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82 year old with diabetes, kidney disease and now infection

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judy52381
judy52381

My father is 82 with diabetes and now kidney disease.  He was rushed into hospital saying he couldn't urinate properly for 2 weeks and was in agony.  Docs say one of his kidneys was full of infection  (puss was removed), the other one was in poor condition.  He is now on a dialysis machine and oxygen, also heavily sedated.  Docs don't sound too optimistic.  Does anyone have any advice or knowledge of this sort of condition?  I'm worried he won't make it, but need an honest opinion please? Thank you

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • MrsO-UK_Surrey
    MrsO-UK_Surrey judy52381

    Posted

    Judy, I'm so sorry to hear about your father, but I don't think there are any medics amongst us on here so we're unable to give you the "honest opinion" you seek.  The only thing I can say is that I have known people to be in hospital on dialysis for kidney failure, and they reovered and were discharged.  The important thing is that he is in the right place, being monitored and cared for, and hopefully now pain-free.
  • eric31962
    eric31962 judy52381

    Posted

    Had the same experience last year.  Catastrophic failure of the kidneys.

    Spent some six weeks in total, in hospital and several weeks on dialysis as an out patient. I'm not perfect but am still kicking and more or less back to normal.

    So be positive and hope for the best. !

                                                 Hope your dad is ok 

     

  • helen54849
    helen54849 judy52381

    Posted

    Hi Judy,

    There are two kinds of renal failure chronic and acute, Eric if you are fine now after a bout of dialysis you would of suffered with acute kidney failure this is something the kidneys can recover from.  Then there is chronic renal failure, like Mrs O says we are not doctors but you do get quite knowledgeable on the subject.  If your father has diabeties then he more than likely (not deffinately) has chronic renal failre.  This would be something that goes with the diabetic illness sadly. He is in in the right place and it depends what his overall health was before the infection.  He will of been given the correct antibiotics, he is on dialysis and the oxygen will help.  What are his iron levels like and his red blood count, as sometimes its lack of iron that causes breathlessness and lack of red blood cells to help witht he infection.  This is easily treated with an iron infusion and some EPO.  How long has he been in the hospital on dialysis as it takes at least three weeks to strt to feel any benefit from dialysis.  I can't promise that he will be ok but there is nothing to say he won't.  So I would visit him all the time, talk to him lots and tell him to fight biggrin let us know how he goes. x

    • judy52381
      judy52381 helen54849

      Posted

      Thank you so much for your detailed response, extremely helpful.  I believe he does have chronic renal failure linked to his diabetes, he is on antibiotics, currently on day 5 and has another 9 days to go, he's on oxygen and they've heavily sedated him -he's completely out of it. I don't think he knows we're even there. He doesn't respond to touch or anything, his hands are extremely swollen which i guess is as a result of his kidneys not working properly.  Not sure about his red and white blood cells or iron levels?  What they have said is that he's critical but stable, they're going to try removing him from dialysis to see how his body responds, that'll be tomorrow - so I guess that's going to be d-day.  For the time being it's just a waiting game.  I'm just so surprised that he never complained of any pain beforehand? The doc's think his kidneys have been damaged for some time - about a year.  He was fine last weeks and then all of a sudden he was rushed to hospital and now he's like a vegetable, with them saying all of his vital organs are failing because of the massive infection. 

      Once again, thank you all for your kind words and useful advice. x

    • helen54849
      helen54849 judy52381

      Posted

      Hi Judy,

      your very welcome, if I can help others from my experience of this pain in the but thing I have been sadled with then of course I will.  So from what you have said they are dosing him with a good stint of antibiotics.  He will be swollen due to his kidneys not working correctly but if his other organs are affected it could be due to that too.  He is sedated so he can have the best chance of recovery (bad for the family good for him) he can feel you and he can hear you do talk to him lots, you may feel silly but read bits out of the news paper to him if you run out of things to say it will make him feels safe - he knows you are there if you need anything else or just to sound off do get back in touch its scary for all involved this kidney failure x

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