Elderly nan

[Hampshiremumof2]

Hi, it's about my Nan. She is 95 and has declined over the past 2 years. Over the past few weeks she has stopped responding to people and started talking to people that have died. She now has an infection and past few days has stopped eating and drinking. She is now is hospital on a drip and they are doing blood tests to see what is happening. She looks like a shell and I know she is on her way. I know now one can say exactly but does anyone know of timescales of when things might happen and how long she may have. I have been googling but just asking for a bit of support really. Thank you.

A team leader in my team (health care) said to me if they're deteriorating month by month they have months, week by week they have weeks, day by day they have days.

It depends really if she responds to the antibiotics (if having any). I'm afraid an infection this serious will probably leave a permanent reduction in her quality of life behind.

Thank you. She has had infections before and each time recovered less and less.

My mum was a very long time in that state. Most likely your nan is not suffering. The drip is likely a combination of glucose, antibiotic and pain relief. The body has a way of shutting down slowly. The last sense to go is the hearing. Don’t allow the hospital to send her home. She is safe there and they can monitor any signs of pain or distress.

It is time to decide how you want her care to progress now. It is notoriously difficult to speak with anyone on the ward who is in a position to talk to you. It took me three days of asking. Hopefully they won’t let her suffer. No point in asking how long they truthfully don’t know. Ask about the drip, ask whether they should treat any further an infection. Decide if you want her intubated.

Op I’m so sorry. This happened to my MIL who passed away in the hospital from sepsis when she was 91. The antibiotics couldn’t sort it, and she died about two weeks from when she was admitted.

Sending you and your Nan good thoughts.

She has a DNR in place so they will only go so far to help her. It's horrible seeing her laying there but it's not her anymore.

I hope you can take some comfort knowing she is not suffering.

Here for a hand hold. My DM passed away last month aged 87, she had sepsis. She was in hospital for 4 weeks, the last week she was mostly asleep, wasn’t eating or drinking and was on antibiotics. The final few days she was very grey looking and gaunt. Her Dr at the hospital was still hoping the sepsis was reversible but seeing how she was I knew the end wasn’t far away but they can’t say how long. The day she passed away she woke up and was unresponsive, by mid morning she had died. She had oxygen but all other meds had been stopped. It was peaceful. Sorry you are going through this, waiting for updates is torturous. Sending best wishes to you.