Posted by Eilan on September 16, 1999 at 10:12:53:
Well, as most of you chatters know my grandfather was hospitalized over a month ago after having a heart attack and had triple bypass surgery. They more or less got that under control, but he had not been taking good care of himself for years. He had smoked AND drank heavily and his kidneys and lungs were also in bad shape. Throughout the length of his stay at the hospital, the nurses and doctors gradually tried to get him weaned off the respirator but to no avail. His lungs were filling with fluid and had to be drained every few minutes just so he could breath. Finally, just a few days ago his kidneys shut down completely and rather than put his frail system through dialysis, my mom and her brothers and sisters decided to take him off the respirator and let him go. He had already been unconscious after his kidneys failed and the waste started building up in his system. So he just slid peacefully away I'm sure. I really didn't know him well. We live about three hours away from him and he distanced himself from everyone with his drinking and often rude behavior. I saw him maybe once a year for the last few years of his life but no more. About the last I heard from him was when I graduated from High School a year ago and he sent me some money as a gift. He didn't come to my brother's wedding but sent money to my parents so they could buy him and my sister-in-law a wedding gift. So the wake is tomorrow night Eily