minnesota
Distinguished member
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2010
- Messages
- 192
- Country
- US
- State
- MN
- City
- Coon Rapids
Hospice started 2 months ago. Nice to have an RN to bounce ideas off. No help otherwise but feels comforting to have someone check in once a week. Jim still hasn't tried the massage they offer but based on your recommendations well give it a try! I would personally love it but they don't have that as a menu selection for cals! Haha
Morphine started on Memorial Day plus lorazepam (ativan). .1ml to start and now just increased to .25ml to relieve shortness of breath. Jim is still lucid. He felt like he was becoming a drug addict (he never took even an ibuprofen) but i reminded him if he was scuba diving and didn't have help for his breathing he would be fearful and would fight through the shortness of breath (SOB) causing more SOB. He has already been uncomfortable, Agitated and we couldn't put a finger on what was going on until we realized via fvc that is breathing was really compromised! Morphine has helped and he's still living life.
Sleep is better and not scary with the combo meds. I'm still up helping Jim adjust or pee or get more meds (btw i always thought I'd have to do a morphine shot but the med is liquid so it goes under the tongue--sub lingual)! People ask me why I don't look tired and I say "visine"! Heehee. If they only knew the brain fog I'm in while trying to take in every moment!
Bowel movements are a challenge with constipating morphine but senna 3x day plus dulcolax supp 3x wk has been a good combo! We tried the other recommendations here and couldn't get things moving!
Jim's neck is weak so I turn his head when he tilts back in his Pwc. No neck brace because he has to bend his chin down to swallow. Puréed foods now and trying to get creative! Tried a taco in a bag from a grad party (chips and all) in the magic bullet and it was smooth as silk! Jim loved it!
Speech is but a whisper and based on the new Medicare rules we can't get an eyegaze system now that we're on hospice. I don't think he'd use it anyway! I'm looking into myvoice app and have some pics and categories of words that I'll make into a chart this week.
Speaking of Medicare I am glad we got the attendant control on the Pwc originally because hospice won't want to pay for that! Jim's also worn the tread on one wheel going around the kitchen table to relax--around and around--plus he's always been very active so makes sense! Maybe the med supplier will work with our als group to get him new wheels!
Tired! Yes I am but my mantra is "I can nap when I'm nighty--oops so tired--I mean ninety!"
Morphine started on Memorial Day plus lorazepam (ativan). .1ml to start and now just increased to .25ml to relieve shortness of breath. Jim is still lucid. He felt like he was becoming a drug addict (he never took even an ibuprofen) but i reminded him if he was scuba diving and didn't have help for his breathing he would be fearful and would fight through the shortness of breath (SOB) causing more SOB. He has already been uncomfortable, Agitated and we couldn't put a finger on what was going on until we realized via fvc that is breathing was really compromised! Morphine has helped and he's still living life.
Sleep is better and not scary with the combo meds. I'm still up helping Jim adjust or pee or get more meds (btw i always thought I'd have to do a morphine shot but the med is liquid so it goes under the tongue--sub lingual)! People ask me why I don't look tired and I say "visine"! Heehee. If they only knew the brain fog I'm in while trying to take in every moment!
Bowel movements are a challenge with constipating morphine but senna 3x day plus dulcolax supp 3x wk has been a good combo! We tried the other recommendations here and couldn't get things moving!
Jim's neck is weak so I turn his head when he tilts back in his Pwc. No neck brace because he has to bend his chin down to swallow. Puréed foods now and trying to get creative! Tried a taco in a bag from a grad party (chips and all) in the magic bullet and it was smooth as silk! Jim loved it!
Speech is but a whisper and based on the new Medicare rules we can't get an eyegaze system now that we're on hospice. I don't think he'd use it anyway! I'm looking into myvoice app and have some pics and categories of words that I'll make into a chart this week.
Speaking of Medicare I am glad we got the attendant control on the Pwc originally because hospice won't want to pay for that! Jim's also worn the tread on one wheel going around the kitchen table to relax--around and around--plus he's always been very active so makes sense! Maybe the med supplier will work with our als group to get him new wheels!
Tired! Yes I am but my mantra is "I can nap when I'm nighty--oops so tired--I mean ninety!"
