Dealing with death hospice nurse
Common Questions and Answers about Dealing with death hospice nurse
death
I read that this was the beginning signs of death. we called the hospice nurse and she came and said that he was actively dying and she though that he was throwing up blood, not bile, but they do not have the stuff to test it and see if it was blood or bile. He also had a dark spot by his tear duct, which I think could have been blood also coming from his eye. We got his death certificate yesterday and it said that the cause of death was cerebral atherosclerosis.
t bring myself to agree and then she started eating again - then in Dec she stopped eating again, looked skeletal and I then put her on Hospice - She died 5 days later after getting pneumonia - her death cert listed alz as cause of death. Now they are suggesting hospice for my Dad (92) who is in assisted living (in the same facility ). I did agree to it although it is eating me up.
I read that this was the beginning signs of death. we called the hospice nurse and she came and said that he was actively dying and she though that he was throwing up blood, not bile, but they do not have the stuff to test it and see if it was blood or bile. He also had a dark spot by his tear duct, which I think could have been blood also coming from his eye. We got his death certificate yesterday and it said that the cause of death was cerebral atherosclerosis.
We were preparing for her death. 8 days later, due to lack of experience and professionalism, a different Hospice organization came in and immediately diagnosed the "hole in her stomach"as a fistula and that her death was not as imminent as we were told by the previous Hospice. Regardless, they continued my mother on morphine - 30 mg q 3 hours via G tube. Other than the fistula, my mother's condition has not changed. Yes she is depressed, confused, distracted...
I am a Hospice nurse and what I tell my families and patients is that truthfully the death and dying, and life processes, are so unpredictable. Usually until the last few days, I do not like to predict. What I know for myself, and what I know for Hospice policies, is that we need, and like, to have all things in order, estate issues and all, right away, immediately upon admission to Hospice, no matter how close the patient may be to death.
How did you know it was time for hospice? And, if someone has used hospice for someone with liver failure, how did they help? I have a great family and my husband is greatly loved and cared for. We pray he gets better, but I am not seeing it. How do I know what is best for him? Or is keeping him here with family the best I can do to support him?
Hospice does not speed up death, nor does it unnecessarily prolong life - hospice care is to make a dying person comfortable - sometimes that's all that's left to do. Everyone goes differently, and for some patients the last few days or weeks can be painful, and the right thing was done by sparing your mom any unnecessary pain and suffering. Your mom was in good hands. I can only hope that the same is done for me should it come down to it.
My 89 yo father has COPD and his recent time in the hospital he became constipated with no bowel movements. They tried many things (suppositories, enemas, miralax and a myriad of home remedies) with still no success. A CT scan showed both stool and gases in his colon. A sigmoidoscomy relieved some of this but not much. We were told he isn't a candidate for a full colonoscomy without a lot of risk. He was sent home with hospice. He has gotten very weak and can't even sit up without help.
About two weeks ago she started to have episodes of sweating and nausea and a week later she started what appears to be seizure activity, 3 of these within one week, two in one day within less than two hours time. Right now she is on Ativan drops every four hours, which helps with what the hospice nurse feels is seizures. She has lost a considerable amount of weight since the middle of January.
And when he did pass, the hospice nurse was right there with him. She noticed his breathing had changed and stayed there. She called us immediately.
At least look over the form, see what you think. And if you think he'll end up with hospice care, see what they allow or disallow.
BTW, my Dad finally died from cancer; his heart kept going till the end.
I am a Hospice/Palliative care Registered Nurse. As our "baby boomers" age, we have a need for basic knowledge in how to know when to consider Palliative and/or Hospice Care. Professionals like myself, a Hospice Nurse has the better knowledge as to the hands on assistance that enrollment in a Palliative Care Program or a Hospice Program can give.
I am in the US and feel like there is just no support, no help, nothing for aging Down Syndrome. They have all kinds of programs for parents with childen with Down Syndrome. I just feel totally alone in this. I've been caregiving for too long with a chronic pain disease myself. Some days it's totally overwhelming. I do have a meeting with my sister's primary care and the nurse where she lives on Tuesday to see what step to take next.
Don't know who is charge of my dad's care. My dad don't even know. He asked the hospice nurse who signed him off to hospice and she says she does not know. I think it's a bunch of crap. She also told my dad to eat whatever he wants. I think these people don't know what is going on. Apparently the dr that she calls is an oncologist. What does an oncologist know about the heart? Doesn't make any sense. And no, I have no other siblings.
I had unprotected sex with a woman approximately twenty years ago (1990). We had oral and vaginal sex 5 or so times over the course of a month. I just found out that she died in 1993 (three years after we were together), and I believe it was Aids related.
To the best of my recollections, I have never had any symptoms of anything. I have been in three monogamous relationships since - I'm in touch with all three women, one who is a nurse. None of them have ever had any symptoms, etc.
I have end stage emphysema. I was put on hospice 3 mos. ago. It is not being dead I worry about, but the process of dying I fear. I lost my husband a year and a half ago to dementia, and have cared for many family members in their last time so I know the "mechanics" of the dying process. What I want to know is what to expect with emphysema. I feel physically weaker inside each day.
Hi, I am a hospice nurse. Don't let the word scare you, it tends to have a negative connotation. As a hospice we help not only the patients but the families. Have you thought about talking to your mother about one or asking the doctors about further information? Hospices can guide you through all the processes as 18 is a very young age for you to be going through this. What Hospice does as try to make life as easy as we can for the patient and the family.
my husband has end stage cirrhosis for about 4 years now. 3 months ago he found out he has liver cancer. he says he is ready to die and wants to go to hospice house. i don't know what to say to him or what to do. no one will give us a prognosis on how long he ha to live. and i know most people can feel when it is their time to die.
Thanks, Tuck. I'm so sorry about your loss.
I lost my my mom 4 years ago to lung disease, and we had hospice and they were a great help. If this turns out to be terminal, I will certainly get them involved sooner than later. I know he'll be comfortable with it, too.
The doctor said it was operable, BUT she isn't certain that he's a surgical candidate. That's due to his age and some other things, which really are somewhat minor. I just don't feel ready for this ...
s life due to breast cancer is relative .... sometimes it is and sometimes not. With current care death from any type of cancer is rarely painful .... Hospice services are a wonderful thing and these specialists do everything possible to make one's passing a gentle experience. I can't say that "it" looks like anything in particular ...there need not be any type of obvious lesion in most cases as recurrance happens within other organs.
I cannot begin to imagine the pain you must be dealing with. You have to be both physically and emotionally exhausted. I am glad to hear you will begin going to a women's cancer support group this week. You cannot do this alone and you really shouldn't try to go it alone. You are bearing a tremendous burden and you deserve help and support.
Please do take care of yourself and return here for support.....
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