Mrs. Peel Posted September 19, 2007 Author Share Posted September 19, 2007 Thanks Drew, thanks Mart. My mom is coming home tomorrow for a few days and one of my uncles is going down there. I'm so happy to hear this...she needs a break. I'm sure seeing her cat, being able to sleep in her own bed, and simply getting away from the situation will do wonders for her. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
skyflynn Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 I can't imagine how exhausted all of you must be. Please take care of yourself too, Jen. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mrs. Peel Posted September 19, 2007 Author Share Posted September 19, 2007 I can't imagine how exhausted all of you must be. Please take care of yourself too, Jen. Xanax, take me away..... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kicking_Television Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 Great to hear he's fighting still, my grandfather had the same situation last year and he's home and great as ever. So keep your head up! VIBES Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kidsmoke Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 Love to you, Jen. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tongue-tied lightning Posted September 27, 2007 Share Posted September 27, 2007 anything new with grand dad ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mrs. Peel Posted September 27, 2007 Author Share Posted September 27, 2007 Thanks for asking! He's still in critical condition but continues to do a little better each day. They took him out of sedation for almost 2 days but he's still on the ventilator. They're slowly turning it down to the point that it's almost off, but it causes his breathing to be too labored so then they turn it up again. But every time they do that, they turn it up less and less, so he is improving. It is still very far from being good, and no one is getting their hopes up too high. After all this time it would be quite a fall if we believed he was going to recuperate 100%. I guess you can say we're cautiously optimistic. But I can't believe he even pulled through that first night, so who knows! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mrs. Peel Posted September 27, 2007 Author Share Posted September 27, 2007 Wow, 10 minutes after I wrote that, I got a call from my mom to tell me he's off the ventilator! He's still considered critical and they're still going to do some kind of tracheotomy to put in an airway in case he has to go back on it so they can bypass his mouth, but here's hoping he won't need it! Still cautiously optimistic...... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted September 27, 2007 Share Posted September 27, 2007 Off the ventilator! Nice. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tongue-tied lightning Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 new news ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mrs. Peel Posted October 3, 2007 Author Share Posted October 3, 2007 Ummmmm, well, he's had many many ups and downs. He went back on the ventilator and has been deteriorating again. Everyone up here wishes his wife would let him go but understands how difficult it can be to make that decision. Now, even in his fragile state, the VA hospital he's been going to for years is demanding that he be transferred from the local hospital he's currently in to their hospital or else they're going to stop paying for the care he's receiving. The poor guy is on life support with tubes in every place a tube can go. Now he has to suffer the added stress of transport. It's really a horrific situation right now. But he's still here. It's a waiting game at this point.Thanks for asking. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
EL the Famous Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 more grandpa prayers, jen. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Edie Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 Ugh, I am so sorry. Plenty of healing vibes from here. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tongue-tied lightning Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 sorry Jen, hang tough for G pops Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pillowy star Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 Jesus, that's awful, Jen Hang in there. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mrs. Peel Posted October 8, 2007 Author Share Posted October 8, 2007 Since we're all discussing grandparents.... My mom is on a plane right now, heading back to Florida. There is no hope left for my grandfather and she's going down to be with his wife and help her through the impossibly brutal task of shutting off the life support. We've all come to accept that he won't be recovering, but his wife has not been able to let go, which is only prolonging his suffering. The family feared that she would never consent to turn off the ventilator unless one of them was there to help give her the strength to do it. Unfortunately, my mom already spent a week there, and while he was awake they got to have a long talk and essentially say goodbye. So she is not looking forward to seeing him in this state of advanced deterioration. She had already been moving through the grieving process these last couple of weeks and in a few hours she'll have to start all over again. And just to add to this miserable situation, this is bringing back all kinds of emotions for my mom, since a lot of what she has seen recently mirrors what we went through with my father 4 years ago, so she's got that to deal with too. I'm sad that my grandfather won't be around anymore, but multiply that sadness times 100 to come close to what I'm feeling for my mom right now. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SarahC Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 (vibes) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Edie Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 Awww Jen, major league vibes from me to all of your family. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 That is a hard, hard thing to have to do. My thoughts are with you. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
EL the Famous Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 even more prayers for your mom, you and your family, jen. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kidsmoke Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 Jen, I hope a sense of pure peace and serenity will come over your mom and your grandfather's wife as they help your grandfather release from this life. I can't imagine anything harder than what your mom is now going through, but there is a rightness and beauty to the fact that she is there to help. I hope she can feel that in her heart and find peace. You, sweetness, are in my thoughts. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
M. (hristine Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 Love to all of you, Jen. I hope your family is encouraged to invite hospice in. They really are angels that walk among us and make the process of passage a true gift for the remaining family. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Atticus Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 sincere vibes and prayers I wish the old hug emoticon still worked Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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