Need some DU love--Mom just called with very bad news. :( [View All]

So Mom's has this odd sore on her leg for over a month and it refuses to heal. In fact it's getting larger and more infected and open-looking.

The first doc she saw told her she might have some circulation problems and scheduled an ultrasound for her legs and a leg blood-pressure reading. So she got those things done today, and it turns out she has 70% arterial blockage in that leg--I think the condition is called arteriosclerosis or something similar to that. She also has a blood clot behind her knee that's big enough to cause concern.

They're admitting her to the hospital tonight to start IV antibiotics and they're doing some sort of angiogram-type procedure for her leg instead of her heart, to get a good look at it--I think they use some kind of catheter to inject dye? Then they're doing bypass surgery in her leg to restore circulation.

I know that sounds relatively mild--but she's already had 3 heart attacks, 2 strokes, brain surgery to fix 2 aneurysms, adult-onset AML (leukemia), *and* she has advanced emphysema. She's only 49 years old. They're worried that surgery and anesthesia will be too stressful on her heart and lungs, but it *HAS* to be done--otherwise this sore won't heal, can become gangrenous, and potentially kill her.

My Mom is like superwoman. She has survived SO much--hell, she's still WORKING full time, even after all of that! But I'm still scared to death for her. :(