What is the prognosis?

Asked by Judi (40025) December 28th, 2013 from iPhone

My MIL is in the hospital again. For the last 10 years she has given us several scares. She is nearly 70 but can barely walk and has been on a low dose of prednisone for her RA for 35 years. She has had frequent UTI’s that have landed her in the hospital on several occasions, a few times we thought we were going to lose her it was so bad! Her bones have become brittle from the prednisone and she has broken both feet more than once, her collarbone and her arm all from falls. Her skin is like tissue paper and tears or bruises at the slightest touch.
The other night she took another tumble and broke her foot again. She was returned to skilled nursing at the retirement center where she lives. Today they sent her back to the hospital because she was lethargic. It appears she has bacterial pneumonia and possibly another UTI.
In the past she was like a Phoenix rising from the ashes. She would recover miraculously but not quite to her former strength.
This however is the first time she had contracted pneumonia.
Usually I’m the one to run to her side but this time my sister in law is doing it since her children are grown and she is able to now.
I’m just wondering if my husband and I should maybe get there too. She’s about a six hour drive from us.
I should also add that she is a daily drinker and will probably be detoxing too.