Well my poor Dad is still clinging to life - if it can be described as "living".
We went to see him in hospital yesterday. He was barely concscious and was just making repeated little "mmm" noises whilst his hand plucked at the oxygen mask. His eyes were open but completely vacant. My poor mum nearly fainted at this ghastly sight - she had to be supported by myself and a nurse to a waiting room. Both nurses we saw were very kind and gave mum hugs.
We saw the Elderly Care specialist who said that dad had had a major heart attack, that his kidneys were beginning to fail and that they suspected a chest infection. All she could say was that the prognosis "is not good" although they are treating what they are able to treat and making sure he is comfortable. She said that sometimes people do "recover" but in dad's case the dementia will be much worse.
Both mum and I are praying that my poor old dad will be taken quickly now so that the poor chap finds some peace. At least we made sure the do not resuscitate order is in his notes.
At the moment this is like a living death, there is no prospect of a mental recovery and he has no hope of doing the physical therapy that is needed to recover from a hip operation because it needs co-operation from the patient.
It is absolutely heartbreaking.
We went to see him in hospital yesterday. He was barely concscious and was just making repeated little "mmm" noises whilst his hand plucked at the oxygen mask. His eyes were open but completely vacant. My poor mum nearly fainted at this ghastly sight - she had to be supported by myself and a nurse to a waiting room. Both nurses we saw were very kind and gave mum hugs.
We saw the Elderly Care specialist who said that dad had had a major heart attack, that his kidneys were beginning to fail and that they suspected a chest infection. All she could say was that the prognosis "is not good" although they are treating what they are able to treat and making sure he is comfortable. She said that sometimes people do "recover" but in dad's case the dementia will be much worse.
Both mum and I are praying that my poor old dad will be taken quickly now so that the poor chap finds some peace. At least we made sure the do not resuscitate order is in his notes.
At the moment this is like a living death, there is no prospect of a mental recovery and he has no hope of doing the physical therapy that is needed to recover from a hip operation because it needs co-operation from the patient.
It is absolutely heartbreaking.
