Originally Posted By debtee Still thinking of you and your Nan Lisa! Sending big cuddles and I hope she is comfortable and feeling much better soon! My boys send kisses as well.
Originally Posted By chickendumpling Continuing to pray here too, Lisa. Thank you for updating us. Hugs to all.
Originally Posted By Lisann22 Aye yi yi, this afternoon and tonight was not good. Very frustrating. We know it's going to be an uphill battle so trying not to get to high or to low. I'm just writing out my frustrations. My mom and I knew most of our family would be up to visit all day on Sunday, so after a quick morning check in we waited to go up around 4:30pm. Felt good to stay in my pj's most of the day. We don't realize how tired we are from the stress. My grandma was very uncomfortable with a lot of moaning. They are worried about pneumonia due to her congested heart failure. She just has a lot to overcome between the small intestine and bladder infection, age, etc. She was in and out of sleep the entire time. She is mainly speaking spanish now, if you talk to her in english she responds but it's vague, you ask in spanish and she immediately answers clearly. The medical staff and her care is EXCELLENT but the nurses are having a tough time communicating with her. In my family; my mom, aunt and I obviously because she lives with us recognize her signs of pain and discomfort. There are about 3 other relatives that visit constantly and watch her when we are gone on the weekends and such so they are in tune also. She also needs a lot of physcial touching, along with swabbing and suctioning when coughing. Nurses commented that they can sense my grandma's anxieties go up when family is not in the room with her. So they are encouraging us to be there 24/7 right now. So, we have to figure out a rotation between us that allows us to carry on with regular life and be there for her. Please keep her and us in your thoughts and prayers. ;>
Originally Posted By smedley I'm sorry I'm late to this thread Lisann, know that my thoughts are with you. your family and grandma, here's hoping she makes a good recovery. Hugs.
Originally Posted By SuzieQ Thank you for the update, Lisann22. You and the family know you are in my thoughts and prayers continuously. Hang in there!
Originally Posted By amazedncal2 I understand everything you are going through Lisa. I'm not saying that I truly know how you feel or anything lame like that but I have been where you are. I understand the frustration, the heartache and the special feeling that comes from staying home in your jammies for a morning. I'm so glad that the nursing is EXCELLENT, they are really angels on earth. The rotation of family is a great idea. We spent a lot of time just talking with each other at the hospital waiting for our turn to go in. But then life gets in the way and everyone needs to get back to work and families and pets and even their own medical issues. My thoughts are with you and your family. Again, I know you know this but each of you stepping away for a few hours or a day is really the best thing you can do for your Grandma. It's going to be a long haul and you all need good mental and physical health to be there for her.
Originally Posted By TiggerPooh1973 I just saw this thread Lisann. My thoughts will be with your Grandma and your family.
Originally Posted By RAM1984 >>We don't realize how tired we are from the stress.<< It has been a week since my granddaughter was so sick and today is the first day I have had any real energy or motivation. My 3yo grandson is here from Seattle and I took him out to play and realized how I have not spent much time with him. I hope you can continue to take time for yourself. My preferred stress reliever is a hot bubble bath. I will continue to keep you and yours in my thoughts.
Originally Posted By trailsend Lisann ~ I was told everyday for 45 days that my 85 yr old aunt was going to die. She was hooked up to everything. We had no communication with her whatsoever. She had no response to us. That was 4 years ago. She is a proud 89. She is doing terrific. What I am saying is, it is rough. It is sad. It is tiring. It hurts. But, I know that she can make it. If my aunt made it, ANYONE can. Hang in there. And know you have so many holding you, your family and your Grandma up to the heavens!!!!
Originally Posted By Lisann22 Thanks everyone. My grandma was in a lot of pain today but much more alert. They gave her one of those new air mattresses that help with bed sores. She's holding her own at this point. Lots of interesting conversations with her as she doesn't really talk to us personally but she's talking to someone. The last couple of days she was in the 1930's with her sister, brothers & parents, today we got the 1970's with all her grandkids. ;>
Originally Posted By Autopia Deb You should maybe tape all this to get a perminent record of family history.
Originally Posted By RAM1984 Some people thought we were crazy but when my sister was dying we wrote down everything she said. When my father was dying he said something funny and asked, "Is anybody writing this down?" We read these aloud at family gatherings and just crack up. That is our family personality and it may not be yours so I am just throwing this out. And if she recovers she might get a kick out of it. I hope your grandma can get some relief from the pain. For my dad I used something illegal but it worked. Still praying and keeping good thoughts for your family.
Originally Posted By Lisann22 She's not talking family history and besides my grandma is long past the stage that most of her stories are extremely mixed up. She asked me recently what was I doing on the day Pearl Harbor was bombed. LOL! We laugh and go with it but nothing really to record. We have pretty wicked senses of humor so when she comes out she will hear all about it. We are known for our family stories and never letting eachother forget our most memorable moments. I will not be giving my grandma illegal substances to help with her pain. We've indulged in enough of that in my family for too many years. ;> Thanks everyone for the good thoughts and prayers.
Originally Posted By wonderingalice I remember a bout of pneumonia for my grandma when she was in her late 70s... When we were admitting her to the hospital via the emergency room, the nurse asked her what year it was and she responded "1936" (the year my dad was born)... "Who's the President of the United States?" Grandma responded "Hoover"... Huh?? *LOL* Hoover was only in office until 1933. Can't trust high fever delusions for nuthin'! ;-) Grandma bounced back and got the answer right when asked again later. Several years later when Grandma was hospitalized for leukemia and we knew her time was short, we still never lost our senses of humor and neither did she. She got real stubborn when it came to eating, so I'd coax her... "Just eat a couple bites of each, Grandma - then we'll throw the rest at the walls." She cracked up - and ate. Hang tough, Lisa... You guys are doing awesome things for her. *HUGS*
Originally Posted By mele It is so wonderful how your family is pulling together to get through this, Lisa.
Originally Posted By Lisann22 She told the nurse the other night she was 38 and these are all my kids and grandkids. Standing in the room were her 5 daughters ranging from 62 to 53 and 3 granddaughters raning from 43 to 37. LOL! The nurse said "Emily how do you feel?" My grandma said "With my fingers." We all busted up laughing and the nurse said "Nooooo, how do you feeeeelllllll." My grandma held up her fingers, wiggled them and said "With my fiiinnnnggggeeerrrrrs." The nurse never got it and we were all in tears. My grandma shook her head and said "bendeja."
Originally Posted By Lisann22 To her credit, she was being serious and my grandma was loaded on morphine. LOL!
