u/EasternSet960

My aunt is currently in the ICU. She has cirrhosis and has been going downhill. She started throwing up and pooping blood so they had to do an endoscopy to see where the bleeding was coming from. They had to place a breathing tube because she went downhill during the endoscopy. She has now developed pneumonia and her kidneys are failing. She is currently doing dialysis right now. Today she has finally opened her eyes and started smiling at loved ones so we're holding on to hope. I'm trying to balance being happy about this moment with the reality of how sick she is with her kidneys and pneumonia. For those who have been through this, what should we realistically expect next? How do you cope with the ups and downs?