Update on My Mom’s Situation
Yesterday, we were able to visit my mom. She was still sedated (on the ventilator), but her norepinephrine levels were at 0.04, which is great news.
However, today they will perform a tracheostomy on her to provide more comfort and eventually remove her from the ventilator.
My mom is Catholic, so, following her tradition, I called a priest from the Paulinian congregation (a monastery of priests) to administer the Anointing of the Sick to her. He came, blessed her, and prayed with her, even though she was on the ventilator. Here in Brazil, religious visits are allowed at any time in hospital rooms.
Tomorrow, we will receive the results of a test that will determine whether she has a terminal disease called Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. We are praying and asking God that the test comes back negative and that it is instead the manifestation of another illness (this is a possibility).
We also requested a visit from a rheumatologist, but the head doctor has not authorized it. I don’t know if it’s out of ego or stubbornness, but we are continuing to fight for it.
Thank you for your prayers and support! Every kind word has meant so much to us.
I also pray to God for those who have lost loved ones and are still grieving. May they find comfort and feel embraced.
Thank you,
Amanda
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Perhaps this is my most emotional text. It's been a while since I last wrote anything, but this time I need to.
My mother is in the neurological ICU of a hospital in São Paulo called Beneficência Portuguesa. She is currently in an induced coma to stabilize her condition. We are desperate because it costs us around 120 Reais every two days to get there. My sister and I take turns as her companion every 12 hours. We tell her stories about how important she is to us, how much she makes us laugh, how incredible she is, and how her life has made a difference in the lives of others.
She loves to sing, but today, intubated, she will hardly sing again anytime soon. She is also an English teacher at a school in a marginalized community, and she is highly respected for her love and care for the children, regardless of their origins or who their parents are.
My mother is not only incredible for what she does there, but also for what she has done for us—her sleepless nights, her long hours of work to buy us a gift, her efforts to teach us English, her dreams...
We have a pending exam to pay for. If you can, please help us here. If you can’t, just pray for her or send positive energy. We need a miracle. Emotional or financial support makes a difference. A strong hug,
A.