Ernestine’s Story

Site created on October 2, 2019


Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support, prayers, words of hope & encouragement. 


Some of  you may know that mom was hospitalized on August 12 with bleeding related to a colorectal tumor that she has had for several years.   Until now we have been able to manage this without issue.  This time she lost a lot of blood which resulted in her needing a unit of blood during that hospitalization.  She also has advanced Kidney Disease, probably caused by years of uncontrolled blood pressures.   After the  hospitalization and her receiving the unit of blood, it seemed like something had seriously upset the apple cart - her blood pressure was suddenly all over the place after being under good control for a couple of years.  Then on the Saturday morning of Labor Day weekend, she told me that she felt short of breath.  When I suggested we go to the hospital, she didn't want to go because she was worried about ruining our planned pool party.  Finally I convinced her it would be worse to wait until everyone was already here to decide she needed to go.  That's when she told me she was also feeling quite a bit of pressure on her chest so off we went to the ER.  She was immediately admitted with Congestive Heart Failure and stayed in the hospital for 8 days.  Since that time she was discharged home with in-home hospice,  due to her multiple health issues and her age, and the emotional/physical roller coaster has begun.   She is very tired all the time, which is caused by her kidneys not functioning well.

Newest Update

October 8, 2019

Journal entry by Pauline Bryson —

Today the nurse visited mom and said that her heart and lungs sound good but that her weight loss is concerning. If she loses weight too rapidly she will begin to have muscle and skin breakdown which will cause a rapid decline. So my challenge is to give her as much high calorie, high fat, high protein as I can manage. Her taste buds have changed and she says nothing tastes good. Except sweets. So the nurse said to give her whatever she wants. So I bought donuts for her on my way home tonight...
Read More of the journal titled "October 8, 2019"
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