hi from the bronx

[1] 3 and a half yrs. ago, my wife and i were reasonably healthy and newly
retired. i got sick, was misdiagnosed, ended up in the hospital with
pneumonia, a vegetative growth on the lead of my pacemaker, an intestinal
infection, and edema [swelling] from the waist down. i now need a power
scooter to get around. while i was in the hospital, my love developed
flaming alzheimer's at the age of 62 [i was 67]. last year, she got
pneumonia herself.

when my parents were in their last year, living in florida, i discovered
that in the sunshine state, if you're over 50 and go to the hospital, they
automatically shove in a catheter, the leading cause of infection among the
elderly down there. here in ny, if you're not 100% mentally and a senior cit
with pneumonia, there's a rush to give you a trach --- and then hook you up
to a vent machine to do your breathing. it's definitely hard to 'wean' an
alzfolk off a vent, but not unheard of. the nurses report that now, after a
year and a half, she's breathing all day on her own and on the vent at night
to let her rest. on the other hand, the dr says 'those people' never ---
NEVER --- get off the machine nor can they ever go home. i want her home in
familiar surroundings so she won't wake each day and get scared, so she sees
familiar things and faces ... and so i can hold her.

does anyone out there have any similar experiences? any advice?

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[2] i also have thought up the idea that a hospital or nursing/rehab center
room could be equipped with a mini 'netbook' computer with a webcam so the
family could 'visit,' send pix' slideshows and music, and much more. any
thoughts or interest?

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[3] this is the only alz newsgroup i've found. are there others?