Prayer Request
My maternal gram, Rita (short for Henrietta – I know – my family is weird with the names, but that’s a whole ‘nother post) is in the hospital this morning.
She’s 86. Her health has been failing for a while – she’s diabetic, she has kidney failure, heart disease, and she’s starting to become confused about time and place. Apparently her legs have been very swollen and she’s having a hard time staying awake, so she’s been admitted to the hospital. No diagnosis yet, but it sounds like it could be congestive heart failure. It’s likely that she is going to have to go to rehab when she is released from the hospital, which isn’t going to make her happy, as she is already really unhappy about being in the hospital to begin with. She’s also told her doctor she’s had chest pain for the past few weeks, which she has failed to mention to anyone else. (She lives with my mom’s sister-in-law, and my cousin – long complicated story).
Any prayers you could spare for her would be appreciated. Prayers for my mom too – this situation has been hard on her for a variety of messed up family reasons.
Light A Candle
Episcopalifem 
Prayers for them and for you as well!
Prayers for your grandmother. And hugs for you and your mom.
It does sound like congestive heart failure.
Prayers ascending for your grandmother and family.
Prayers for Rita. Her condition and problems are nearly identical to my mother’s, who is 84 and has been in rehab and the hospital since mid-May. I hope and pray your gram will return to clarity soon and will find some peace with her whereabouts.
We are not at all certain what really happened with my mother since her doctor is, to say the least, unhelpful, but we surmise that it was a combination of factors. Part of the problem for my mother is that she is on a great many diuretics due to the long-term congestive heart condition and that and the kidney and bladder problems makes it hard for her to want to drink enough to stay properly hydrated. The diabetes also has become increasingly problematic because for various reasons (psychological and physiological), she lost interest in food and drink and with eating sporadically, getting confused when her blood sugar levels vary dramatically (like 50 in the early a.m., which makes it hard to think, get up, etc. but then it goes up in the 200’s by afternoon, and even now that she’s getting insulin shots for the first time in rehab, it still is all over the place). Add all this together with the fear of losing being able to stay in her home of 56 years (no longer a fear — now a reality), and it has been a terrible mess, with her at times belligerent and upset to the point she can barely communicate (added to the fact she’s very hard of hearing even with 2 hearing aids) until……..
This past week I was with her, her full mental faculties returned, she started making real progress with physical therapy, and she was (as much as she ever could be) friendly and cooperative, now accepting the move and looking forward to assisting living somewhere in the Seattle area where my brother and his family live. The change seems to have coincided with nothing but my fervent prayers that what may have been our last time together would be one of peace and harmony.
So… while one never knows what God has planned, prayers can perform some kinds of wonders. I know you know that, but, I just wanted you to know that I will pray especially for Rita and all your family and hope you will find what you all need to get through this difficult situation where daily ups and downs can be draining to all.
But also, on the medical side, I hope all are alert to the fact that it is difficult to find a good balance of medications, diet, etc. with diabetes, congestive heart, and kidney problems coinciding. All those conditions and the treatment for them can wreak havoc with the mind and body and it simply can be overwhelming and frightening to the person suffering them. Also very hard for some to accept how much help they may need.
Anyway, just been there with Mom/Grandma.
Prayers ascending,
Kathy
(((((Klady))))) (((((Klady’s mom))))) Ugh. Sounds all very, very familiar. Throw in some theft, foreclosure, insanity and lies, and you’d have a nearly exact scenario. (And, from other conversations we’ve had, I know you have some of those ingredients too!)
I have the joy of knowing my gram lives the the man who molested me. And if I go to visit her there, I have to see him.
And, my gram let him mortgage her paid for home, and watch it all flush away when he couldn’t pay the mortgage and the house was foreclosed on. And when I say “let” him…I mean “let” him…she was of sound mind when she signed the papers against the advice of my mother – who had to throw up her hands and walk away.
Sighs…family. Can’t live with ’em, can’t shoot ’em.
Thank you all for your prayers. It means so much to me.
More prayers for your grandmother and you!
Jane and I send love and sweet feline prayers and comfort to you and your family. (I am sitting right next to the keyboard and dictating this.) We’ll be thinking of you together and continuing to pray.
Much love and many prayers, Eilieen.
Eileen — prayers for everyone: good, evil and mushed up inbetween
Prayers for your family, especially your grandmother! And prayers for Klady and her family as well.
Prayers for you and your grandma. As the bumper sticker says, “Getting old is not for sissies.”
Ongoing prayers for you all… (((Eileen and family)))
Prayers? You bet!