Hi everyone,
I've created an account because I can not resort to anyone else around me for advice anymore. They either do not know the feeling of having a loved one with end stage COPD and/or just dont know enough to give any meaningful advice. This includes our local RT, nurses, NPs, doctors etc.
That loved one I was referring to earlier is my mom. She is 58 years of age and I am 27 years old. Currently employed but contemplating quitting my job to take care of her (if we ever get out of this hospital). We are a small family and my siblings are just too busy to help me here or live in other states or have simply given up, I have not.
She has been diagnosed with COPD/Asthma in the recent years and started using home oxygen 4 years ago. Unfortunately due to her underlining lung infection things have escalated quite substantially.
I dont even know where to begin - so much has happened in the recent months but since september she has been hospitalized in the same admission. There's so much going on right now and my family that I have are becoming more and more negative as she is stubborn and a handful to help take care of to ensure she is improving rather than sustaining life..I can edit this post later with details if people would like to support me and my mom but i guess the question i have is this...
She has been complaining about her chest tightness and chest pain for many many months and no matter how many nebulizer treatments or O2 setting you give her it still persists and she therefore cannot eat.
If for a slight moment she does not have it - she will get it after eating a few bites. She is extremely malnurished and I dont know what to do to rememdy this situation. PLEASE HELP!!
She's never taken Opioids until now, with her first dose of .25 mg morphine... hoping this helps.