I remember someone on here posting a topic about who taught you how to fish and I remember answering my grandpa and my dad. Well this last tuesday night I came very close to losing my grandfather and he is still in critical condition. About three years ago he was a hard working energetic individual who would never sit still. You know the kind who always have to be doing something. Well he started to experience chest pains and when he went to the doctor they said he needed a triple bypass and a valve replacement. It scared him a little bit but he said if it has to be done it has to be done thats just the way he was. The surgery was performed by DR. Aman at St. Vincents and went off without a hitch. In fact in just four days following the surgery he was released to continue rehab at home. Open heart surgery on Monday and Home on Friday again just the way he was. Well shortly after that he started to experience dizziness and fatigue. He was later diagnosed with PSP or progressive supernucular palsey. Basically anytime he changed levels of his head he would become so dizzy he couldn't see straight. Well this resulted in him falling and breaking his hip which confined him to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. He hates that wheelchair and I remember him saying at least when I am dead I won't have to take any more pills witch he still hates doing. Well this last tuesday he was rushed to woodland park hospital and was given a very slight chance to live through the night. He started to improve but his stomach was hard to the touch and the surgeons really didn't know what was going on as the catscans and x-rays were inconclusive. Well wednesday morning they went in and found his gall bladder was completely dead and was spreading ganggreen throughout his body. His Liver and kidney had shut down and his lungs were 85% shut down. Ironically the only thing saving him was his heart that was repaired several years ago. Today he is still in critical condition in ICU but he is stable. When I said Hi grandpa he opened his eyes and right there I almost lost it. He has so many wires and tubes coming out of him it is scary. They say the next 72 hours will be critical to see if the body will start back up again but it may not. We know as a family he doesn't want to live off a machine as he is now but the doc says he should come off the machine in 72 hours or so. He can breathe on his own but the machine is there to help take some pressure off his heart. I hope and pray every minute he will be ok.
Sorry this is so long I just needed to get it out to somebody.
Location: Halfway between the Boondocks & Timbucktoo
Posts: 7,861
Re: Hoping and Praying....
Fishinfool - you took me right back to ICU with my grandpa just a few months after my son was born. They finally let him go "peacefully" but he was sure mad about being on those machines!
My best wishes to you, but remember - what your grandpa wants should be honored.
Hoping and Praying....
OceanBlue
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