I have posted on here many times and answered questions every now and then. Dad passed away Oct 7th 2013 from Liver Cancer . He was in a hospice facility for 11 days until he died. The day before he was admitted he was in the hospital and was talking,eating and very clear headed but his ammonia levels were high and he had been very combative, not eating and wouldn't take his meds for 4 days at his nursing home. ( He was in for a Psych Evaluation.) The hospice worker talked to me about admitting him instead of returning to the nursing home. I agreed to this and arrangements were made. He was transferred later that day and was alert and in good spirits. The next morning he was unresponsive and stayed that way until he passed. They gave him morphine and ativan around the clock. He never got any water but they did cleanse his mouth and moisten it with swabs. It seemed like he could hear me the first few days because I would shake his shoulder and say "dad". His eyes seemed to be moving under his eyelids and his mouth would move slightly. I did ask about them lowering his dosages so he could wake up a little. The nurse said he was getting a very small dosage already. I just wonder if the drugs made him unresponsive and if less was used he could have ate and drank and lived longer. I know it was time for him to go but I'm kinda puzzled about his going from complete alertness and straight into unresponsiveness so quick. The nurses did a Great job. I myself don't know how they do it. They treated dad like he was their baby. So gentle and compassionate. I was just wondering if anyone else had the feeling that death felt a little rushed once their loved one was placed in Hospice.
And IMO the 'slippery slope' argument doesn't hold water here. In fact that argument doesn't doesn't hold water anywhere.
Such is the conundrum that is created by a society that makes assisted dying legal.
Yes, it would be nice for one to die the same way as God brought you into the world, but you yourself weren't brought into the world in extreme pain for weeks on end, that is the main difference.
Not my mom; not on my watch.
If you think that is what your G-d demands, fine. Mine does not..
I wouldn't wish a painful death on anyone.
Take he case of the caregiver here who had her Dad withdrawn from meds hat were helping him breathe. The decision making taken over in an aggressive manner.
I would not allow hospice to make the choices because I wasn't so sure they would make any decisions that allowed that those meds were in fact part of his quality of life. Granted, keeping them in use would also prolong his life....but that was the side benefit.
The theoretical use of hospice and the real life experience are too often too far apart
He way not uncomfortable. I am glad he remained in the care of his doctor and nurses. They gave the best they could within the restrickens Dad himself decided on years ago before dementia took him away. I am comforted to know he had his final days as he wanted them, not as hospice would have decided for him. Maybe the two would have been the same, but after reading the real life experiences here, I could not think it would be better for him to have the decisions taken away from him, his doctor, his family.
Once I learned that when the body starts to shut down, the patient cannot take food because it would be very painful, the same with water.... and some patients aspirate which means the food/water goes into the lungs not the stomach.
People die on the same time table with or without Hospice. With Hospice there is less pain, and I rather be the patient using Hospice.
Under the circumstances, it was nice that your experience was not too bad; that's not the case for others. In some instances hospital will make the choice for Hospice. By the time loved ones find out, it is too late to do anything.. I speak from personal experience. In my case, head of ICU said my mom was dead when she was readmitted back to ICU.
It's nice Hospice did you right. Some, may feel otherwise.
I'm sorry for your loss as well. Was the hospice your sister was at at the hospital or somewhere else? Good luck with the hospital records, you may or may not be surprised at what you see.
You probably could supplement his food with Ensore... or try Carnation Instant Breakfast mix which is used in milk. I had to use that to help me gain weight after a surgery.
I also had heard at a cancer support group that chemo can make the mouth sore, thus more uncomfortable to eat.
This is taken from; Verywell website,
"An esophageal stricture is a gradual narrowing of the esophagus, which can lead to swallowing difficulties. The strictures are caused by scar tissue that builds up in the esophagus.
When the lining of the esophagus is damaged, scarring develops. When scarring occurs, the lining of the esophagus becomes stiff. In time, as this scar tissue continues to build up, the esophagus begins to narrow in that area."
My father had this problem to the point of only being able to swallow liquids. He had multiple 'dilations', a widening of the esophagus by a doctor by putting a tube with progressively larger rings down the throat under anesthesia. It widens the esophagus so food can pass through. Please get your husband to a gastroenterologist who can do the procedure. Most probably he will be able to swallow food again.