Talk to me about pneumonia
Discussion
My elderly grandad was admitted to hospital in January, initally what with, I don't know, anyway, at the beginning of Feb he was mistakenly discharged (they sent the wrong patient home), and he actually left hospital with pneumonia (at that point, undiagnosed) he was back in hospital in less that 24 hours, and basically hasn't been well since.
Just over a week ago he had a big heart attack, and was also having fits (again I haven't been given all the details), this week I was told that he has had a stomach bug since Feb (they have only just found it, and now you have to wear and apron and gloves to visit him), his liver and kidneys are failing and that only 25% of his heart is working, and he still has the pneumonia. I was told that he wasn't going to make it to weekend, so we went on Tuesday so he could see the kids one last time, and I had a chance to say goodbye. He was on oxygen all the time and looked awful.
Today I have been told that the pneumonia has totally filled his lungs, he is in pain and now on the morphine, I have tried googling all this, but it's just not making any sense as I don't know if its viral, bacterial or what.
I know the going on morphine is pretty much the last thing they will do for him, but can someone explain just what's going on with his lungs please? I have this horrible vision of him 'breathing' fluid, basically drowning, and that is tearing me apart (I would rather he wasn't having to suffer)
Many thanks
Just over a week ago he had a big heart attack, and was also having fits (again I haven't been given all the details), this week I was told that he has had a stomach bug since Feb (they have only just found it, and now you have to wear and apron and gloves to visit him), his liver and kidneys are failing and that only 25% of his heart is working, and he still has the pneumonia. I was told that he wasn't going to make it to weekend, so we went on Tuesday so he could see the kids one last time, and I had a chance to say goodbye. He was on oxygen all the time and looked awful.
Today I have been told that the pneumonia has totally filled his lungs, he is in pain and now on the morphine, I have tried googling all this, but it's just not making any sense as I don't know if its viral, bacterial or what.
I know the going on morphine is pretty much the last thing they will do for him, but can someone explain just what's going on with his lungs please? I have this horrible vision of him 'breathing' fluid, basically drowning, and that is tearing me apart (I would rather he wasn't having to suffer)
Many thanks
Not much help Speedchick, but I've known younger people who have suffered from pneumonia, & recovered. Prognosis for your grandad doesn't sound good 
hopefully the morphine will help, though it may affect him?
Case in point, my grandma, would never swear!
Not ever!!
Whilst in the last throws of "C"ancer she answered the 'phone to a bloke who asked if he could speak to "Alice?"
Grandma's reply..."Alice ... ... .... .. Alice?"
hopefully the morphine will help, though it may affect him?Case in point, my grandma, would never swear!
Not ever!!
Whilst in the last throws of "C"ancer she answered the 'phone to a bloke who asked if he could speak to "Alice?"
Grandma's reply..."Alice ... ... .... .. Alice?"
Hi Speed. I have no good news. I suspect he's on the same path a work mate was. Pneumonia becomes Pleurisy. And even as a very fit sports nut guy in his mid 30s it looked bad for a while and recovery has been very slow.
Pleurisy: http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Pl...
Best wishes to him, and you never know sometimes the olduns are stronger than we think.
Pleurisy: http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Pl...
Best wishes to him, and you never know sometimes the olduns are stronger than we think.
Thanks guys
I do know that when we went to see him on Tuesday, they had put him in a side room on the ward to just sort of let him get on with it, and all they could give him then was the oxygen and the odd go with the nebuliser, seems he wasn't eating or drinking as he couldn't swallow properly, and what he did swallow was going into his lungs.
Today was when they put him on morphine, so I am thinking that's the only actual medication that he is on.
He's a stubborn git, 14 years ago he had 3 huge heart attacks, each one of which should have killed him there and then, but he's kept going, had a few more, plus other problems, he just won't give up (we think he's putting off seeing my nanna again!), it's just not sounding good at the moment.
Guess it's just a case of waiting for the phone to ring now
I do know that when we went to see him on Tuesday, they had put him in a side room on the ward to just sort of let him get on with it, and all they could give him then was the oxygen and the odd go with the nebuliser, seems he wasn't eating or drinking as he couldn't swallow properly, and what he did swallow was going into his lungs.
Today was when they put him on morphine, so I am thinking that's the only actual medication that he is on.
He's a stubborn git, 14 years ago he had 3 huge heart attacks, each one of which should have killed him there and then, but he's kept going, had a few more, plus other problems, he just won't give up (we think he's putting off seeing my nanna again!), it's just not sounding good at the moment.
Guess it's just a case of waiting for the phone to ring now
Sorry to hear about this speedchick.
This won't help you at all i guess.
My best friend, was suffering with Muscular Distrophy (sp).
Since he was 3, he's been in a wheel chair since 13.
He got a cold 2 weeks ago, recovered, then got another "cold" the easter weekend.
He thought it was Pneumonia, he researched it on the net, called an ambulance himself, was admitted to hospital, in ICU within 24 hours & passed away peacefully on Sunday morning.
He'd all but given up the fight & knew what was coming, he did'nt want anymore pain, he did'nt eat for about a week, did'nt drink for about 48 hours, he took his IV drip out of his wrist & prepared for the inevitable, all he was on was 0xygen.
I hope your grandfather get's better, it's not a nice thing to witness someone in that pain.
This won't help you at all i guess.
My best friend, was suffering with Muscular Distrophy (sp).
Since he was 3, he's been in a wheel chair since 13.
He got a cold 2 weeks ago, recovered, then got another "cold" the easter weekend.
He thought it was Pneumonia, he researched it on the net, called an ambulance himself, was admitted to hospital, in ICU within 24 hours & passed away peacefully on Sunday morning.
He'd all but given up the fight & knew what was coming, he did'nt want anymore pain, he did'nt eat for about a week, did'nt drink for about 48 hours, he took his IV drip out of his wrist & prepared for the inevitable, all he was on was 0xygen.
I hope your grandfather get's better, it's not a nice thing to witness someone in that pain.
Well it was the cremation today, I hadn't heard anything about the post mortem they did, but then things here seem to be on a need to know basis, and I am not on that list.
It was mentioned during the service that it was C-Diff that finally finished him off, I'm just still so angry with the whole way he was treated (or not as the case may be), but he's not suffering now, is reunited with my Nanna after 13 years, and I think we did him proud with the roses we all wore and the flag on the coffin.
It was mentioned during the service that it was C-Diff that finally finished him off, I'm just still so angry with the whole way he was treated (or not as the case may be), but he's not suffering now, is reunited with my Nanna after 13 years, and I think we did him proud with the roses we all wore and the flag on the coffin.
speedchick said:
Well it was the cremation today, I hadn't heard anything about the post mortem they did, but then things here seem to be on a need to know basis, and I am not on that list.
It was mentioned during the service that it was C-Diff that finally finished him off, I'm just still so angry with the whole way he was treated (or not as the case may be), but he's not suffering now, is reunited with my Nanna after 13 years, and I think we did him proud with the roses we all wore and the flag on the coffin.
Umm no friendly hug smilie but you get the idea. Oh and here's to your granddad It was mentioned during the service that it was C-Diff that finally finished him off, I'm just still so angry with the whole way he was treated (or not as the case may be), but he's not suffering now, is reunited with my Nanna after 13 years, and I think we did him proud with the roses we all wore and the flag on the coffin.
Really sorry to hear that. My gran also finally gave up on the 9th and her funeral was Wednesday. It was very sad, the worst part was seeing my mum cry for the first time in my life, she's always been the strong one. It's for the best though as she was suffering a lot and she's had a good innings. Although the NHS were pretty bad (a lot of 'get well gifts' as well as her slippers and things went 'missing'), it was definitely her time to go. I can imagine you are both pissed off and sad in equal measures.
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