OT-Encephalitis | Arthritis Information

Hi all,

My grandpap was just diagnoses with encephalitis. He is in pretty bad shape. Does anyone know of any older people who have had this disease that is over 70. He can't walk or eat, is so confused about everything, basically can't even function. The worst part is that he has no idea where he is most of the time. It is really heartbreaking.

I am just curious to know if people come out of this. My mom seems to think it is going to be a very difficult battle due to his age. We just lost my other grandpap before thanksgiving so this is very hard.

Thanks for any help.

I don't know anything about that at all Christina; But I'm real sorry to hear it. I hope everything will be ok.

I'll keep your Grandfather in my prayers.

Christina , I am sorry to hear about your grandfather. I dont know of any old people having it but a friend of mine was in her 40's when she contracted it through a viral infection. She was also really confused and had seizures as well. She was admitted to hospital and given all sorts of meds and antibiotics. It took a while for her to recupperate but she did make a full recovery. I will say she was fighting non-hodgekins at the time and had been very ill.

I really hope your grandfather makes a full recovery

You are all in my thoughts and prayers

Take care

Lisa

Thanks guys. Lisa that is good to know that people can make a full recovery.Christina, I am so sorry to hear about your grandfather, and I hope he makes a full and speedy recovery. Just keep him believing that he will get better, let him know you have faith in his ability to beat this, so that he keeps fighting.

You and your family will be in my prayers.

Karen

Christina, my mom contracted it after visiting me. The doctors believed she picked it up on the airplane ride home. She was transferred by ambulance to 4 different hospitals before being diagnosed. Ar one point she reverted back to a 3yr old which was quite scary. All told, she was in the hospitals for 6wks. My best advice is to keep a journal of everything. My dad was horrified at first, but it became so very important when she got moved around. Everytime a doc or nurse came in I wrote down their name and what they were doing. I wrote down all the meds, and tests and what their results were. The docs were very impressed when she was in the neuro intesive care unit and said they had never seen anyone do that. Ir saved them time and wasted tests when she switched hospitals. She was in her 60's when it happened and she fully recovered.

I wish you the best with your grandad.

Hi,

My SIL age 57 was just diagnosed 12/21/07. She was in the hosp for 5 weeks and is now in a nursing home. She had bad infection in rt side of brain. The doctors said she will be in a nursing home for about 1 year. Now that being said, I believe that people have different levels and degrees of reactions so don't give up on GrandPa, he will probably fight and win this battle. Just stay strong and the only thing else I can say is make sure someone goes to see him everyday. As a precaution so that family can make sure meds are given properly, etc. I don't believe family should trust the hospitals without the family monitoring the situation.

Take care,

Karen

Thanks owie and Karen for the kind replies.

Owie- I am glad your mom is ok. That is a scary thing to go through. She picked it up on a plane??? that is scary. They don't know how my grandpap got it.

Karen- I hope you SIL has a full recovery. How is her mental state? That is what I am worried about with my grandpap. He can't walk right now and can barely eat, but I think the worst thing is that he doesn't know who anyone is :( My grandma just had a chemo treatment last Wed, so sha can barely walk herself. But she manages to go to the hospital every day and of course my dad and mom and all of his kids go see him. I haven't seen him since Christmas because I live far way.

I was feeling so guilty because my other grandfather passed away right before thanksgiving and I hadn't seen him since my wedding in July. He passed away a week before I was going to go home. I said I was going to go home more frequently and I didn't and now this has happened. It just makes me sick.