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It doesn't look like Vana has posted a thread for this, so I will.
Sunday afternoon, our Grandmother was rushed to the ER. She was coughing up blood clots, was nausious, and generally not feeling well. Once we got her there, they found that she was bleeding internally in her esophagous, and as a result her blood pressure dropped way down, into the teens, I think, and was in very critical condition for most of the day. This is related to a blood chemistry/liver problem that she's been taking treatments for for the past 10 years - successfully, too, as she has continued to be a very active, very alive and vibrant woman.
They got her blood pressure up last night, to where they felt comfortable attempting surgery. They tried endoscopy, but there was too much blood for them to see what needed to be tied off. So they got her blood pressure up as much as they could, though it was fluctuating more than it should do for the entire time that we were at the hospital last night.
The doctors have told us flat out that pretty much her only chance of surviving is to go to Chicago or Madison to get a procedure done to her liver, otherwise they'd just be treating the symptoms. She's already past the stage where she would be able to get a transplant (she didn't want one). But she refuses to go. She says that it's too far away, that she doesn't want to be alone. And she knows the doctors here, and they're Christian. She has been lucid and in control of herself and aware of her surroundings and situation throughout, so the doctors refuse to send her against her will.
We're trying to get her to change her mind. A large portion of the family would move with her to Chicago to stay with her during the procedure, and we've told her that. We are continuing to bring it up. We desperately want her to change her mind. She's only 67; she's not old enough that she would have at least another 10-15 years of good health if she went through the procedure.
Julie and I would appreciate any and all prayers or thoughts, if you're not so inclined. I have to run; I have to pick Julie up and drop her off at the hospital.
That's not that difficult a procedure. If the the doctors she trusts are in favor of it, and think she is stable enough, and she had a good quality of life beforehand, it could be extremely worthwhile.
I hope she gets better this week. Posts: 1990 | Registered: Feb 2001
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rivka, Pastor did talk to her a little bit about it last night, but I'm not sure what exactly was said. However, he did say that he told her she didn't want to go to either Madison or Chicago.
Theca, yes, I think that's the procedure. The word "stent" was definatly used, and those are her symptoms. She wasn't actually coughing up blood like Dan said - she was vomiting large clots.
I went to see her for a little while this afternoon. Her blood pressure is still low, but higher than it was most of the day yesterday. Generally it was 80s/50s. At one point while I was there, it was 109/19, but not for very long. Her heart rate is really high, though - I don't think it was ever under 100 while I was there this afternoon. And she's had so many needles in her already, and her blood pressure is so low, that it hurts a lot when they need to start a new IV or take a blood sample or anything. But, as far as I can tell, that's the main source of her pain right now (a great improvemnt over yesterday, when she said her whole insides burned).
Right now, they're saying that if today goes well, tomorrow they'll put her on a 5-day set of antibiotics, and if the 6th day is good, she could go home and be as good as she was last week. Which doesn't get rid of the problem - it'll still be there. But at least she won't be in a hospital bed. She's always been very active and generally healthy. So, where she was last week isn't a bad place to be - it just isn't ideal, either.
Going to Chicago did not come up for the little while I was able to see her just now - I mostly just held her hand while the nurses put in a couple of IVs (to give her blood and fluids, I think) and took some blood for cultures, to see if she has any infections. My mom and her sister finally each went home to shower and eat and hopefully sleep, and Grandma was going to try to take a nap, too. My brother and his girlfriend are staying up at the hospital while the rest of us are gone, just to be there (Grandma is terrified to be alone).
Your prayers and hugs and warm thoughts are really, really appreciated. Thank you so much.
Posts: 2661 | Registered: Apr 2002
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Vana just got back from the hospital. Granmda is doing much better, and is expected to make it out of the initial 48 hour period that is the most dangerous. She's had no bleeding since they stopped it last night. She's going to be getting some sleep, finally, which is really good news. If things go well, she could be back to her old self by Thursday next week. They are hoping to be able to release her next Wednesday, after 5 days of antibiotics.
Which still leaves her with her main problem untreated.
Theca: yes, I think that's the procedure that she'd be going through. From the description, it doesn't look that complicated - most hospitals have resident radiologists (don't they?). It's really frustrating, especially after reading the description, that she won't go and get this relatively simple procedure done and get on with her life. Our pastor has asked her to go to Chicago, I believe, but she still said no. This is the first time something like this has happened, and it seems to me that if it's happened once, it's more likely to happen again if she doesn't get herself taken care of.
<sigh>
Thank you for your prayers and thoughts. It's been a really rough 24 hours. Posts: 753 | Registered: Mar 2001
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While not the biggest hospital here, St. Mary's is a Christian hospital. I'm not sure if they do the procedure described, but its worth a check if she would feel better about it.
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Vana and Lime, I am so sorry to hear that your grandmother is sick. I'm glad that she's getting better. You're all in my thoughts.
Posts: 3037 | Registered: Jan 2002
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Vana and Lime, I'm very sorry to hear this about your grandmother. I don't know your grandmother, or either of you, but God does. I'll pray for her. And you too. I sincerely hope she gets better.
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Thanks for the thoughts and prayers, guys. I know we're asking for them, but they're appreciated anyway.
I just got a call from Vana (and we'll probably double-post this info like we did yesterday, but what the heck): Grandma is again, doing much better today than yesterday. She got to sit up in a chair for a couple hours, and use a proper restroom, as well as have some chicken broth and something else (I can't remember). Tonight, they're going to take her off of her blood pressure medication, and if that works out well, she'll be able to go down to a regular room instead of being in intensive care, and will be able to eat more things tomorrow. It's a great step forward.
As far as I know, she still is against going to Chicago. Her brothers got in this morning, though - I'm hoping that they'll be able to talk some sense into her. *crosses fingers*
Posts: 753 | Registered: Mar 2001
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My prayers are with you. I hope your grandmother decides to seek treatment. I agree that 67 is just too young to give up!
Posts: 3546 | Registered: Jul 2002
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Vana and Lime, this sounds like a very difficult time for both you two and for Grandma. I will keep you in my thoughts.
Has she been screened for underlying depression? If a geriatric specialist could see her, that would go a long way toward easing my mind.
If her physicians haven't yet considered this, you might want to bring it up. Psychiatric screening is pretty simply done in the hospital (much easier and quicker than setting up an outpatient appointment). And it can be done in a non-threatening way.
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I was just about to tell you all how good Grandma looked yesterday, and how much better things were going. Her other two brothers are both here now (from Florida and California), and yesterday she was sitting up, and she got to eat a little, and they were going to take her off of her blood pressure meds today. We were all starting to relax a little bit, and dinner last night was actually pretty fun.
She bled again last night, though. Don't know how much - I only talked to Mom briefly on the phone. They're going to do a scope again, to see where the bleeding site is and what, if anything, can be done for her. If it's in her throat, they'll be able to use bands to tie it off. If it's in her stomach, though, they won't really be able to do anything short of sending her to Madison or Chicago. Of course, she doesn't want to do that. But at very least, her heart rate, blood pressure, and kidenys are much better than when they tried this on Sunday, so it's much less risky and much more likely to actually show something (and get the bands in, if necessary).
Her brothers are on their way to the hospital (probably there by now). Mom and Aunt Cherie are there. Mom told me and the rest of us to just wait - she won't tell us we can't come up, but we'd have to just stay in the waiting room. We're afraid too many people in her room before they can do the scope will make her overly anxious, and we certainly don't want that.
I'm going to stay here, for now. I'm at work, which is only about three minutes from the hospital. And I'd just sit and stew in the waiting room. Here, at least, I have the internet and can ask all of you for more prayers and such.
And I guess I'd better have my morning snack, in case I have to rush out of here and put off lunch.
Please, please pray, that they'll be able to fix this right now, and that she'll allow them to send her off to have this surgery done.
Posts: 2661 | Registered: Apr 2002
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