Updated by Stephanie Pruiett on 9-18-08:
Hi again,
I have a brief update on my grandfather: it turns out he had a mild heart
attack but seems to be okay now. My mom is staying with him at the hospital in
Conroe and said that he is having a lot of trouble sleeping at night. He's very
restless and chewing through tubing of some sort and trying to get out of bed,
which doesn't work as he's wheelchair bound. (My sister and I aren't very clear
on the details here - my mom can't seem to get through to me on the phone; FEMA
apparently took over some of the cell signals.)
We're presuming the sleep issues have something to do with his dementia,
which he hasn't been handling too well since he's smart enough to know he's not
making the right connections. The doctors are thinking he needs enough care
(due to the mobility, dementia and heart issues) that hospice might be able to
help. This would actually be good since hospice provides care for free, but his
condition is different each day, so my mom, who's a nurse, is rather pessimistic
about that.
Anyway, please keep praying. There's still no electricity in that area
from the hurricane and it's unclear when it might be restored. Obviously the
hospital is doing okay for now, they've got a generator, but my uncle and cousin
still don't have power.
Thanks,
Stephanie
Posted by Stephanie Pruiett on 9-16-08:
I just heard from my mom; she's on her way into Conroe to visit my grandfather who was transferred from his new nursing home into the Cardiac Care Unit at the hospital yesterday with high blood pressure. He has a history of heart issues, including a quadruple bypass. He's also suffering from dementia, which leaves him frustrated and combative when he is confused.
And then there's the added difficulty for my mom of driving into a hurricane-wrecked area. We don't really know if there will be food, water, hotel or even gasoline available for her to get back to Austin. My uncle and cousin live in the Conroe area and while they are ok, there isn't electricity (so no air conditioning or refrigeration) and there is a boil water warning for the greater Houston area. My mom is currently thinking her best option is to just stay at the Hospital in the waiting areas (they do have a/c), but there is still the issue of food and water.
So please pray for health for my grandfather and grace for my mother as she deals with his illness and these logistics so soon after her mother passed away (it'll be a month on Sunday).
Thanks,
Stephanie