First, dad went in for an op at age 82, feeling sick to his stomach for a year. They suggested a lung op (!) because they found "a spot." I had a bad feeling but dad and his wife went for it. My son had a major knee op at age 18 and it took him, a healthy kid in the prime of life, 3 months to recuperate, so I never thought dad should have the first operation.
Then he did not recover well and they gave him a pacemaker.
Then he ran a high fever and begged to be left alone and die but the docs told his wife there was a chance he could make it with an intestinal op because he probably had a c diff infection that was causing the fever. Wife had POA, no one would listen to me to just leave him alone and let's make him comfortable, etc.
So they gave the 3rd operation and soon after he died.
I will never EVER forgive Johns Hopkins for what they did. And that cost the taxpayers plenty. I saw ONE bill, it was $100K, and that was for only part of the torture they put my dad through. I could not help but think that since it's a teaching hospital, of course they would like the kids to learn how to operate on a real person and better an old man than a younger person. 
I advise all out there: do not let your loved one get a major operation after age 80.
Edit history
= new reply since forum marked as read
