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Originally Posted by Olustee bus
and also weakening kidneys. My 93 y/o mother does. She needs a diuretic to keep fluid from building up in her lungs. When fluid builds up, her heart works much harder and she cannot "get a good breath".
However, a weak kidney needs to remain wet, with fluids.
Her general practitioner and cardio doctor are trying to balance the diuretic but she now has to take more than her gp would like.
When we discussed it with the Cardio doctor, she said by taking the diuretic more, she is choosing quality of life over quantity. (she said that while I and my mother was in the office which I thought was a little too frank but I do like the dr.)
I am thinking it is best to take the diuretics to rest her heart. If her heart works too hard and starts to really weaken, her kidneys are going to start to shut down anyhow.
Anyone have experience with that.
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It's hard to watch when a parent is near the end but I have to commend the cardio doctor for telling you the quality over quantity part. Too many doctors will offer interventions, tests etc. but the outcome is the same except for the patient suffers more and longer. Just because we have it doesn't mean it should be offered if it is only going to prolong someones agony. Personally, I would go for quality over quantity any day and the goal will always be comfort and dignity.
I commend you for following what your Mother wants but please make sure everyone is aware what she wants especially if she does not want to be resuscitated and put on a ventilator. It's not unheard of for a family member to rescind a patients wishes and it only takes one family member to object unless someone has medical power of attorney.
Feel free to PM me any questions you might have. I don't have or pretend to have all the answers I can only tell you what I know and have seen.
Sorry for all you have to go through it's never easy.
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Originally Posted by lefthander
MIL passed at 98 last November. Parts just start to wear out and not function properly. Our only regret was letting the Dr.s keep her on oxygen for extra days. She was on morphine to keep her calm and the O2 was essentially breathing for her. After removing her from the O2 she passed within 20 minutes. Please be aware that unless you request removal adamantly, the quality of life is not there and neither is the dignity. Sorry for your predicament and I can appreciate what is going thru your mind right now.  |
I don't understand your comment about 02 breathing for her. Your vital organs need oxygen and if they don't get enough they deteriorate and that is what causes things to happen not because the 02 is actually breathing for someone. A person would need to be on a Bipap machine (noninvasive ventilation) or a ventilator to receive breaths.