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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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Cellulitis can kill. It went systemic into blood and took my brother in last May. Your father should be hospitalized. If the doppler shows clots you are in serious trouble and Dad falls between the devil and the deep blue with a need for clot management, blood thinners, and the serious complications and side effects the latter almost always carries along. This is for hospitalization, likely blood management and IV antibiotics. Trying to care for this in a care setting already taxed by our times won't do. This cannot always be safely fixed; you don't give me an age here, but the heart being now a "failing pump" complicates everything. I am so sorry you are going through this now, but hospitalization is the answer, even with covid-19; there's no good choice here.
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BeckyT Aug 2020
Thanks for the reply Alvadeer. Papa is 93. They are saying the blood clots are a result of the mild case of Covid-19 he had there about a month ago.

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.
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I agree with AlvaDeer.   But if the staff feels they can manage the symptoms (and I'm not sure I'd agree as they don't have the equipment a hospital would have), ask sweetly for a treatment plan.   Kindly but firmly let them know they'll be monitored every step of the way.

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.
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BeckyT Aug 2020
I wanted to let you know that they found two more clots in Papa’s arm (three total +one in his leg) so they admitted him to the hospital for a Heparin drip and IV antibiotics (for the Cellulitis).
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Is he on palliative or hospice care? What are his other issues?

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?
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BeckyT Aug 2020
Hi Barb,

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.
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On Christmas Eve at midnight in 2011, my mother was wheeled into the OR to have an IVF umbrella filter surgically placed in her aorta for a blood clot that was found in her leg earlier that day. The hospital was just signing the paperwork to discharge her for UC complications when she said her leg hurt; the ultrasound revealed the clot and that's when her stay was extended. Then came the Heparin, the blood thinners in pill form, and on and on and ON.

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.
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