An update on my MIL
An update about my mother-in-law. We were down in Pennsylvania on Sunday, to see her and for me to attend my niece's baby shower. My MIL had been re-admitted to the hospital from the nursing home on Friday due to vomiting blood again. She has been adamant about not having any invasive testing done, or exploratory surgery, so they are unable to determine where the blood she is vomiting is coming from, or why she has this continued blood loss and extreme anemia. The doctor suspects that it is some sort of mass, although he is not sure, and of course no clue if there is a mass whether it is benign or malignant ::sigh:: and given her age (almost 86) and her current dire health, doing anything invasive might kill her outright.
While I was attending the shower, my brother-in-law called me, telling me he had talked to the doctor and that we needed to go to the hospital ASAP, as they did not think she was going to make it through the next hour. My hubby, son and I zipped over, with my brother-in-law close behind us, just praying we would get to see her before she passed. Not only did we get to see her, after my BIL roused her, we were able to be there while my BIL, who is a Lutheran minister, did their equivalent of a "last rites" service with us. My MIL is very deeply religious, so this was a good thing for her. We stayed on Sunday until 9:30 in the evening, and she had stabilized, so my hubby, son and I drove the 3 hours back to CT. My BIL was there with her until after midnight, and continues to go every day. What a good man he is!
We got to tell Mom that we loved her, and she managed to tell me she loved us too. She is on straight oxygen, along with IV fluids, etc. She is hanging in there - her doctor says he has never had a patient like her before - such determination and fight. She is fairly stable right now, although they found out on Monday afternoon that she has pneumonia now too. I am just praying that she will have peace, no pain, and some dignity at this point. The longterm prognosis is poor, I think, but man, she is a fighter! Such a sweetheart of a woman, but a really tough fighter.
My hubby and his brother are hanging in there. Their sister and her family are in New Hampshire, and not likely to make it in - whole other story there, but they are also going through a deathwatch of their own with her husband's dad.
Take care, everyone - hug and love those around you, and celebrate each day as the precious gift it is.
While I was attending the shower, my brother-in-law called me, telling me he had talked to the doctor and that we needed to go to the hospital ASAP, as they did not think she was going to make it through the next hour. My hubby, son and I zipped over, with my brother-in-law close behind us, just praying we would get to see her before she passed. Not only did we get to see her, after my BIL roused her, we were able to be there while my BIL, who is a Lutheran minister, did their equivalent of a "last rites" service with us. My MIL is very deeply religious, so this was a good thing for her. We stayed on Sunday until 9:30 in the evening, and she had stabilized, so my hubby, son and I drove the 3 hours back to CT. My BIL was there with her until after midnight, and continues to go every day. What a good man he is!
We got to tell Mom that we loved her, and she managed to tell me she loved us too. She is on straight oxygen, along with IV fluids, etc. She is hanging in there - her doctor says he has never had a patient like her before - such determination and fight. She is fairly stable right now, although they found out on Monday afternoon that she has pneumonia now too. I am just praying that she will have peace, no pain, and some dignity at this point. The longterm prognosis is poor, I think, but man, she is a fighter! Such a sweetheart of a woman, but a really tough fighter.
My hubby and his brother are hanging in there. Their sister and her family are in New Hampshire, and not likely to make it in - whole other story there, but they are also going through a deathwatch of their own with her husband's dad.
Take care, everyone - hug and love those around you, and celebrate each day as the precious gift it is.