It is an awful, horrible, slowly progressing disease. It is important for them to stay as mobile as possible, which sounds counter productive because if you don't have air how do you move? Sometimes placing little rest stops (chairs) throughout the house can help. If on O2 during the day make sure the tether can reach all throughout the house if possible. Sleeping with a couple of pillows or a inclining hospital bed is helpful, the shorter the breath, the more upright they will need/want to be. Keeping the lungs clear is vitally important. Mucinex can be helpful if there is congestion. Lots of water is crucial.
My mom has stage 3-4 COPD and vascular dementia. I have asthma. My dad died from emphysema. Pretty well versed on lungs by now.
I'm so sorry you and your dad are going through this!
End stage COPD is where the patient can't get enough air and is fighting just to breathe. It might be helpful if he slept "sitting up" in a comfortable chair or leaned over a bedside table with a pillow. Also, many sufferers like a fan blowing on them to increase the "feeling" of getting more air. It is a debilitating disease and there are usually enough energy stores for breathing, eating and bathroom. Have him do only one activity every couple of hours. He will be exhausted which is why he doesn't want to "take care of his body". There's not enough oxygen getting around his body for him to be able to "do" anything. It is a terminal disease.
If I were you, I would call his doc and get an order for hospice. They will bring all the needed equipment and be if valuable support in the end times.
What are his hemoglobin levels? This determines how much oxygen is being cared by the red blood cells. At a point, I don't think any amount of oxygen will make a difference in how much the red blood cells carry. The finger monitor is for Pause ox. If under 95 not good, if under 90, really not good. These monitors can be bought for about $30/40.
I would think that his blood oxygen levels would change if the oxygen was not being absorbed, is that the right term? Do you use that thing on his finger to monitor?
My stepdad has COPD and he really just sleeps, gets up to eat but his lungs process oxygen so poorly that he just can not manage to do anything more. Showers 2x weekly and this is a guy that showered at least 2x daily. It is a horrible slow killing disease.
I am sorry your dad has to go through this awful disease. I hope that at least he is not suffering.
My mom has stage 3-4 COPD and vascular dementia. I have asthma. My dad died from emphysema. Pretty well versed on lungs by now.
I'm so sorry you and your dad are going through this!
End stage COPD is where the patient can't get enough air and is fighting just to breathe. It might be helpful if he slept "sitting up" in a comfortable chair or leaned over a bedside table with a pillow. Also, many sufferers like a fan blowing on them to increase the "feeling" of getting more air.
It is a debilitating disease and there are usually enough energy stores for breathing, eating and bathroom. Have him do only one activity every couple of hours. He will be exhausted which is why he doesn't want to "take care of his body". There's not enough oxygen getting around his body for him to be able to "do" anything. It is a terminal disease.
If I were you, I would call his doc and get an order for hospice. They will bring all the needed equipment and be if valuable support in the end times.
I would think that his blood oxygen levels would change if the oxygen was not being absorbed, is that the right term? Do you use that thing on his finger to monitor?
My stepdad has COPD and he really just sleeps, gets up to eat but his lungs process oxygen so poorly that he just can not manage to do anything more. Showers 2x weekly and this is a guy that showered at least 2x daily. It is a horrible slow killing disease.
I am sorry your dad has to go through this awful disease. I hope that at least he is not suffering.
Hugs 2 u!