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Grandfather on life support, solution needed
My grandfather is 95 years old and is currently on life support at the hospital, and I would like to go over his symptoms to hopefully get some suggestions.
About a week ago he started coming down with what seemed like a cold. The only difference was he started becoming less and less responsive. He normally was hard of hearing but would respond with decent mental capacity once he heard what was being said. Ever since developing his "cold", he started "stumbling" for words, being very hard to get out what he was trying to say. He also developed what seemed like dementia, all of a sudden. He'd be talking about things that had nothing to do with where he was or what was going on. This progressively got worse, over about 3-4 days. He had also begun wheezing intermittently, and had become progressively weaker, to the point where we had to help lift him to his walker, into a wheelchair, and to and from the bathroom. We thought he was just weak because of the cold/flu/virus/whatever he head. Yesterday his fever stabilized, and he seemed to get a good deal of strength back.
Last night, after going to sleep, he yelled for me, half sitting up in bed, slurring his speech and asked for me to help him sit up. At this point he was nearly completely unresponsive. He would make mouth motions in response, but couldn't get words out. He was also breathing very fast, and looked short of breath.
We called an ambulance, got him to the hospital. His blood pressure was ridiculously low. They got his vitals semi-stable, then he flatlined. They defibbed twice, and were about to give up, when they tried a 3rd time. This got his heart going again, and he was put on all kinds of IV meds, as well as a ventilator to keep him stable. This stabilized his blood pressure, but they said if the IV bag went empty, his BP would drop quickly again.
They did an ECG ultrasound, and a ultrasound of his heart, and found nothing remarkable, other than some calcification that was known to be there.
My question is, what could cause something like this. He was perfectly fine less than a week ago, and the doctors said he most likely did NOT have a stroke.
Any ideas would be appreciated.
About a week ago he started coming down with what seemed like a cold. The only difference was he started becoming less and less responsive. He normally was hard of hearing but would respond with decent mental capacity once he heard what was being said. Ever since developing his "cold", he started "stumbling" for words, being very hard to get out what he was trying to say. He also developed what seemed like dementia, all of a sudden. He'd be talking about things that had nothing to do with where he was or what was going on. This progressively got worse, over about 3-4 days. He had also begun wheezing intermittently, and had become progressively weaker, to the point where we had to help lift him to his walker, into a wheelchair, and to and from the bathroom. We thought he was just weak because of the cold/flu/virus/whatever he head. Yesterday his fever stabilized, and he seemed to get a good deal of strength back.
Last night, after going to sleep, he yelled for me, half sitting up in bed, slurring his speech and asked for me to help him sit up. At this point he was nearly completely unresponsive. He would make mouth motions in response, but couldn't get words out. He was also breathing very fast, and looked short of breath.
We called an ambulance, got him to the hospital. His blood pressure was ridiculously low. They got his vitals semi-stable, then he flatlined. They defibbed twice, and were about to give up, when they tried a 3rd time. This got his heart going again, and he was put on all kinds of IV meds, as well as a ventilator to keep him stable. This stabilized his blood pressure, but they said if the IV bag went empty, his BP would drop quickly again.
They did an ECG ultrasound, and a ultrasound of his heart, and found nothing remarkable, other than some calcification that was known to be there.
My question is, what could cause something like this. He was perfectly fine less than a week ago, and the doctors said he most likely did NOT have a stroke.
Any ideas would be appreciated.
It's very difficult to establish any responses while on sedation, things will become far clearer when it is stopped. With regards to the Oxygen over the 15 mins, they will have been performing CPR. I hope they didn't crack any ribs which is painful. It sounds like they are on top on everything, it just sounds like they are concerned on how he will respond with the sedation off.
They're not sure of his condition. They're going to move him to hospice tomorrow,remove the vent tube, and see how he does. He doesn't seem to be responding to commands, touch or eyes to light, etc..., but when not sedated he spends hours moving his head back and forth in bed, sticking his tongue out, and kind of grimacing, like he's trying to spit out the vent tube, and moving restless legs around. He will occasionally raise one or both arms up and back down as well, like he's trying to grab the tube.
If he isn't responding to commands/automatic responses, why is he acting like he knows he has a tube in his throat???
If he isn't responding to commands/automatic responses, why is he acting like he knows he has a tube in his throat???
I was just enlightened on a few facts i hadn't known from the beginning. I was told he was defibbed 2 times. He was actually defibbed for 3 entire sessions. By the time they tried the 4th, which worked, his heart had been stopped for close to 15 minutes. I would hope they did other measures to stimulate blood/oxygen flow during the process,
They are taking the ventilator out tomrorow, to see if he can breathe on his own. If not, they have strongly urged my mom to decide whether to just let him go if he can't breathe on his own.
The other option would be to install a trach tube, but at that point they said he would be bedridden, and basically nursing home bound.
They are taking the ventilator out tomrorow, to see if he can breathe on his own. If not, they have strongly urged my mom to decide whether to just let him go if he can't breathe on his own.
The other option would be to install a trach tube, but at that point they said he would be bedridden, and basically nursing home bound.
I spent about 6 hours there last night. Looks like they put him back on the ventilator. They have been doing nebulizer type treatments and suctioning his lungs off and on ever since. They said most of his lungs are clean but there is some stubborn buildup at the bottom.
They decided to take him off the Blood pressure I-V, and adjust sedation , and the other I-V's he's on, to keep blood pressure in check. It had come up to the 130 - 140/60 range on it's own. He seems to have good reflexes, responding to touch for the brief periods he's alert (still sedated).
Once they get the pneumonia in check, there's a chance he will come around.
They decided to take him off the Blood pressure I-V, and adjust sedation , and the other I-V's he's on, to keep blood pressure in check. It had come up to the 130 - 140/60 range on it's own. He seems to have good reflexes, responding to touch for the brief periods he's alert (still sedated).
Once they get the pneumonia in check, there's a chance he will come around.
No they are not related, but his kidney levels seem a bit high which is why I wondered if the infection may be in them. It's a good sign that he is off ventilation, the infection must be under control.
I had to work (stupid weekend no-call out policy) so I've been hearing things through the grape vine for a few days.
He was on a ventilator up until last night when they decided to try taking him off, and bring sedation down to see how he would do. Either then, or as a result of some other test, they found out that he had MRSA. Further testing revealed that it was MRSA pneumonia.
They have not had to give him oxygen thus far, as far as I know. I would assume that he's on an antibiotic by now, but i'm not sure which one.
I will have more info after this evening. If it's in his lungs, does that mean it's already in his kidneys as well?
He was on a ventilator up until last night when they decided to try taking him off, and bring sedation down to see how he would do. Either then, or as a result of some other test, they found out that he had MRSA. Further testing revealed that it was MRSA pneumonia.
They have not had to give him oxygen thus far, as far as I know. I would assume that he's on an antibiotic by now, but i'm not sure which one.
I will have more info after this evening. If it's in his lungs, does that mean it's already in his kidneys as well?
The problem with any infection in a weak body is that it can turn into sepsis and become very high risk. A blood gas is a very common test. The problem is, they need to locate the source of infection quickly to take a culture and see which antibiotics are the best rather than hope the 'general' one takes care of it. It sounds like the infection has reached the kidneys, and I'm wondering if it's in his lungs too? is he on ventilation? on oxygen? difficulty breathing?
Looks like he developed MRSA. He was at the doctor's office a day before his symptoms started. He was checked out to be OK at that time, and was lucid and conversing normally.
I know it's not common to develop MRSA from a doctor's office, but he either got it there, or after he was in the hospital. I don't know what type yet, but at least it's a development. Hopefully it's not the bacterial type.
My mom has been by his side the entire time, hopefully she doesn't develop it.
I know it's not common to develop MRSA from a doctor's office, but he either got it there, or after he was in the hospital. I don't know what type yet, but at least it's a development. Hopefully it's not the bacterial type.
My mom has been by his side the entire time, hopefully she doesn't develop it.
Sorry for my vague response. My mom is the one that's spending the most time with him.
From what she said...
Kidney values elevated,
Anemic, hgb around 9
creatinine was 3.05 earlier today
They are basically adjusting IV drips to keep his vitals in check. Every time they've lowered the one controlling BP, it has plummeted.
She didn't have a number for blood oxygen saturation so i don't think they've done it yet. Is this an unusual test to request?
He has always had slight anemia, but it had been stabilized.
From what she said...
Kidney values elevated,
Anemic, hgb around 9
creatinine was 3.05 earlier today
They are basically adjusting IV drips to keep his vitals in check. Every time they've lowered the one controlling BP, it has plummeted.
She didn't have a number for blood oxygen saturation so i don't think they've done it yet. Is this an unusual test to request?
He has always had slight anemia, but it had been stabilized.
blood tests can be done any days of the week or patients in emergency will be dying. That method of oxygen testing is not very accurate in such situations. If you imagine red cells flowing through your blood, this test simply measures if those cells are packed with oxygen. However, what it doesn't do is measure how many red cells there are. If you are low on red cells, then organs start to fail and the patient gets confused because the brain lacks oxygen too. If an infection is taking hold, waiting until monday would be ridiculous, I would get tests done now.
They have not gone into that level of tests yet, and probably won't until monday, as it's now the weekend. They were focusing on ruling out cardiac/blood flow/blood clot issues as that's what his initial symptoms indicated. I'm pretty sure they have those types of tests scheduled for Monday. So, they will just be keeping him stable throughout the weekend.
He has had bladder cancer in the past, but that has been fully treated, and frequent checkups have come up clean.
They have not done blood gas oxygen, but he is wearing a pulse oxymeter, which is showing 99-100.
As far as i can tell he was urinating ok. He probably wasn't drinking quite enough water toward the last few days, as he was also having diarrhea. So the amounts were lower than usual. He has been going into the urine bag they tied to the bed.
He has had bladder cancer in the past, but that has been fully treated, and frequent checkups have come up clean.
They have not done blood gas oxygen, but he is wearing a pulse oxymeter, which is showing 99-100.
As far as i can tell he was urinating ok. He probably wasn't drinking quite enough water toward the last few days, as he was also having diarrhea. So the amounts were lower than usual. He has been going into the urine bag they tied to the bed.
Have they done liver and kidney blood tests? Are his white cells elevated to suggest infection? Have they done a blood gas on his oxygen saturation? Is he urinating normally?
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