As of today........

Today my brother is pretty much completely coherant and "looks" better physically however his labs are worse. He doesn't remember coming to the hospital nor the prior days of the confusion. He's on no pain meds, no Ativan since the night before last. The Dr stopped his diuretics as his creatinine is now at 2.2. On Tuesday it was 1.67, Wednesday- 1.56, Thursday - 1.65, yesterday - 1.73, now today 2.2. His platelets are dropping, his hemoglobin is dropping, it's at 7.3 so they're giving him a blood transfusion to help with his weakness etc. His INR is still high (the last time they checked it on Tuesday it was 2.3). So using that number and today's bili of 26.4 and creatinine.....his meld is 36 :( It has not lowered out of the 30's in 2 months. His blood pressure is dropping. Last night it was 87/40, this morning 97/45.
I thought the plan was for him to go to a nursing home on hospice, but now that he is completely lucid today, he talked with his Dr and he told him he knows he's dying and he wants to go home on hospice instead. They are holding off on the pleurx catheter until he needs to be drained next. We have to sign all the hospice paperwork, get a hospital bed for home as we do not want him walking up and down the stairs to the bedroom, for risk of falling. Then more than likely after the weekend he will go home on hospice and see how things go.
I think today I'm going to talk with him, make sure he knows all the pros and cons of going home etc. He's lucid so he has the right to make his choice where he wants to be whether I think it's right or not. If he is fully aware of his condition and what's going on, which it sounds like today he is....He told his dr "I know I'm dying"......then all I can do is respect his wishes at this point and be there to love and support him.

CG,

This all sounds pretty rational. Sad but reasonable. Will he have 24/7 support as his GF has to work? I can't think he should be alone at all. But you folks should know best. He sure waited til the last minute to sort this all out. Drying of liver disease should be a cautionary tale to others...get help EARLY...stave off this last stage. Those who drink to the end say they might as well die happy...but they don't know....it isn't a happy time at all. You all know that too well.

I'm hoping the next days are peaceful for him and for you all. I hope his GF is taking a good look at her lifestyle also...

So sad.

Hugs,

ML

Hi Cat,
How difficult for you. I do hope your family has some time to enjoy Father's Day tomorrow. The transfusion may perk your brother up a bit. Was this confusion from HE, UTI, or kidneys...or all of the above?Big Hugs

I'm thinking the confusion was from everything. At least the drs tell me it's all the progression of the disease. He was discharged from the hospital today, per his wishes. He signed the consent forms for hospice. Tomorrow we're having the "admission" meeting with hospice at his and his girlfriends home and they are bringing him a hospital bed and other supplies needed. I honestly do not know what to expect from this point on.