Today, my father-in-law comes home from a five day respite at the hospice care center. He is in end stage copd/emphysema.
I am his caregiver and this is the hardest thing I have ever done.
I have discovered along the way, through conversations with doctors/nurses and with my own research, that copd patients are the most difficult to deal with. I cannot even inagine the anxiety these poor peo...
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Today, my father-in-law comes home from a five day respite at the hospice care center. He is in end stage copd/emphysema.
I am his caregiver and this is the hardest thing I have ever done.
I have discovered along the way, through conversations with doctors/nurses and with my own research, that copd patients are the most difficult to deal with. I cannot even inagine the anxiety these poor peolpe go through, trying to breathe. It is especially hard when your loved one is in denial about the severity of this disease and refuses medications for symptom management.
Here are some tips that may help, at least I hope so.
Weight loss in inevitable. I try to get my father-in-law to eat several small meals, instead large ones. I put extra cream and butter in potatoes. Also, nutritional drinks are beneficial, as well as milkshakes, puddings, apple sauce, anything easy to swallow. I found these little meals, that need no refridgeration that only take 90 seconds to microwave and my fil loves them. He also has cakes and snacks near his bed . Anything that is going to keep some weight on is most helpful.
We keep a fan near his bedside, as well as a window ac unit in the kitchen. The circulation of the air helps a lot.
In the end stages, people with copd will sleep more. My father-in-law sleeps about 11 -14 hours at night then several hour naps throughout the day. They just become exhausted, from shortness of breath and lack of oxygen. Expect somme confusion, because of lack of oxygen to the brain.
Small amounts of oral morphine and atavan will help greatly with shortness of breath. Also, most have some pain in their back.
The only thing that can be done at end stage copd is symptom management. You will start to notice more bad days than good days. Towards the last few weeks of life, steroids may be presribed for inflamtion, on a permanent basis. Other meds., be given for pain, anxiety, infection. There is not a concern for addiction at this point.
This is a slow, agonizing disease and it is difficult to tell when someone will pass. One day, they could be fine and then the next day in really bad shape. It seems to be a vicious circle, that happens over and over. Respie breaks are very important for the caregivers.
My father-in-law refused Hospice care for the first bad year. My husband and I had to have his lung doctor tell him, very directly that there was nothing else he could do for him.
Finally, after some very difficult times,he relented and allowed hospice. It was a difficult conversation. There was no possibility that my husband and I could take care of him without hospice.
Hope this helps,
Dina