spinning of wheels requested :(

[marni]

Dear TE sisters and brother(s)

I am asking that everyone spin a bike prayer wheel for the resident 90 year old FIL who has been in the hospital since Saturday with intermittent fever and a UTI. Wenesday they were talking about switching him over to an oral anitbiotic and discharging him to a skilled nursing/rehabilitation facility. Since then he has been completely compos non mentis, raving about the man on the hill who is taking notes so send to company e which will send it to company c in toronto who will make sure that everybody in the hospital in complying with orders. Today he was alternately profane and garbling nonesense. Recognized me momentarily- long enough to complain that they were starving him and stealing his food, even though I know-since I was there that he ate a bit at lunch, since I fed him, ditto dinner.

The doctors keep saying this is just the confusion that happens when older people end up in the hospital and that everything they have checked, blood sugar, blood pressure, blood oxygen, kidney function, liver level, heart etc are all good, he has no carotid artery blocks and that it is just the fact that he is not in familiar surroundings but I do wonder. He is looking bloated but he also has not been out of bed for almost a week. This is a man who last friday, did a full hour workout with the trainer, and has been living with us, doing his own laundry, helping out with light chores around the house, and until this last week has been actively engaged in conversation and current events.

I think I am probably taking this hard, because when I was 9, my grandmother was in the hospital, dying of stomach cancer and who knows what else, and I had to take three hour stints of sitting with her while she moaned and cried piteously and yelled at me to get the nurses to give her something for pain. My mother was there as was an aunt, but grand dad apparently had severe dementia and grandma had collapsed taking care of him so they were dealing with that as well, hence the thin spread of people. My father was there also but he was doing most of the getting grandpa into a care home, and determining what was wrong with him and how that was to be dealt with.

Never the less, I do not have a good feeling about any of this. I hope that I am totally wrong though.

If you have time, ride your bikes a bit, let the wheels spin for dad and send me vibes about your ride, since I haven't been able to get to the gym or ride at all this week.

marni

[jessmarimba]

Sending good vibes - I want to ride tomorrow. I hope he is back to more normal soon, that sounds like such a sudden, drastic change

[OakLeaf]

(((((((marni)))))))

My bike's in the hopefully gentle hands of FedEx, but I'm spinning virtual wheels for you and your FIL.

Not sure you saw this last month about hospital induced delirium. Might be something to bring up with his doctors.

[Reesha]

I will send two hours worth of vibes, marni! Hugs!

[Crankin]

I will be spinning my wheels for you for quite a bit today... planning to ride to a meeting in Arlington and back, about 45 miles.

My grandfather experienced hospital induced delirium. It is a real thing, which I saw. I hope things settle down. No matter what happens, you have certainly done your share in this situation. Reminds me of the fact I just couldn't do it.

[indysteel]

(((marni and FIL))). Sending healing thoughts your way. Please keep us posted.

[shootingstar]

I'll be spinning thoughts and wheels for you and others, marni.

My partner's mother steadily fell into dementia after she was admitted into a nursing home. She increasingly switched to only German. So only her son (my partner) could understand her. One could see that, if she saw me, she spoke German which she never did when she was in her alert years.

Hope it's a comfy, nice nursing home. (It was for partner's mother.)

[redrhodie]

Ugh, I'm so sorry.

[Pax]

I'll spin wheels for you today. Warm healing thoughts headed your way.

[pll]

Marni: I will be thinking of you and your FIL as I jog today. I hope he bounces back.

[Catrin]

Marni, I thought of you and your FIL while on the trainer this morning. It is a bit too cold for me today since I've not yet worked out the cold feet problem. I hope things improve for him.

[snapdragen]

Marni - have they checked his calcium levels? High levels can cause confusion and delusions. It happened to my Dad.

Spinning a wheel for FIL

[emily_in_nc]

My normally very lucid grandmother became paranoid and delusional while in the hospital with a heart problem. She totally snapped out of it once she was home again.

However, given your FIL's age, you may have to prepare for the worst. No one lives forever, and for a man to make it to 90 is something to be thankful for. I hope for the best for him, but you never know at that age.

[Fredwina]

Unfortunately, this kind of situation (or any kind of stress) can hasten dementia, so be prepared

[hebe]

Thinking of you, Marni, and if I get out tomorrow I'll spin some shiny new wheels for you and your FiL. My elderly FiL had a very rough time in hospital, but did get back to normal when he came home again afterwards. I think hospital can be a huge change to get used to, especially for one as independent, fit and able as he is.

Look after yourself too, I hope you can get to the gym or out for a ride soon. Hugs from across the pond.