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KayKay13 Asked July 2017

How to better manage end of life symptoms?

My Grandma is near the end. She's stopped eating, bed bound, extremely weak, hardly drinking, incontinence, confused, and all of that. These past few days however, she started throwing up bile. I try to keep her clean the best I can, but it's getting hard to keep up with the laundry. I try to keep a sheet under her, but she keeps pulling it out, and then you have bile and urine all over her bed, on the floor, and on her. She is constantly pulling at her diaper, sorry "pants", and just hates keeping them on. Her hospice nurse comes tomorrow, but as this is now her 5th time throwing up today, I need to figure out a way to keep her clean. Plus I'm out of clean sheets. Any ideas?

Countrymouse Jul 2017
Hugs, KayKay. Disposable bed pads might help with the incontinence, not with the nausea though. I hope the hospice nurse will pull all the stops out to get you more support and make your grandmother more comfortable. You're a heroine, girl, I hope you know that.

cwillie Jul 2017
I'm glad you are seeing the nurse tomorrow, I hope she is helpful. I am wondering, do you not have an emergency number to contact someone 24/7? Don't hesitate to use it when you are feeling overwhelmed!

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Shane1124 Jul 2017
Inform the hospice staff - they may prescribe an anti-nausea med for her but that med can make her sleepier. Make sure when she throws up put the head of the hospital bed up  35 -40 degrees so she doesn't aspirate. 
Discuss with the hospice staff they will help. She shouldn't have to be throwing up, poor girl.
Yes it's difficult to clean up any bodily fluids especially bile. I know you are making sure her skin and linen are clean after each episode.
Sorry that she and you are going through this. Hang in there....

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