An indwelling catheter is prone to infection. If you are able to change your mother's incontinence briefs with her being nonresponsive, I'd stick with that.

Perhaps the dying process has begun?

Thank you Robin, that is what I was thinking too, I do not mind claning her at all. I just wasn't sure what was more comftorble for her. Just want to make sure she isn't hurting.
I think the end times are coming, just happened in a matter of days. The decline was so fast!!! I am hoping that they will give me some help with her daily. It is hard to move her sometimes.
I love her so much! I am so glad the Lord Blessed my Husband and I with this time with her!!
Tammy

Tammy, if you mean an indwelling urinary catheter, I would suggest that, if she's not likely to pull it out, it will be a good thing. My husband has had one for about two years now for urinary retention.

Tammy
My Mother also declined very quickly- I did have her at hospice the last 9 days- they truely are a blessing
The hospice nurses can help you with getting a feel for how far along she might be- however you know her best and may actually know first
good luck
Sharon

Thankyou all,
The Doctor feels she is in decline and dying. She too is surprised at the quickness of it. She just sleeps. Her spech is slurred when she does try to talk. She hasn't had a stroke, they checked for that. They are putting her on liquid morhene for the pain and she has congestion in both lungs, so they are giving her drops for that.. The doctor thought that was unusal because she said normaly it is on only one, but she has it in both, showing signs of congested heart failure. She does try to drink warter now. She coughs alot afterwards. Scares me everytime. She gets sweats too. No fever , could she be getting night sweats? And her urine I noticed is much darker. I mean at first I thought she had a bowel movement but it was just dark urine. Any body ever had that before? She also has the Hickups alot>?
Robin, I talked to my sister and she said she has already did all she needs to do about donating her brain. She is donating it to harvard reearch. Everything has been arranged for her, I mean paper work and all. I hope they do a brain autosphy.!!
Prayers are up for us all!
Tammy

Tammy, I will have you in my thoughts and prayers today. You and your mother have 'fought the good fight'. God bless you all. --Pat

Tammy,
I suggest calling the Harvard Brain Bank to give them a heads-up. They used to pay for some diagnoses (including Lewy Body Dementia) but now they charge families for all but 3 or 4 diagnoses (and they charge for LBD). I think it takes 8 months to get the report from Harvard, and they don't do any LBD brain research.
Robin

Tammy, Mom is at the speech therapist today, she is gagging more and also hiccups. I will let the group know if I learn anything.---Jack

Tammy - I am sure this is a very difficult time for you and of course, your mom. You've done a great job taking care of her with this awful disease. Keep your strength up and take care of yourself too while you are taking care of her. Re: the dark urine - has she had a urinalysis done lately to see what's going on? She may be experiencing kidney failure too. Sending you a big hug, LYnn

Good morning ,
It has been a long night. As I am sure you all understand how those nights go. We had mom up yeterday. She was able to drink and ensure and she wanted up out of bed to go to the bath room. Her speech was bad but understandable. I got her up, her legs were still useless. I got her to the bath room and took her out to the living room. Well her anxiety started getting high. Tring ot get out of the chair but not wanting to get out, wants the TV on, but it was on. Wanting her socks on, they were already on. I gave her her anxiety meds to help her.
After taking her to the bathroom and even her arms started not being able to raise up, it got just to hard. I put her back to bed and she kept calling out the best she could, and trying to raise up. She can't raise up she just tries. It hurts seeing her try. She was not resting at all. So I gave her her night anxiety meds around 1am. She slept the rest of the night.
How do you make the dission to medicate her to help her stay calm, or let her be a little aware and responsive but upset and anxious. I know she is declining. I just want her to be comftorble and not in pain or upset. I mean what state is that to be in. Am I wrong for giving her her meds to calm her which just makes her sleep. You all know the weight of the decision is that has been placed on us all who take care of our LO. I don't want her in Hospice unit, I want her here when she goes home to the Lord. But I want to do right by her. TO see her struggling to talk but can't, see her tears come out of the corner of her eyes. It is SO HARD>
I know for the ones that have lost their LO to this horrible desease has gone thru this. How did ya'll deal with this. I keep Praying for wisdom on this.
Thank God for all of you!!
Tammy

Tammy, giving your mother the medications she needs to calm her and help her sleep is the right thing to do. Once you find the right medications--ones that don't have adverse or paradoxical effects--you should feel confident in using them to make her comfortable. You will be in my prayers. --Pat

Tammy,
Your question is a good one that many of us have faced. I think a worthy goal is comfort. Hopefully your hospice organization is guiding you through this very stressful time.
Robin

Thank you all for your very thoughful prayers and responses.
The nurse came today and I did talk to her. SHe said I made the right dissution on just wanting her to be comftorble. Just letting her sleep. It will determine when she goes home to the Lord, on how long her body can last with our food, and warter. She sais it could be up to 10 days to 2 weeks. I will be with her here at home. That way she is alround all her Love her and my husband is here for me too. If she was at Hospice my husband would not be able to be there with me. So I will let ya'll know when the Lord takes here home. Robin I will take care of that with Harvard. Thank you for the heads up.
Thank you all again so very much. I could not have gotten through so much of this with out all of you.
Love and God bless,
Tammy

Tammy - I'm thinking about you and your mom and sending you big hugs over the "airwaves". Take care during this very trying time. Lynn

Tammy, you are doing an outstanding job with your mother's care. She is so blessed to have a daughter like you. You will be in my prayers! --Pat