Grandfather in Hospital

[PirateLover]

So I come home from a nice trip to MD to see my fiancee's cousin graduate from high school to find that my 87 year old grandfather is in the hospital. Before I left I was going to go see him, but I called him first and he told me not to come because he had a terrible head cold and he didn't want me to get sick. Unbeknownst to me, things got worse and he became very out of it, to the point where he wasn't even able to walk at one point because of fever and not being able to properly send the signal from his brain (he already has some atrophy in this area of the brain). After talking to the doctor my family called an ambulance and he went to the ER. I was not told any of this until my return because they didn't want me to worry and knew I'd be back soon enough.

After spending almost the entire day cramped in an ER bed not much bigger than the size of a crib, Pop got transferred to a private room and was diagnosed with pneumonia. He SHOULD be ok, as there doesn't seem to be anything else wrong... but it's tough because he is my last remaining grandparent and he is a treasure to me. It was like a punch in the gut to get the news because my best friend's grandmom is in the hospital right now and we had just been trading stories about how we think that hospitals can be overly aggressive with the elderly sometimes (My family is not entirely happy with the hospital treatment of my other grandfather who ended up dying from [we feel] aggressive chemo treatments for his non-hodgkins lymphoma, and she feels the surgeon for her grandmom took some unnecessary risks that may have resulted in permanent brain damage), and I just feel like... here we go again.

Overall my family has generally received great care in hospitals, but there is always the increased risk of infection and the possibility of something going wrong. To top it all off, the man is a huge Phillies fan from when he was a young man. He watches every single game. The tv in the ER wasn't working, and when he got to his room would you believe that the only channel that had no sound was the station broadcasting the Phils? We brought him a radio as well but got no reception as he's not by an outside window. I just had to watch the game and tell him what was happening because he was fading in and out of sleep. I just felt bad that he couldn't seem to catch any breaks.

All in all he is in good spirits, and much more alert than he was yesterday. He's just very weak. He did make a joke about the "fancy hat" I was wearing (a straw fedora) which made everyone laugh, but then he started choking from laughing! :( Hopefully he will be OK soon. I'm just nowhere near ready for him to get seriously ill or, heaven forbid, pass away. I watched my grandmother suffer for years with Alzheimer's disease, I watched my ox of a grandfather with a booming voice become reduced to a skeleton who could barely muster a whisper with the tumor pressing against his vocal chords, and I never knew my other grandmother as she died shortly after giving birth to my mom. I want to hold on to this one in good health as long as I can. I know everyone in my family feels the same way :hug:

Thanks for letting me ramble a bit.

[tinkerbellybutton]

Maryanne, I'm sorry to hear about your grandfather.:hug: I will keep him in my thoughts and prayers and I'm sending tons of pixie dust for him to get better soon :pixie: :pixie: I know what you mean about wanting to hold onto your last grandparent. I've lost my brother, sister and father as well as most of my grandparents but my maternal grandfather is still around. It was such a blessing that he has been able to meet and hold my grandson, his great, great grandson and I got lots of pictures. I'm hoping that your grandfather kicks his pneumonia fast and is back to watching the games with you al! :pixie: :pixie: Let your family know they are in our thoughts as well.

[KineGirl]

Heres a :hug: for you and some :pixie: for your Grandpa. Grandparents are treasures and just as youre lucky to have him hes lucky to have such an obviously loving and caring family. I hope he has a speedy recovery so he can get back to watching the Phillies. :baseball:

[disneydeb]

I know you love him. Spend as much time with him as you can.
From your post it sounds as if he is getting better, a bit more Pixie Dust may be what he needs.:pixie::pixie::pixie:

[laughingplace<3]

I know how you feel and am spending pixie dust your way. :magic::magic::magic: My grandmother had to get a hip replacement and it got infected with a type of staph infection. She fell this past Wed and had to get ANOTHER hip replacement. She is recovering well, but this is all really hard for her because this is her second hip replacement almost one after another. We hope for the best in medical treatment this time around.

[kakn7294]

I'm sorry about your grandfather. I'll be praying for a quick recovery for him! Please be aware that you can and should be actively involved in his care - speak up, ask questions, and be knowledgeable in his condition and how he's being treated. While nurses cannot give you information on his condition and care (HIPPA laws), the doctors certainly can and should - don't let them get away without talking to you or your designated family member! :pixie: :pixie: :pixie:

[SBETigg]

Maryanne, I remember how special your grandfather is to you and I'm sorry that he's having a rough time with his health right now. I think it's probably a good sign that he's in good spirits now. My grandfather is beloved to me also, just turned 90 in December and he's still in his own house with my grandmother. I'm grateful for every day that they're together and feeling well.

:hug: and :pixie: that your grandfather is feeling better soon.

Did you ever show him the tape, by the way?

[Kairi_7378]

I'm sorry about your grandfather. I'll be praying for a quick recovery for him! Please be aware that you can and should be actively involved in his care - speak up, ask questions, and be knowledgeable in his condition and how he's being treated.

I can't agree with this more. Sending some prayers and pixie dust his way.

Does your grandfather live in Philadelphia as well? If he does you're lucky, there are many good hospitals in the area to select from. I am so sorry that you are dealing with this especially after a happy weekend in MD.

[MsMin]

Hoping your grandfather bounces back soon. My dad had pneumonia in late January and hasn't been the same since. It took such a toll on his body :(
I think my dad's poor health condition made him more susceptible for pneumonia. Sending :pixie: for your DGF's full recovery.

[PirateLover]

Thanks everyone. Sherri, we did not show the video yet. Right after I made that post I got a new job and my hours have been crazy so I don't see him as much and all of my family has been on opposite schedules and we haven't had time to talk about it. Now with him being sick I don't think it would be a good time. Hopefully he'll recover and I'll be able to take him out more (he's supposed to be getting a motorized wheelchair) and if the mood seems right we will show it.

Kathy and Laura, you are very right. (By the way, Laura, he is at Jefferson as many of his doctors are there). We have always asked a zillion questions... my father in particular is very knowledgeable about medicine and disease and might've been a doctor in a different life but he just didn't have the time or money when he was younger to pursue it. It makes it difficult though when doctors aren't straight with you. In the case of my other grandfather, I was in the room with my mom when the doctor told us that people his age (He was 85 I believe) survive this all the time as it was only stage 1, and if he didn't get the chemo we'd be sentencing him to death and he would probably suffocate within a few weeks to 2 months. We trusted his judgment. However a few days later my grandfather started bleeding in his stomach-turns out he had ulcers and I think they gave him too much heparin that intensified the effect. One of the doctors told us as much, but then came back and said oh no, I was wrong... shady. After that he was weak, but they said he could still continue to undergo chemo. He got one more treatment and from then on he was never the same. He kept getting pneumonia and it turns out the cancer was in two other places, and while the doctors did tell us that, they never explicitly said that it was a more advanced stage. My mom did her own research and discovered he was at least stage 3. The day he was admitted to the hospital, he took the bus himself, thinking he had laryngitis. After a few days of being in the hospital, he could barely move. My dad feels that had we said no to the chemo, he might not have lived as long, but his last days would've been a lot happier.

With my current grandfather, I am almost certain he will overcome the pneumonia, but I'm afraid of something happening like with MsMin's dad- that it will take a toll on him and he will be weak. In an ideal world I'd like to see him make it to 90 without a major illness, and pass away peacefully in his sleep. This way he will at least get to see my get married. He has said many times he would like to live to see that day, but right now it's still two years off. However I don't ever want to see him suffer.

Thanks everyone again, I'll keep you updated. I'm not sure if I'll get to see him today or not as I work until 8.

[daparish]

My thoughts and prayers are with your grandfather. I am glad that your dad is asking lots of questions. My mom spent 4 days in the hospital with pneumonia recently. It was really scary because she will be 75 in August and she has never had a real illness. It really took me and my siblings by surprise. She went to her cardiologist to have her blood pressure medicine adjusted. She came out of the office and started shaking really bad. My sister told the nurse who said it was her nerves don't worry about it. On the way home she started vomiting and my sister brought her to the er. She had a fever of 104 and they said the chest xray showed pneumonia. The general practioner said it was pneumonia and the cardiologist said the lung xray looked clear to him and he did not agree. They also said her potassium was low so they were giving her potassium in an iv trip. Once she was discharged she went to her regular general practioner (not the one who treated her in the hospital). He did blood work and before she was even home he called and said she had to return the next day for additional blood work because her potassium was at an extremly dangerous high level and he thought they gave her to much in the hospital. She is much better now but it worries me to see her aging. I have already lost all my grandparents, dad and brother.
My thoughts and prayers are with your family. I hope your grandfather makes a speedy recovery and is back cheering for the Phillies in no time.:pixie:

[DisneyDog]

Maryanne,
I will keep your grandfather in my good thoughts. I understand how much you treasure him. I lost my last remaining grandparent last year. It's always so strange to think that I can't call her or visit her anymore.:(

I'm glad to hear he's at Jeff. We are so lucky to have so many amazing hospitals so close by -- that AND the Phillies...what a city!

Please keep us up to date, as we will all be thinking of you, your family, and specifically your grandfather.