Guest guest Posted November 7, 2006 Report Share Posted November 7, 2006 Hi Joyce, Hope today has you feeling better than yesterday! I always hate when people aren't feeling well. You are our ROCK! You are so strong and I admire your courage. Thanks for being you. And even if I didn't have to love you, I would anyway!! Take care of you. Leanne uip 1/03 Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 7, 2006 Report Share Posted November 7, 2006 -Hi Joyce - If there were 2 of you, we would all re-Joyce! I feel like I know you and all your wonderfulness, helping others, being honest, just being a good friend to everyone who reads your posts. Thank you. Love and light , Joanie In Breathe-Support , " Joyce " wrote: > > > Joanie, > > > > RE: If I thought for one minute I could give my breath to him, I > would start now. > That is the sweetest thing I have heard in a long time. > > May God bless you both, > > Joyce PF 1997 Bronchiectasis 2004 > > > > > > > > > Dear : > > > I am so sorry you and your mother are having to go through this. > > I have > > > taken care of many patients on Hospice as well as in Nursing Homes > > and so am > > > very familiar with the dying process. As to what happens in the > > end each > > > person is slightly different, but there are overall similarities. > > As the > > > body becomes more and more deprived of oxygen the person can > > become more > > > confused and they do become more drowsy, sleeping more and more > > each day. > > > Eventually they drop into a semi-comatose state, where they can be > > awakened > > > with much stimulation but usually drift right back off to sleep. > > They > > > usually don't eat much at this point and often cut down > > drastically in > > > drinking fluids as well. The patient should be allowed to > > determine when > > > they feel up to eating. Offer food and fluids but don't insist on > > it. > > > Eventually they fall into a deep sleep that they don't awaken > > from. That > > > period of time can be minutes, hours or a few days long. They > > slip away > > > into death while asleep, so they do not suffer any " pangs " of > > death. At the > > > very end the breathing can become noisy but the person is not > > suffering, it > > > is just a physical symptom of being in such a deep sleep. It is > > more > > > bothersome to those listening to it than the patient. It is > > believed that > > > the final sense to go is that of hearing, so they may be aware of > > what is > > > said around them though unable to respond to it. While there are > > a few > > > exceptions, the majority end their final days this way. If there > > is any > > > anxiety about being short of breath, the Hospice nurses can give > > > anti-anxiety medications that can ease any fears of having a hard > > time > > > breathing. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to > > ask. We are > > > here to help one another get through this regardless of whether we > > are the > > > patient, a caregiver or a loved one. > > > Hugs, > > > Carolyn > > > > > > -- Please give me some direction. > > > > > > I joined October 7, 2006. I have been trying to get the courage up > > > to ask for help. I have so many questions but I have been afraid > > to > > > ask for fear of upsetting someone. The connection you guys have > > > with one another is wonderful. Happy anniversary to this wonderful > > > web-site. Thank you Leanne! > > > > > > I guess I need to introduce myself. My name is . My uncle was > > > diagnosed in July 2006 with IPF. Unfortunately it has been caught > > > in the end-stage. He has progressed from 2 liters of O2 to 6 and 8 > > > liters of O2. Hospice started coming the middle of September. > > Last > > > week when the nurse came in to check on him, his O2 stat was 82. He > > > had been sitting for an hour or so doing nothing. As he talked > > with > > > the nurse his O2 stat started dropping into the 60's. He walked to > > > the kitchen which is approximately 20 steps so that he could > > > demonstrate what he has been doing when the attacks start. When he > > > was doing this his stats dropped down into the low 50's. The > > > attacks are chest pain, very labored breathing, turning > > blue/purple, > > > chills and uncontrollable shakes. He started morphine two weeks > > > ago. He is taking .5 three times a day. > > > > > > My mom is helping taking care of him. I live two hours away. I have > > > been going home at least once a week to spend the night so that I > > > can give mom at least 24 hours to decompress. I spoke with her > > > several times today and each time I could tell that she had been > > > crying. It takes alot to for her to get to the point of crying. > > > She told me that my uncle was very confused today. He had a hard > > > time understanding anything. She also told me that a couple of > > > nights ago he was upset because he had not called his mother. > > Their > > > mother (my grandmother) died in 1975. > > > > > > I guess what my main question is, Can anyone tell me what we can > > > expect next? Does the end come rapidly or does it drag out? What > > > will his behavior be like? What symptoms will he have? > > > > > > I am deeply, deeply sorry if I have affended or upset someone. It > > > is not my intention. I just need some guidance so that I can help > > my > > > mother and her brother through this. > > > > > > Thank you all for your courage. You are an inspiration. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 7, 2006 Report Share Posted November 7, 2006 Hi Joanie, I love that " re-Joyce " She is indeed a bright spot on the board. Always look forward to her posts. I don't know if I have posted to you or not things in my life have been a little out of (my) control lately. If not Welcome and I will be praying for you and your hubby. God Bless. Love and Prayers, Peggy 9/04 ipf -Hi Joyce - If there were 2 of you, we would all re-Joyce! I feel like I know you and all your wonderfulness, helping others, being honest, just being a good friend to everyone who reads your posts. Thank you. Love and light , Joanie In Breathe-Support <mailto:Breathe-Support%40yahoogroups.com> , " Joyce " wrote: > > > Joanie, > > > > RE: If I thought for one minute I could give my breath to him, I > would start now. > That is the sweetest thing I have heard in a long time. > > May God bless you both, > > Joyce PF 1997 Bronchiectasis 2004 > > > > > > > > > Dear : > > > I am so sorry you and your mother are having to go through this. > > I have > > > taken care of many patients on Hospice as well as in Nursing Homes > > and so am > > > very familiar with the dying process. As to what happens in the > > end each > > > person is slightly different, but there are overall similarities. > > As the > > > body becomes more and more deprived of oxygen the person can > > become more > > > confused and they do become more drowsy, sleeping more and more > > each day. > > > Eventually they drop into a semi-comatose state, where they can be > > awakened > > > with much stimulation but usually drift right back off to sleep. > > They > > > usually don't eat much at this point and often cut down > > drastically in > > > drinking fluids as well. The patient should be allowed to > > determine when > > > they feel up to eating. Offer food and fluids but don't insist on > > it. > > > Eventually they fall into a deep sleep that they don't awaken > > from. That > > > period of time can be minutes, hours or a few days long. They > > slip away > > > into death while asleep, so they do not suffer any " pangs " of > > death. At the > > > very end the breathing can become noisy but the person is not > > suffering, it > > > is just a physical symptom of being in such a deep sleep. It is > > more > > > bothersome to those listening to it than the patient. It is > > believed that > > > the final sense to go is that of hearing, so they may be aware of > > what is > > > said around them though unable to respond to it. While there are > > a few > > > exceptions, the majority end their final days this way. If there > > is any > > > anxiety about being short of breath, the Hospice nurses can give > > > anti-anxiety medications that can ease any fears of having a hard > > time > > > breathing. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to > > ask. We are > > > here to help one another get through this regardless of whether we > > are the > > > patient, a caregiver or a loved one. > > > Hugs, > > > Carolyn > > > > > > -- Please give me some direction. > > > > > > I joined October 7, 2006. I have been trying to get the courage up > > > to ask for help. I have so many questions but I have been afraid > > to > > > ask for fear of upsetting someone. The connection you guys have > > > with one another is wonderful. Happy anniversary to this wonderful > > > web-site. Thank you Leanne! > > > > > > I guess I need to introduce myself. My name is . My uncle was > > > diagnosed in July 2006 with IPF. Unfortunately it has been caught > > > in the end-stage. He has progressed from 2 liters of O2 to 6 and 8 > > > liters of O2. Hospice started coming the middle of September. > > Last > > > week when the nurse came in to check on him, his O2 stat was 82. He > > > had been sitting for an hour or so doing nothing. As he talked > > with > > > the nurse his O2 stat started dropping into the 60's. He walked to > > > the kitchen which is approximately 20 steps so that he could > > > demonstrate what he has been doing when the attacks start. When he > > > was doing this his stats dropped down into the low 50's. The > > > attacks are chest pain, very labored breathing, turning > > blue/purple, > > > chills and uncontrollable shakes. He started morphine two weeks > > > ago. He is taking .5 three times a day. > > > > > > My mom is helping taking care of him. I live two hours away. I have > > > been going home at least once a week to spend the night so that I > > > can give mom at least 24 hours to decompress. I spoke with her > > > several times today and each time I could tell that she had been > > > crying. It takes alot to for her to get to the point of crying. > > > She told me that my uncle was very confused today. He had a hard > > > time understanding anything. She also told me that a couple of > > > nights ago he was upset because he had not called his mother. > > Their > > > mother (my grandmother) died in 1975. > > > > > > I guess what my main question is, Can anyone tell me what we can > > > expect next? Does the end come rapidly or does it drag out? What > > > will his behavior be like? What symptoms will he have? > > > > > > I am deeply, deeply sorry if I have affended or upset someone. It > > > is not my intention. I just need some guidance so that I can help > > my > > > mother and her brother through this. > > > > > > Thank you all for your courage. You are an inspiration. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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