My grandmother is 83 year old this year. One month ago, she was admitted to the hospital as she was unable to stand up after sitting down for too long. We didn’t know why she couldn’t stood up so we called the ambulance and she was sent to the hospital. (She was perfectly fine and capable of walking without any walking aid previously. We even went to a cruise just 1 week prior). Upon admission, doctor found a crack in her spine and advised her to be on spinal nursing and they ordered a brace for her to help correct her spine issue. Everything was good and she was recovering until one day she started to have a fever and her fever keeps coming back despite antibiotics. Since then, she became very sleepy and drowsy. She is always sleeping and only awake during some times. Even when she is awake, sometimes she is not making sense. Doctor said it’s delirium. The doctor diagnosed that the fever was due to an infection in the liver. The fever continued despite antibiotics so he prescribe a liver drainage procedure to remove the bacteria. She was slightly better for awhile (maybe 2 days?) then her fever came back. It went up to 40 degrees celsius at one point. According to the doctor, the liver infection is already recovering, so that’s not the cause of the fever and her delirium. Today, her oxygen level dropped slightly and the doctor prescribed a procedure to drain water out of her lungs as they suspected that to be the cause of her fever. After the procedure, her blood pressure dropped to a very low number 83/47. She continues to be weak and not conscious. She also has difficulty breathing (it sounds like she has phlegm in her throat when she breathes). She is already so weak and doctors continue to do tests everyday and she has so many tubes in her body! She is on a feeding tube now as she has difficulty swallowing. I don’t know what else to do as the doctors are unable to diagnose or treat her. I know her old age is probably a factor in this but she was perfectly fine before coming to the hospital! Does anyone have a similar experience?
You know your grandma, and it might be coming time for you and your family to decide how much more you will put grandma through and would she want to go through it. You can call in an Infectious Disease Specialist and they may find something. But, truthfully, what will happen to her next? It may be time to just keep her comfortable and pain-free. God bless you and Grandma.