Progression

TNJJ

Registered User
May 7, 2019
2,967
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cornwall
With dad all day yesterday. There has not been a lot talking today. He has been sleeping a lot. Also a lot of yawning. The yawning and tiredness has been going on for weeks.
He is eating but not as much as he usually does. Poor devil was really itching around his trouser waist band.He wanted to go to bed at 17.00.He is getting up by 9.00am with the carers and it seems like his days are getting shorter and shorter.
His furosemide has arrived which he has to take in the morning. The doctor wants me to ring him in a week to see how he is doing. He is only allowed 14 days worth.
I cannot see what else can be done after this tbh. His breathing has become quite wheezy when sat up in his recliner.
Getting him to bed last night was difficult. He is slower walking than last week. Sometimes it appears like the coordination has gone with the legs and brain.Undressing him last night I could see why he was scratching. The trousers had left their mark. In pressing his stomach with my finger the skin blanched. He has a lot of water retention there.Not so much in the ankles etc. Also the blue lips..
Sometimes I just wish this would end..I cannot see how the body can keep going. The worse thing for me is dad being very aware.How I wish he wasn’t..
 

TNJJ

Registered User
May 7, 2019
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cornwall
We went through this with dad & it’s so hard. I wish you strength to cope @TNJJ
Thanks. What did they do for your dad after the furosemide? Personally I don’t think there is much they can do for dad at 87 with his heart. But I could be wrong.
 

Cat27

Registered User
Feb 27, 2015
13,057
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Merseyside
Thanks. What did they do for your dad after the furosemide? Personally I don’t think there is much they can do for dad at 87 with his heart. But I could be wrong.

He ended up with fluid building up in his lungs which affected his breathing. They drained it it had damaged his heart too much & he faded away.
 

TNJJ

Registered User
May 7, 2019
2,967
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cornwall
At dads today. He is appearing wheezy sat in his recliner. It is day 3. of his Furosemide.Walked him to the dining room. Normally he is happy to walk further so I can get the wheelchair under him. But today he only did halfway. He couldn’t wait to sit down. He has been very repetitive today. He sat in the conservatory for about 2 hours looking at the paper etc and listening to the radio.
Getting out from the wheelchair onto the Sara Steady is getting harder for him. He is just about doing it. He had a scone for tea. Did not want much. He has lost weight. You can tell in his face. Also around his bottom.
He needed the toilet today so got him up onto the Sara Steady and then on the toilet.Getting him up was hard going for him as he is struggling to pull himself up. He has no energy today. Tbh he hasn’t all week but today has been a bad day for him.
I got him into bed using the Sara Steady. When in there he started to cough really badly. He was propped up on his pillows. He has a hospital bed. He felt sick. I got him a bowl but luckily he wasn’t. I didn’t put socks on him tonight as they are marking his toes.(He wears socks 24 /7) I told him we don’t need pressure sores on top of everything else. He still is bringing up phlegm but not green. All to do with the fluid in the lungs. He still has blue lips sometimes. Hoping the water pill will work.
 

Duggies-girl

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Sep 6, 2017
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@TNJJ My dad was on palliative care for almost two years because of his cancer. He had regular checks and any treatment that would keep him comfortable (which it did) He didn't have any curative treatment such as chemo because it would have more harm than good. Your dads case is obviously different but a palliative care plan sounds about right. We agreed that dad would not be admitted to hospital for any medical reason although if he had fallen and broken something it would have been different.

This last phase is very difficult and dad went on for another ten months with me frightened that he would fall and weight loss followed by weight gain then more weight loss. Like you I don't know how his body carried on. Thankfully dad was mostly unaware of his condition or even that he had cancer although there were a couple of occasions when he would ask me 'why do they allow people to get into this state' but then he would forget.

It's very hard but it will eventually end.

Will be thinking of you.
 

hooperswan

Registered User
Dec 22, 2016
108
0
I will do. I had thought we were heading towards that road last week. It has been crossing my mind more lately for both of them.
Hi do you have any care visits to help you,If you get your dad a care needs assessment an occupational therapist will see what help is needed as it sounds as if your dad will lose his mobility soon and then you will need help in some form for toileting.Just telling you that so you know there is a place to turn and you will be able to keep dad at home like that as that's what I do with my mum,she has 4 visits a day and the morning call is for a bed bath and pad change and the other calls are for pad chages as I do cooking and feeding and don't need any help with anything else.,it's best to get things arranged before you hit a problem and dad can't get out of bed.
I don't know what equipment you have at home but it's a very good thing to get in touch with the district nurses(known as community nurses)they will see what you need in terms of any mattreses for beds,perhaps an air mattress for a recliner and pads for under ankles to prevent sores,the o.t will help with some of this stuff.
Once your dads known to the community nurses you can call them if you have concerns and they will visit,often the same day or the next day.They always made me feel welcome to call them for advice if I was stressed and needed advice,they actively encouraged that as they could see I was on my own.
Has dad had any barrier creams prescribed for his bottom?His GP will prescribe good stuff free of charge and if you ring your dads GP he can refer him to the continence team that will prescribe continence products on a monthly prescription(although I'm not familiar with mens incontinence pants etc) delivered to the home.The GP will also prescribe wash products that keep his skin in good condition,maybe a tena wash for his privates or hydromol to be used as a general wash product.
 

TNJJ

Registered User
May 7, 2019
2,967
0
cornwall
Hi do you have any care visits to help you,If you get your dad a care needs assessment an occupational therapist will see what help is needed as it sounds as if your dad will lose his mobility soon and then you will need help in some form for toileting.Just telling you that so you know there is a place to turn and you will be able to keep dad at home like that as that's what I do with my mum,she has 4 visits a day and the morning call is for a bed bath and pad change and the other calls are for pad chages as I do cooking and feeding and don't need any help with anything else.,it's best to get things arranged before you hit a problem and dad can't get out of bed.
I don't know what equipment you have at home but it's a very good thing to get in touch with the district nurses(known as community nurses)they will see what you need in terms of any mattreses for beds,perhaps an air mattress for a recliner and pads for under ankles to prevent sores,the o.t will help with some of this stuff.
Once your dads known to the community nurses you can call them if you have concerns and they will visit,often the same day or the next day.They always made me feel welcome to call them for advice if I was stressed and needed advice,they actively encouraged that as they could see I was on my own.
Has dad had any barrier creams prescribed for his bottom?His GP will prescribe good stuff free of charge and if you ring your dads GP he can refer him to the continence team that will prescribe continence products on a monthly prescription(although I'm not familiar with mens incontinence pants etc) delivered to the home.The GP will also prescribe wash products that keep his skin in good condition,maybe a tena wash for his privates or hydromol to be used as a general wash product.
Hi. Yes dad does have care visits when I’m not here and every morning to get him up.He has a wheeled commode and Sara steady and the hospital bed. He had an OT out last week who tried him with another frame which didn’t work (no surprise as he cannot wait bear) The OT said to carry on as we are. I cannot get another piece of equipment until he loses his ability to stand. I need a stand aid which will get him off the commode (won’t be able to get it into the toilet) He has all the barrier creams you can get.?
 

hooperswan

Registered User
Dec 22, 2016
108
0
Hi. Yes dad does have care visits when I’m not here and every morning to get him up.He has a wheeled commode and Sara steady and the hospital bed. He had an OT out last week who tried him with another frame which didn’t work (no surprise as he cannot wait bear) The OT said to carry on as we are. I cannot get another piece of equipment until he loses his ability to stand. I need a stand aid which will get him off the commode (won’t be able to get it into the toilet) He has all the barrier creams you can get.?
Great,looking back they did act quickly when circumstances changed with mum.Roll on spring,I'm feeling depressed.:eek: