Hi Friends, we've had a pretty intense night here in Miami. About 11:45 pm my grandfather called my house in a panic and said there is something wrong my grandmother. They live 5 houses down so we immediately went over there, and as soon as I walked through the door I heard the loud snoring respirations coming from their room. I immediately told my mother to call 911, and I ran to my car and got my EMS kit. I found my grandmother on the bed gurgling spit and unconscious. She was breathing, but very labored, and when I listened to her lungs I could hear the top parts were filled with fluid (not normal for her). Her pulse was absent in her wrist, although she had a good one in her arm, and she had lost her bowels. I tried to pull out some spit from her mouth, and was a little successful only to find it had blood in it (not a good sign). I helped her breath a bit with my equipment until the paramedics arrived. I deduced from the whole situation that 1) she lost her bowels and probably after she had significant drop in blood pressure 2) there may have been something neurological going on because my grandfather said she screamed and then he found her very stiff and gurgling spit (possibly a seizure) 3) she may have had a pulmonary embolism .... All this will have to be determined from the tests at the hospital right now. My grandfather sent us home, but before I left I saw her pressure and pulse were fine as well as her EKG, but still breathing with some difficulty and unconscious. I pray this is not as serious as it appeared to me. I'm going to get some sleep now, but I will keep everyone posted as we find out the latest. Hope all is well with everyone and their loved ones.

I hope you got some rest Aitan. Let us know how things are going as soon as you can.
I'll be saying prayers for Grandmother, Grandfather and you and your parents.

Oh sweetie, I am so sorry. It all sounds very scary. Please let us know what is happening when you can. Keeping you all in my prayers.

Oh Aitan, sweetie, what a traumatic scene. I felt I was right there with you. I am pleased that with all your training, you could actually 'do' something? You may have saved her life? God bless you, and we will keep you & yur family, and your poor Grand Father, in our prayers.

Please, keep us posted~

Aitan,
My prayers are right up there, too. I do hope things are going OK.

Hey Friends, thanks for all your concern and prayers. So the verdict is in, she has an upper respiratory infection. Interestingly enough she doesn't have a fever and wasn't exhibiting any symptoms before this. I think the reason this turned so serious was because of the end-stage dementia. She has obviously become dysphagic now (can't swallow correctly), which is the classic reason that many dementia patients pass away (i.e., aspiration pneumonia). Anyways, thanks for keeping us in your prayers, and I am hoping for the best. She is still in the hospital unit for the rest of the day, but already eating and opening her eyes.

Aitan,

Thoughts and prayers are with you!

Anita

So good to hear Aitan! As I started reading this post I didn't know how it was going to turn out. I'm so glad that she's doing better.

Good News Aitan. I'm glad everything has turned out good.

How is you grandfather doing?

I'm happy to see things are looking up for your grandma. I was thinking about her today at work and was anxious to get home and see an update. Take care and I will continue to keep you all in my prayers.

Aitan,

I read the bad news first and then realized it turned out good, well better anyhow. I'm glad to hear GRandma is doing better. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. How's Grandpa handling all this? He must be at his wits end seeing this happening to his dear wife.

Keep us updated on Grandma, and we're here for you.

Jackie

Hi Friends, this has turned into a roller coaster of emotions and news. While everything was ruled out from the medical tests my grandmothers current condition seems to be worse than 2 days ago. Something happened last night that caused this rapid deterioration in her status, and while the doctors don't know what it was the effects are evident still today. She is in and out of consciousness, and not eating at all. She has been put on a swallow alert, which means they won't feed her until the physician sees her tomorrow in fear that she will aspirate her food. She has already thrown up once tonight, and they just gave her a suppository of an anti-emetic. Interestingly enough this medication also has some anti-psychotic properties and has woken her up and made her agitated. Being that they transferred her to a hospice wing of the hospital they can't really provide any treatment, but rather have to consult the physician and my family for a palliative care plan, and whether to forgo any type of medical treatment. This is something I took many classes on in school (end of life ethics), but I never imagined I'd have to be making this decision with my family. So now we're in a crossroads of where to go with this. Do we keep giving her treatment with a feeding tube, which will prolong her life for a short period of time, or do we forgo that treatment and save her the continued suffering? On one hand I don't think this decision should be up to us as humans to make, we shouldn't be the ones to decide whether a person should continue living or not and for how long, but on the other hand we have to be responsible and decide what is best and most humane for our loved ones. We have the medical resources to ease their pain during the dying process, but just because we have this does that mean we should let them die? This is a tough decision to make, and even tougher because we have mixed views on this from our Rabbinical authorities. I know my grandmother's wishes was to not prolong her life in the event of a life-threatening condition, but what about this chronic situation, what would she want? Anyways, this is where we are now, and I pray that she gets better, but knowing how this disease works I know now that this is the beginning of the end.

Aitan,

You and your family have to get together and do what you all think is best for your grandmother. Take into consideration her wishes first and foremost. If her request was to not prolong her life, then you have to start your decision on that.

Of course if there is any chance that she can come out of this with little pain and with dignity, and still live a fairly productive life, then I guess your answer will be there.

My mother, before AD, signed a DNR plus not to prolong her life if the outcome would not give her quality of life. As much as that will be the most difficult thing I will ever have to do, I have to think of what she wanted and not what I want, which would be for me not to have to make any decision and she would just pass on with no decisions to make.

I know this is very hard on you, your grandfather and your family. But you have to pray that any decision you make will have your grandmothers best interests in mind.

God be with you Aitan in this very difficult time. Please keep us updated when you can.

Jackie

Aitan, I'm so sorry this is happening. I understand about the end-of-life ethics also. I will be praying for your grandmother and grandfather (and you).

I'm so sorry Aitan. I know we want this to end but we don't want to lose our LO.
I was on your roller coaster this past month and I know how hard it is.
You will do what is best for your grandma and that is all we can do.
I pray for strength for you and you family during this time.