Cherise77
Active member
- Joined
- Jun 18, 2018
- Messages
- 72
- Reason
- Loved one DX
- Diagnosis
- 07/2018
- Country
- CA
- State
- BC
- City
- Vancouver
We’re entering a very scary and sad stage of my Dad’s ALS journey.
Since October 2022 he’s been having coughing episodes. Several a day, lasting an hour or two at a time. At night is the worst. He’ll wake up gasping for air, choking on mucus. My Mom has to take his BiPap off, sit him up and start the nebulizer and manual cough assist. The Respirologist said he had pneumonia based on an X-ray and CT scan so he’s been on a round of antibiotics every month and then follow up X-rays. Now she’s saying that something is still showing up but doesn’t look at pneumonia. She thinks it’s Atelectasis.
In the opinion of the pALS and cALS in this forum, what are we looking at here? Is it time soon for a trache? Is choking on mucus at night something that a person can pass away from?
My Mom thought she was having a heart attack this morning and went to see her doctor. She wasn’t but just so stressed out. She’s thinking the worst and we’re just not sure. Do some people live like this for years? Does it get better with medications to thin the mucus?
Thank you for any advice you can provide. I appreciate the support
Since October 2022 he’s been having coughing episodes. Several a day, lasting an hour or two at a time. At night is the worst. He’ll wake up gasping for air, choking on mucus. My Mom has to take his BiPap off, sit him up and start the nebulizer and manual cough assist. The Respirologist said he had pneumonia based on an X-ray and CT scan so he’s been on a round of antibiotics every month and then follow up X-rays. Now she’s saying that something is still showing up but doesn’t look at pneumonia. She thinks it’s Atelectasis.
In the opinion of the pALS and cALS in this forum, what are we looking at here? Is it time soon for a trache? Is choking on mucus at night something that a person can pass away from?
My Mom thought she was having a heart attack this morning and went to see her doctor. She wasn’t but just so stressed out. She’s thinking the worst and we’re just not sure. Do some people live like this for years? Does it get better with medications to thin the mucus?
Thank you for any advice you can provide. I appreciate the support