My Papa has new health issues in the nursing home - anyone have experience with this? UPDATE: The doppler shows TWO blood clots!
My Papa went into Rehab on March 9th, on March 10th they locked down.
In May, he was diagnosed with CHF and his left leg swelled. He was prescribed diuretics and elevation of his leg. Then it started in his arm too.
Last week, he developed cellulitis on the arm that’s swollen.
So today, his left leg is 5+ pitting edema and his left arm and hand is so swollen that he can’t make a fist AND he has cellulitis on that arm - it’s hot and red. They’ve started him on an antibiotic and pain medicine. They’re also doing a Doppler to make sure there’s no blood clot. He’s miserable.
He also has sores in his mouth that are being treated, so his immune system is shot.
Does anyone have any experience with this? Could this be his body breaking down? The beginning of the slide toward the end?
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She's 93.5 now and says daily how she wants to die. She was taken off blood thinners 2 years ago for chronic and deadly bloody noses, lots of them, and then had a stroke. Suffers from CHF, moderate dementia, chronic vertigo, depression and about 12 other issues including 24/7 pain from neuropathy in her legs.
In hindsight, it's too bad they installed that IVF filter and didn't just let nature take its course. Extending a elder's life to 100 when they have NO quality of life left is cruel and inhuman torture, in my opinion. I would never, ever want that for myself and have made my wishes known to my husband and children.
Follow your father's wishes, whatever they may be.
Wishing you the best of luck.
They’ve decided against hospitalization, saying they can do the same there. They mentioned IV antibiotics, but I think they planned to run the oral ones through first.
So maybe we should push for hospitalization.
I would push for hospitalization if he is not at end stage of something. Othwrwide, I would push for hospice and giving him comfort meds.
What does HE want?
After talking to Papa, who’s 93, this will go however this will go. He just wants to go see Mama (who left us in 2015). He has been on a slow downhill slide, medically, ever since. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s that year, but had had it for several years. Parkinson’s is certainly nothing to look forward to, as it progresses. He’s mid stage now.
Do some research on the conditions and issues Alva described, learn what treatment options are available, what equipment is desired vs. mandatory, and have a nice friendly discussion with them so they know you're aware that this is a critical situation and you anticipate a hospital level treatment.
Do you have a neurologist, cardiologist, or (asking Alva here) other regularly treating doctor who knows your father and could address this and give you guidance, and if necessary, intervene to have him removed to a hospital?
Personally, I would opt for a hospital; the resources are so much greater, and the level and variety of medical personnel far more appropriate than in any rehab; they're just not prepared for that kind of intense treatment.