Pneumonia - a turn for the worse

My dad-in-law was recovering from his head trauma and kidney was going back to its function. Then the situation took an about turn and he was infected with pneumonia! Now that was not good. They have to wheel my father-in-law back to the high dependency ward again for constant monitoring.

Pneumonia is not good for seniors, because bacterial lung infection is one of the leading causes of mortality for seniors. The doctors have given the most potent available antibiotics. We can only hope and pray that the antibiotics administered will do its job.


Another worst-case scenario has pop up and the doctor advises the family members to be ready if it gets worse. Should my dad-in-law lung infection get worse where he requires a ventilator to assist in his breathing, his chances of recovery will be much more difficult because using the ventilator reduces the lung ability to function on its own.

Such bad news has got my wife down despite having just celebrated her birthday. She was very concern and would pay through her nose to get her dad back to his feet. However I wonder what the medical bill has accumulated.

It may be good to save a life because no matter how, a life is precious. Yet on the other hand to have to give up one's life savings and selling properties and robbing your child's future who will have a life ahead of him to consider such as education which is not cheap by the way while the senior who is towards the end of his life journey is a delicate balance.

They said money can be earned again, but if the debt buries you, you will have more than just one life in your hands in trouble. It is not easy for working class people like us to save up for a child's education in the future and yet get a retirement fund so as not to burden the children when they go out in the world working.

Even with such modern advances in medical care there are just some situations beyond our human ability to overcome. So we will just leave it in God's hands to overcome the situation and pray that my dad-in-law will recover quickly.

Some bad things just come in waves. We have now my dad-in-law in hospital for this pneumonia treatment as well as my brother-in-law for Still's disease treatment. This is going to be a long February month.