This Topic is Archived
InnerLight (original poster member #19946) posted at 10:14 PM on Monday, June 9th, 2014
My bro in law, age 58, has congestive heart failure. He lives to travel and visit historical sites. They have been doing a cruise in Russia, staying in touch with his doctors by email. My sister takes good care of him, goes to all his doctor appointments, and got they got the ok from his cardiologist to travel that far.
They've been posting pix on FB of the beautiful sights. BIL has been tired a lot., not able to go on all the tours. He has been doing poorly and was coughing and coughing. He spat up blood. He was so tired. They called an ambulence and when they lay him on his back he couldn't breathe. My sister was trying to tell them to let him sit up when his eyes glazed over and he turned purple. They wouldn't let her be in the ambulence, or go to the hospital to be with him. They called to let her know he is alive and breathing on his own.
My sister called me crying having watched her husband almost die. Now it's early morning there and she is trying to rest. Hopefully she can see him in the hospital soon.
Is this normal for Russian hospitals not to let the spouse even wait in the waiting room?
At least he is in Moscow in a cardiac intensive care unit and not a small town like the ones they have passed on their river cruise.
Please send prayers and mojo to my dear sis and bil. He is the nicest guy and these are two lovebirds even after 19 years of. M. They tool the best care of me when I went through the D.
BS, 64 yearsD-day 6-2-08D after 20 years together
The journey from Armageddon to Amazing Life happens one step at a time. Don't ever give up!
nowiknow23 ( member #33226) posted at 10:31 PM on Monday, June 9th, 2014
(((((BIL and Sis))))) How terrifying! Can she reach out to the American Consulate for help navigating this? There may also be expats in the area who could help understand how things work there? I'll be keeping them both in my thoughts.
You can call me NIK
And never grow a wishbone, daughter, where your backbone ought to be.
― Sarah McMane
Kajem ( member #36134) posted at 10:47 PM on Monday, June 9th, 2014
Saying prayers. And ditto what NIK said, reach out to the US consulate.
(((((((Innerlight)))))))
I trust you is a better compliment than I love you, because you may not trust the person you love, but you can always love the person you trust. - UnknownRelationships are like sharing a book, it doesn't work if you're not on the same page.
Cally60 ( member #23437) posted at 11:57 PM on Monday, June 9th, 2014
In case you haven't already found it, this page has the relevant contact information, including out-of-hours phone numbers. (It specifically mentions help for US citizens during medical emergencies):
http://moscow.usembassy.gov/service.html
[This message edited by Cally60 at 5:58 PM, June 9th (Monday)]
Cally60 ( member #23437) posted at 12:17 AM on Tuesday, June 10th, 2014
Another thought.... Phone systems, ring tones, etc. in other countries can sometimes be confusing. (As anyone who's watched people struggling with the payphones at US airports probably knows.) Though cellphones help now, obviously.
This page gives brief details about making phone calls in Moscow:
http://www.elenastravel.com/phones-and-mobile-phones-in-moscow/
[This message edited by Cally60 at 6:17 PM, June 9th (Monday)]
cmego ( member #30346) posted at 1:55 AM on Tuesday, June 10th, 2014
me...BS, 46 years old.
Divorced
purplejacket4 ( member #34262) posted at 4:48 AM on Tuesday, June 10th, 2014
My grandfather had to be admitted emergently in Minsk in the 1990s. They took very good care if him and from the pictures he took it didn't look as nice at the medical school hospital but was very comparable to the VA I trained at.
Me: BS 50
Her: FWS 53 (both family med MDs; together 23 years)
OW: who cares (PhD)
Dday: 10/11: 11/11 TT for months; NC 8/12
Limboconsiliationish
"band aids don't fix bullet holes" Taylor Swift
I NEVER mind medical ???
InnerLight (original poster member #19946) posted at 5:55 AM on Tuesday, June 10th, 2014
I think they will take good care of him. Moscow is a world class city and I'm sure the doctors are good. My sister has been communicating with her husband's doctors and I think the russian doctors are talking to the american doctors.
I just don't understand why they won't let her go to the hospital to see him. It's 9am in the morning there, so hopefully that will be resolved soon.
I gave her the numbers for the us consulate in moscow. Thanks Cally.
Fingers crossed this all works out...
BS, 64 yearsD-day 6-2-08D after 20 years together
The journey from Armageddon to Amazing Life happens one step at a time. Don't ever give up!
InnerLight (original poster member #19946) posted at 1:16 PM on Tuesday, June 10th, 2014
Got an email from sister saying he is in a medically induced coma and they are letting her visit.
This does not look good. My sister is half way around the world dealing with this. If it was in the US I would be in the car driving to get to her side.
I will look into traveling there but I'm not sure I can do that...
BS, 64 yearsD-day 6-2-08D after 20 years together
The journey from Armageddon to Amazing Life happens one step at a time. Don't ever give up!
tushnurse ( member #21101) posted at 1:57 PM on Tuesday, June 10th, 2014
(((IL)))
Sending healing MOJO, and prayers.
Me: FBSHim: FWSKids: 23 & 27 Married for 32 years now, was 16 at the time.D-Day Sept 26 2008R'd in about 2 years. Old Vet now.
FaithFool ( member #20150) posted at 2:54 PM on Tuesday, June 10th, 2014
How distressing IL. I'm so sorry to hear this.
DDay: June 15, 2008
Mistakenly married Mr. Superfreak
20 years of OWs, WTF?
Divorced Dec 26, 2011
"Life is a shipwreck, but we must not forget
to sing in the lifeboats". -- Voltaire
InnerLight (original poster member #19946) posted at 3:28 PM on Tuesday, June 10th, 2014
Thanks for the good thoughts.
I just talked to my sister. She is haunted by watching the ambulance workers lie her husband down and him saying he couldn't breathe and trying to tell them that he had to sit up but they didn't understand her. Then he turned purple.
She has had this happen before in the US, and they kept him sitting upright.
It is an hour drive in bumper to bumper traffic to get to the hospital, and she is so upset thinking of him in that long ambulance ride, and now alone in that hospital.
She is worried about brain damage and that he will never fully recover. They say he has brain activity. Alpha and Theta (I think) waves.
She can't eat, she can't sleep. She is a very calm, confident, together person, but this is too much. I feel for her. It reminds me of how I felt after DDay.
I might have to fly out there to be with her, and I will drop everything in a minute if I have to. My sister is my closest person in the world.
I am so glad I told BIL I loved him last I spoke to him on the phone just after his mother passed a week before their trip.
BS, 64 yearsD-day 6-2-08D after 20 years together
The journey from Armageddon to Amazing Life happens one step at a time. Don't ever give up!
nowiknow23 ( member #33226) posted at 3:30 PM on Tuesday, June 10th, 2014
((((((IL, sis, BIL)))))))
You can call me NIK
And never grow a wishbone, daughter, where your backbone ought to be.
― Sarah McMane
jo2love ( member #31528) posted at 10:50 PM on Tuesday, June 10th, 2014
(((Inner, Sister, and BIL)))
Keeping all of you in my heart and thoughts. Sending mojo.
InnerLight (original poster member #19946) posted at 12:06 AM on Wednesday, June 11th, 2014
My BIL's american cardiologist is talking to the russian cardiologist and working on arranging a medi-evac.
He says that the heart issue is manageable, it's not knowing how long he was without oxygen and if he has brain damage that is the big question.
I've dug out my passport and packed in case I get called on to go. Right now just waiting to find out when/where/if of medievac.
Do I cancel my weekend workshop I've arranged? I guess I do...
BS, 64 yearsD-day 6-2-08D after 20 years together
The journey from Armageddon to Amazing Life happens one step at a time. Don't ever give up!
purplejacket4 ( member #34262) posted at 12:27 AM on Wednesday, June 11th, 2014
Yes cancel. You'll be too worried to get anything out if it and you'll want to travel to wherever BIL ends up.
Me: BS 50
Her: FWS 53 (both family med MDs; together 23 years)
OW: who cares (PhD)
Dday: 10/11: 11/11 TT for months; NC 8/12
Limboconsiliationish
"band aids don't fix bullet holes" Taylor Swift
I NEVER mind medical ???
InnerLight (original poster member #19946) posted at 2:09 PM on Wednesday, June 11th, 2014
Thanks PJ. I am the workshop leader and I hate canceling on people. I will give it another day as it is not clear if they can get him out soon... Or if there is a delay due to insurance.
Insurance may not cover medi-evac due to pre-existing condition...they may take a while to decide...
BS, 64 yearsD-day 6-2-08D after 20 years together
The journey from Armageddon to Amazing Life happens one step at a time. Don't ever give up!
InnerLight (original poster member #19946) posted at 6:58 PM on Wednesday, June 11th, 2014
It's so hard on my sister. Her cruise friends leave today and soon she will be alone in Moscow.
She thinks her husband went too long without oxygen and will never come back whole.
This is heartbreaking and I wish I could just go. Still waiting to find out what city he will medi evac to and I will meet her there. Then she thinks we would unplug the ventilator and he may or may not die. He has a pacemaker. Would he stay alive longer as a veg with a pacemaker?
All prayers appreciated.
BS, 64 yearsD-day 6-2-08D after 20 years together
The journey from Armageddon to Amazing Life happens one step at a time. Don't ever give up!
Jrazz ( member #31349) posted at 7:08 PM on Wednesday, June 11th, 2014
Sending good thoughts, prayers, mojo... everything.
(((InnerLight and family)))
"Don't give up, the beginning is always the hardest." - Deeply Scared's mom
hexed ( member #19258) posted at 12:52 AM on Thursday, June 12th, 2014
((IL))
Sending you all the good vibes and prayers I've got right now. How terrifying for all of you.
But that's just a lot of water
Underneath a bridge I burned
And there's no use in backtracking
Around corners I have turned
“Many of us crucify ourselves between two thieves - regret for the past and fear of the future.” -foulton oursler
This Topic is Archived