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Update: Mom seems to be doing a little better. Used humidifier, Vicks vaporub on chest and feet, Mucinex liquid cough/decongestant every 12 hours, and Gaia brand herbal tea (bronchial booster) - which my mom for some reason loved!!! (peppermint and eucalyptus). This is a nasty virus that has messed with her not just physically but mentally. Hoping she can get back to where she was.
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I melt lemon cough drops in hot water and inhale the vapors, as they cool.    Chicken soup is also good - I think it's the perennial cure-all for a lot of ailments, ranging from cold to sore throat to just a bad day.
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Update: Mom doing much better. Lungs are clear. No more coughing. Vitals good. But her dementia behavior has gotten worse: Lots of "let me die," "help me," etc. Consciously not eating much. Any chance of her bouncing back or do I resign myself to her dropping down another step in her dementia journey?
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Try drinking ginger root tea. You make this by slicing thin slivers off a ginger root and boiling it for 30 minutes. Strain the slivers out before drinking.
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Hi Jan, I just saw your post and wanted to mention that I've seen my mother with dementia bounce back from illness a couple of times already, and she's 93 also. Last time, I thought there would be no coming back (she was seeing mice running on the floor etc) and she DID come back. So don't lose hope, ok? Give your mom time to fully recuperate before deciding she's taken another step down. I mean, she MAY have, but not necessarily, you know?
Good luck!
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tornadojan Feb 2020
Thanks for the encouraging words. I won't give up yet. Just trying to figure out how much control she has over her wish to die. Yesterday, she proactively picked up the glass of water from the table next to her chair and took several good swigs. Today the helper swabbed her mouth because she said she could not swallow any water. Her cold is gone, the visiting doctor and nurse both said all vitals are good and lungs are clear. But she just seems to have gotten this death wish into her head while sick and is just not letting go.
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Has she been tested for a UTI? Yes, this could be a step down, but also be aware that something else might be causing this unusual behavior.

((((hugs)))))))
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