Find Senior Care (City or Zip)
Join Now Log In
H
HiBPguy Asked May 2017

Is this a sign of near death?

My 91yo mother is throwing up food and cannot eat anything for the past two days. There is mucous that pours out of her mouth and nose. We have given her some antihistamine cough pills (Nyquill) to alleviate some of this. She is in clear mind and keeps thanking everyone here and on the phone for all the years of support. We have to keep her on a portable toilet for half the day and on the bed for the other half. She is very weak. She has already talked to her doctor that she will not go in a hospital. We are doing what we can to keep her company.
My mother's condition started with a fall from her chair seven days ago. She could walk around the house using a wheeled walker before this. A sore leg with nothing broken has kept her on a wheel chair and on the bed. She was able to eat regular food till 2 days ago. Her stool is hard. Now her condition has worsened.
I am the only one in the family who can give my mother care full time. The other members come and go staying just a few hours. It seems to me her time is coming to an end.

HiBPguy Jun 2017
Hello everybody. Just another update. My mother went from the hospital to the rehab/carehome clinic following the advice of the doctor who treated her. She has been in there for 5 days now. I am planning to have her released to come home in a couple of days. Seems there is a rehab policy of giving a 48 hour notice before the release. There was a required meeting with the staff to ensure my mother will be in good care at home. Rehab specialists will then visit twice a week to our home. From what I understand, Medicare will cover 20 days of the rehab care after which they will copay a certain daily sum should extended care be needed. My mother is in good spirits and is recovering well. Thanks again to all you folks here for your kind words.

HiBPguy Jun 2017
Hello everybody. Yes I will be seeking a rehab specialist to come and see her twice a week. There is a list of them that the hospital recommended. My mother is still in the hospital awaiting discharge. They want to see me stand her, walk her around, and get her in and out of the car from the wheelchair. Just some training on how to handle her. Thanks again to all you folks for your concerns. I know there will be other issues coming, I will be posting here again.

ADVERTISEMENT


BarbBrooklyn May 2017
Great news! And if Rehab is offered, say yes!

anonymous326422 May 2017
That is great to hear! I hope your mom makes quick progress. That is so wonderful that she has family support!

MsMadge May 2017
WoW - great news but will you be able to manage her care at home? A visiting physical therapist might only be 2x a week so Even a couple of weeks of rehab with PT more frequently might help her - does she require antibiotics or wound dressing ?

She's been through so much - poor thing - it's amazing how strong the spirit is

97yroldmom May 2017
No rehab? She really shouldn't skip that. It will build her back up and make her stronger.
I'm glad she made it through her surgery and thanks for letting us know. Please encourage her to go for the rehab. It's amazing how much it can help.

Sendhelp May 2017
Oh, good news-it is so good to hear some good results!

HiBPguy May 2017
Thank you all for your heartfelt concerns. My mother made it through her surgery alright. The metal rod and screws were implanted on her femur fracture through two small incisions on her thigh about 5 inches apart. It appears to be healing fast. She can now eat without throwing up any mucous and fluids. It must have been the pain that caused it. Today the orthopedic specialist have started her on easy exercises of standing and walking a few steps. She may be able to come home tomorrow.

97yroldmom May 2017
I hope you are getting some rest. The IV is going to really help your mom. So good you were able to get her to go in.

jeannegibbs May 2017
Thanks for the update! Thinking of you at this difficult time.

anonymous326422 May 2017
Hi BPguy, I hope you and she are both doing ok. It sounds like it was a pretty difficult day. I'm sorry about her broken leg. If they go forward with the surgery, may she have a speedy recovery. If they decide against it, then the hospital should at least provide you with options to help keep her comfortable. It's exhausting being at the hospital like that, so try to eat and sleep when you can. We'll be thinking of you and your mom.

HiBPguy May 2017
I took my mother to the hospital today. It took 5 hours for some tests and xray to be done. Turns out her thigh bone had a fracture and the hospital is scheduling an operation tomorrow to place a rod and screws into it. Much of the tests were on her heart to see if she can survive the operation. The tech who did the echo grams said her heart is not normal and would be scrutinized by the doctor who will give the okay for the surgery. Her blood pressure varied from 120/73 to 210/107 during the time I stayed to watch her tests. Pulse rate was always over 100. As to why she throws up her food and water, they had no answers. Xrays showed no blockage in the esophagus or any signs of cancers. They had her on iv to keep her hydrated. I'll report back on her health in a few days whether the operation was done or not.

97yroldmom May 2017
HiBPGuy
Did your mom make it to the hospital? How did things go today?
Thank you for your last post. Let us hear how your mom is feeling and how you are managing.

staceyb May 2017
HiBPGuy, are you certain she doesn't have a fracture in her leg. Please know, that even if she had an X-ray, and no fracture was seen on THAT day, hairline fractures can still be present, Painful, and can later be identified by a follow up X-ray about week later, when the healing process (calcium buildup) has begun.

Another thing is, if your Mom is taking any Narcotic pain meds, they can definitely "stop you up", and can even cause a bowel obstruction, if she is new to taking them, or if her dosage has been increased, due to the pain. This can also cause vomiting.

One other thing you mentioned, was that you have Mom sitting on the toilet, or portable toilet half the day. Sitting on the toilet for extended periods of time, can cause a "pinching of the nerves" in her buttocks, which could cause her legs to go numb, and go to sleep, and further puts her at a greater fall risk. I've even had that happen to me, after prolonged sitting on the toilet!

The foamy mucus does sound like potential heart failure symptoms, so her heart and lungs should be checked out as well!

It sounds like you have a lot on your plate, in the care of your Mom, and I'm so sorry this is happening to you both! At 90 years old, there are so many systems that are slowing down and declining. Caring for parents is a lot of work, so remember to take care of you!

Countrymouse May 2017
A sore leg with nothing broken - how did you come to this conclusion? Because unless it was an x-ray I don't think I'd count on it. I hope your mother agrees to the ER visit when it comes to it, and they're able to help her.

Are you giving her painkillers, by the way? They can cause constipation, depending on the type.

jeannegibbs May 2017
I'm so glad that your mother will be seen by medical professionals. If they can identify and "fix" the problem, hooray! If they can even just identify the problem well enough to suggest comfort measures and pain relief, that is worthwhile, too.

Our bodies start wearing out as soon as we are fully developed, and by 90 most of us do show the wear and tear. Lots of stuff that is wrong with us can't really be fixed. I understand your mother's attitude about not going to a hospital. But for your sake as well as hers, I'm glad she will be evaluated.

Depending on the results of the evaluation, do discuss hospice with your mother. It may or may not be appropriate right now, but she sounds like a person who would prefer comfort care in her own home than lots of medical intervention, when the time does come. Discussing it when it isn't urgent may be a good preparation for later.

Grammyteacher May 2017
I would also suggest calling in hospice. At least you would have a bit of support and access to pain relief if she needs it.

MsMadge May 2017
Please keep us posted

Does she have heart failure - I understand that can cause severe mucous

anonymous326422 May 2017
You have really been there for your mom! What she's going through sounds so awful (But I'm glad she didn't hit her head -- was just worried that if that was the case, her desire to not see a doctor might make things worse.)

I hope she gets some comfort care and that you have some support of family as you go through this with her.

HiBPguy May 2017
I will be taking my mother to the hospital tomorrow. Having her doctor arrange it.
Just to answer some of the questions asked here so it may help others in the same situation. My mother had a fall last year too, it resulted in sciatica of her left hip which lasted 4 months. We used a shiatsu type chair cushion massager that helped. But she needed to use a walker ever since to get around the house. I have had to help her in and out of the bath since then , otherwise she seem healthy for her age. She reads all day and got good rests and had no problem eating. Her stool has been on the hard side as I had to empty her portable toilet next to her bed. She urinates a couple of cups a day, sometimes dark sometimes light.
Since last weeks fall, she has a pain in her left thigh that makes it difficult to move her. We tried massage therapy which didn't help.
I don't think she suffered any concussion since she didn't hit her head. She can speak clearly. Yesterday after eating dinner, she threw up everything and lots of mucous was coming out of her nose and mouth. Today she couldn't even keep water down. Every time she ate or drank mucous would start choking her. I would have to pat her back till she could breath again. At the moment she is resting uncomfortably. With her stomach empty, the mucous seems to have stopped. But she is very very weak.

97yroldmom May 2017
Lindylou
I agree with hospice or any medical evaluation to give HiBPGuy some direction. The mother doesn't want the hospital and HiBPGuy seemed inclined to comply. My intention was to suggest alternatives. Hopefully someone will be called in soon for the benefit of all concerned. There are so many variables.

jeannegibbs May 2017
I think an evaluation by hospice would be a good move at this point.

anonymous326422 May 2017
97yearolom, the amount of mucous described and the fact that he is using the term "flowing" concerns me that it might actually be different fluid, not mucous.

97yroldmom May 2017
It sounds pretty miserable. Of course she would be weak without eating for two days. Is she taking in fluids? Is she peeing? Does she cough?
Have a temp? Have you taken her blood pressure? What did her dr suggest? You could ask him to send out home health to assess her situation. Hospice could also be called for an evaluation.
Your profile mentions stroke and heart condition. Was that recent? Is she resting at night? With only the fact that she's talking and has a lot of mucus, it sounds more like bad allergies. Is the mucus clear or are there signs of infection? Do you suspect a bowel obstruction? Has she suffered with constipation in the past?
If you have an urgent care facility that accepts Medicare I would consider that. They are quick and they can check her lungs for pneumonia and check her vitals and X-ray her abdomen and it's all done right away without a long wait.
I have used one twice with my 90 yr old aunt and it was great. I do not blame your mom for not wanting to go to the ER but you are a part of this scenario as well and if that is all that's available to you then you might have to call 911.
Give us a bit more info and someone may have better answers for you.

anonymous326422 May 2017
HiBPGuy, if I were you I'd get your mom to the ER immediately. These sound like concussion symptoms. Did the doctor discuss that possibility with you? I worry that your mom might be in unnecessary pain.

It is understandable that your mom might not want any medical intervention. But at the same time, if she sustained a head injury, she might not be making the decision with full capacity for understanding the consequences of that decision. If you are certain that is not the case and that she did not hit her head when she fell, then ask her doctor to order a hospice evaluation for her, so at the very least you will have support and someone to communicate with about her condition during this time.

ADVERTISEMENT

Ask a Question

Subscribe to
Our Newsletter