Jeff has, over the past several months, progressed from regular diet to pureed diet to pureed diet plus thickened beverages, due to swallowing inefficiency.
In the past couple weeks, and quite strikingly today, he's seeming to have trouble keeping his secretions processed even while at rest and not eating. It seems potentially uncomfortable, and the hospice nurse, his doc, as well as the ALF nursing staff have been checking on him.
The effect of this is that he will be sitting, and occasionally giving a sort of gurgled cough. Sometimes with a bit of agitation and stretching upward.
It may be, according to the head nurse, that we're heading into the bed-bound phase. (Nowadays he is chair-bound, but generally positioned out of his room among the other sedentary residents in a living area, and put to bed for naps and night.)
Does this sound like familiar territory to those who've been through the entire process? In my usual way, I want a crystal ball. They don't issue those, but I just wonder what I'm looking at here.
Eric was 91 years old on Dec. 28, 2010, and shortly thereafter developed what you describe. He died on Feb. 2, 2011. His age probably made a difference for the quick decline, but he had to have a lot of hydro-morphine and also hydro-cortisone spray to control the symptoms of choking and the attending panic. He became bedridden along with his inability to swallow. Your doctor may ask you if you are willing for medications to be used. As mine explained, the cortisone spray can be hard on the heart. I decided that it was more important to keep Eric comfortable and free of panic (itself hard on the heart) and agreed that maximum dosage be given when required. He slept more at the end, and he died in his sleep. R.I.P. I'm sorry that you both have to experience this.
Em-sorry it has come to this. Atropine or a scopolamine patch (like for motion sickness) helps manage secretions. Down side is terrible thirst without being able to process liquids. What sometimes helps is to use thickit with a favorite drink. Put it in a teaspoon and freeze it. Then offer it like a mini ice pop. Message me on FB if you want more info.
Em, I am sorry. We haven't had anything like this happen but I can imagine how difficult it is for you to witness..... Were they able to give Jeff anything to bring him a measure of comfort?
He is, at this point, staying mostly in bed. He has been able to eat a little yogurt, a little applesauce, but not much else. I don't see things changing.
My dh has been having ocughing fits almost each night while eating his dinner. It goes away and he finishes his dinner, but I wonder about the choking thing and if this is a precursor to it??
My H had trouble swallowing 2 years ago and his dr. said that it was a little early in his Alzheimer's to start doing that and diagnosed him with Parkinson's because of it. Like Mary said I think age does determine some things.
The swallowing has continued to be a real limiting factor, and he's not consuming much. My sister-in-law (one of his sibs who comes often and cares a lot) and I have both been concerned, because we both have elective, but life-affecting, surgeries scheduled for next weekend. (knee replacement in her case, cataracts in mine.) It's one of those weird cases of cognitive dissonance to know that you want to drop everything when the moment is near, but at the same time recognize that you, the one going on, need full use of your body parts and don't want to reschedule surgery.
The hospice nurse feels that, due to his relative physical good condition, and because he's eating a tiny bit, that it will be a long enough process for us not to be fretting over our being temporarily restricted by surgeries.
Em, cataract surgery doesn't take long, and the recovery is fairly quick and painless (or at least so I'm told). I would think that the sooner you get it done, the better.
Emily, when i had cataract done was fine the next day. Only had to put drops in for several days and also wear a plastic shield over eye at night so didn't put pressure on eye while sleeping. No pain and afterward was just anesthetic wearing off. Your sil's knee will take longer. best wishes and hugs.
Cataract surgery should only lay you up for one day for each eye. But if you are getting corrective lenses that make a big change in your vision be aware that driving at night will be difficult between the two surgeries. There is lots about my experience here: http://deeplanguage.blogspot.com/2011/12/first-surgery.html
My grandmother lasted over a year on liquids only, so I wouldn't worry something is going to happen quickly.