SJS, I'm not copying your posts so I hope that I cover the key questions
you have asked.
1. You say that your mom is having difficulty talking, and that she
has suffered from bouts of pneumonia. Two questions come to mind. A)
Does she have a history of lung disease of any kind (emphysema), and B)
has she had difficulty eating (coughing while swallowing her food -
possibly indicating she developed aspiration pneumonia)? It
is very difficult for me to believe that a nurse could "puncture her lung
while suctioning her." In my 30 years of nursing, I have never heard of
that happening. Suctioning takes place in the bronchi - not in the body
of the lung.
If your mom has difficulty talking because she cannot force
enough air through her vocal cords due to muscle weakness secondary to
PD, she may not have enough strength to cough effectively - thereby
allowing secretions to remain in her lungs causing a wonderful breeding
ground for bacteria.
Staph pneumonia is one of the most dangerous types. Some
antibiotics, given particularly for staph resistant strains, can cause
hearing problems.
My heart goes out to your family. Your mom sounds like a fighter
- hope that she can continue to wage battle against PD. Let us know how
she is doing.
----
Peace and joy
Mary Ann
