sequences...

（媽走了。
是真看—走—眼—了嗎？）


Date: 01/27/2010
From: SL
To: EV
My mom passed away on the 26th, LA time, in the morning.
It's a shock when my sister called. This is ridiculous. She was pretty stable, no critical sign at all when I last saw her.
She died of heart failure; doctor in convalescent tried to revive her but failed.
Anyway, it's fact now.
My bag is not even unpacked, hv just booked the flight flying back. Same airlines, same flight number.
Call you when I'm there.


Date: 01/27/2010
From: EV
To: SL
O shit. really sorry to hear about the news. your father really did talk to her!
call me when you get in. i might be on my way to san francisco to meet up with my mom and angela. scheduled her to get second opinion from the tumor board of stanford medical. as of now, we are still at a difficult stage in deciding what is best for her. staying back in singapore or come to america. she is in a much critical stage than we thought. sigh. and every day counts.
have a safe flight over the pacific.


Date: 01/27/2010
From: EC
To: SL
I called LY. She told me your mom was OK yesterday around noon time; when she got there, your mom was already in a wheelchair so she took her outside the dinner room for some sunshine. She said your mom did look very tired afterwards, had some mucus in her throat, so she was breathing heavy when she lay her to bed. But anyway, your mom can really rest now. The Home has very limited help and she was suffering in there.
Take care!


Date: 01/25/2010
From: KL
To: SL
Off antibiotics on Saturday. Vital signs close to normal. Oxygen level 94, no need for oxygen mask to help to breathe. W and I visited on Sunday, no improvement in response. Today talked to 1. current physician DW, do not believe any over dose or contradiction of medications taken at this time. Sleepy and shaking can be symtoms of alzama or parkinson, since head MRI did not show signs, further tests could be invasive which may include sticking pin tube into brain and spine to collect sample tissue or something for testing purpose. Doctor’s opinion is that such test could carry certain level of danger to life and pain in result. In view of the eighty something years of age, even confirm of above diseases, what level of aggressive treatments if any can the body stand? Again Doctor’s opinion, for the time being, since there is no immediate impact in danger of life, try to give a little time for observation and see what will come up. DW also reviewed that mother had been under his care for less than a year, before that it was Dr. Q for quite a lengthy time. I gether that he brought this up was trying to say that he wouldn’t mind the family make a chance of doctor. 2. Talked to Dr. Q, pretty receptive, willing to take over the case thru standard procedure, but I get the feeling that the standard procedure of changing physician would include all necessary standardize testing and so on. I left both doors open at this time. May be you can take this up with M and W, whichever route we will take, I will support all the way, and I think I can manage things here with some help from the guys in L.A. Everything we do will be for one sole purpose: for the good of mother, even though with a lot of my groaning...


Date: 01/18/2010
From: SL
To: KL
She looked pretty stable and was in better spirit, plus DC came this afternoon; ended up Chan and I chatted at her bedside for almost two hours, she listened most of the time.
Tube feeding does need time to adjust, the nurses came quite frequent checking her stomach fluid residue, said to make sure the digestion system works right.


Date: 01/17/2010
From: SL
To: ML/WL/KCL
我第三次改期，至23號飛。
自你們回港後兩三日，老媽子開始不說話；每日去餵飯，通常向她獨白一兩個鐘，有眼神接觸，知道佢聽到。
初時覺得應是鬥氣。發展至唔同所有人講野，情況轉異常；上星期因發燒及早餐有哽咽現象，入emergency，冇大問題，留院，又插喉又吊鹽水，成日烏下烏下，過兩日發現吞咽有問題，情況似BB 仔，含住啖飯半睡半醒，反覆觀察幾日，決定由肚插喉輸營養奶（總比由鼻入好），小手術，星期四上午做，昨日星期五開始試，要觀察一兩日有冇排斥。
身體機能弱但應無大礙，意志消沉，近星期確實見佢身體反應同心想做的不協調，我有幾十個同學加朋友，每家都有老人，我媽現象原來不算罕有，不過佢轉差速度比較快。
你地咁遠冇乜可以做，亦無須太擔心，不過我覺得應該俾你地知道。
住L A 的人過去幾年撐老豆都好杰，輪都應該到我了，日日話俾老媽子聽，佢肯做物理治療，企得落地，唔駛兩個人抬上抬落，就由我負責照顧佢。
不過這一兩星期佢一般聽幾分鐘就眼烏烏，唔知佢收到幾多。


Date: 01/17/2010
From: SL
To: KL
my observation: the hospital environment is a major reason makes her feel so down.
plus, the catheter and other vital tubes are very uncomfortable, give her pain and fear. That's why I decide to spend more hours with her. At this time, familiar faces help the most.
I don't think she's physically so weak to an extent that her life is in danger. Once the feeding tube is confirmed with no negative rejection, don’t see what other reasons the hospital should continue keeping her.
Should she do hv a problem with the brain or nerve system, that's another long term story, SGVH is not the right place for her to stay.
I did not press for her release; when I talked to these people I always hv my way to see more from what is told.


Date: 01/16/2010
From: SL
To: KL
Nurse in SGVH called house phone re medication for bone, gave me a reason to call Dr W's office. Wong’s nurse returned call, indicated according to Wong, mom should be released in couple of days; therefore, the injection could wait.
Started tube feeding, need observation probably for one to two more days. Her condition appears stable, except really not able to hold her concentration; drowsy.
I check with people for similiar syndromes, it might really hv something to do with the brain nerves, which, regardless of what, rather she's back to convalescent, we'll then follow up with further expert opinion.


Date: 01/15/2010
From: SL
To: JT
my supposed return date was Jan 05 and it has been postponed three times, return flight is now booked on Jan 23rd.
dad's funeral is over; things needed to be taken care are done.
it's now mom's turn; has been in and out hospital and convalescent, nothing critical but takes time and attention. Since my bros and sis have spent quite some years on our dad, guess it's about time for me to take over.
talk to you when I'm back to HK.