NBR: T&P for my Grandpa (long)

Kitkatishbakk · January 2012

My grandfather is a hard-headed, stubborn, pack-or-two-a-day smoker, 6-pack-a-day drinker, and hasn't been to the doctor in 25+ years. My dad died suddenly of a heart attack at age 48 because HE never went to the doctor.

My grandfather was rushed to South Austin Hospital on Sunday morning. So far they have found: A number of heart attacks occuring in the far-to-recent past, blood clot in his left leg, out-of-control diabetes, exacerbated COPD, acute renal failure, anemia...and I'm sure there's more I just haven't heard about. The arteries feeding his heart (2 of them at least) are 98-99% occluded.

He had an angiogram done on his heart yesterday which revealed he needs a quadruple bypass - and then today they changed it to a quintuple bypass. As of right now, he cannot have this surgery because his blood sugar is still too high and his kidney numbers are elevated as well.

I just conference called with the surgeon and the risks of something happening IN surgery (stroke, "not making it") are only 5%(ish), but the risk of pneumona/infection/etc etc after surgery is much higher.

Any T&P you have to spare is appreciated. The surgery is SUPPOSED to happen Thursday, but if his numbers don't improve, it will be delayed even longer. I am the only person in our family that knows ANYTHING medical, and trying to deal with this from 2 hours north is difficult. Unfortunately, I have a coworker on FMLA so I cannot be out at the same time, but am hoping to make it down there the night of his surgery - at least.