Jackfishem
Member
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2015
- Messages
- 22
- Reason
- Lost a loved one
- Diagnosis
- 12/2014
- Country
- US
- State
- LA
- City
- Lake Charles
Mom has FTD-PPA, ALS, and COPD. She started antibiotics this week due to an upper respiratory infection. Last week, she would wear her bipap to sleep and for a few minutes during the day on occasion. For the past couple days, she's used the bipap pretty much all day. Even with the bipap on, she is still short of breath. I can see the physical signs of her body straining with every breath. Last night, I saw something I had never seen -- it looked as though her diaphragm was contracting with every breath. I was literally seeing a jerking motion in her belly.
She is pretty much mute from the FTD and is unable to tell us what she is feeling or what she needs. I feel so helpless.
From what I read, people with air hunger show panic in facial expressions. I don't see any of that. Mom just looks really tired and like she just doesn't feel well.
Mom is on hospice care, but I don't know when it's time to start utilizing their interventions -- maybe starting with some anxiety meds? Should I just be patient and wait for the antibiotics to do their work?
Does anyone have any experience with this type of situation? Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance!
She is pretty much mute from the FTD and is unable to tell us what she is feeling or what she needs. I feel so helpless.
From what I read, people with air hunger show panic in facial expressions. I don't see any of that. Mom just looks really tired and like she just doesn't feel well.
Mom is on hospice care, but I don't know when it's time to start utilizing their interventions -- maybe starting with some anxiety meds? Should I just be patient and wait for the antibiotics to do their work?
Does anyone have any experience with this type of situation? Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance!