, I get a smile from them just by walking in the room.) When I was in the hospital years ago, my mom would come and take me for walks around the halls. We'd go gaze at the babies in the nursery (can't do that anymore for security reasons) and a couple of times she brought some table accessories and we brought our meal to a garden area. That was so nice. I haven't had to visit a friend in the hospital for a long time, thank goodness. That can be a little harder, but I tend to keep visits under 30 minutes. When we were in high school we visited a friend at lunch time and brought hamburgers from the hospital cafeteria (they were really good) and we'd have lunch together, maybe help her with makeup or shave her legs (weird the first time!) or rearrange her room to her liking. She was there for over a month after our car accident, so she got bored fast.