Although I'll be the first to admit I am clueless & flying by the seat of my pants here but I'd be surprised to be told she has reached end stage. The loss of appetite just started about two weeks ago. She had a short bout with fatigue last year at this time but it only lasted a day. Tuesday she ate a decent meal, went to bed & didn't wake up until Wed night at 9pm. Do I just let her sleep?
Signs & Symptoms approaching death:
The patient will have a greatly decreased need for food & drink. Offering small portions of easily swallowed food, ice chips, fluids through a straw, or small sips of water may be helpful.
The patient will gradually spend more & more time sleeping during the day and at times will be difficult to arouse.
This could be what is happening so just let your mother decide what her body needs or doesn't need at this point and just be there for her emotionally.
I agree with Cetude that you don't want to delay getting qualified medical advice, but if it were my mother I personally wouldn't want to subject her to an ER rollercoaster unless instructed otherwise.
I hope she recovers soon.
My mom's Alzheimer's is so severe I have to make sure my mom does everything on schedule and followed very strictly. When to get up, when to eat, exercise, toilet schedule, ensuring fluids are given using THICK IT..and meal time is no picnic for me. It takes about 1-1/2 hours for her to eat and drink and I do this seven days a week AND my mom is an insulin-dependent diabetic for 20 years. When my brother visited and he was retired from the military after 20 years, he was absolutely shocked just how regimented my life is because it is 100% centered around caring for my mom because her care is THAT SEVERE. I HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING FOR HER. If I don't she will die. I have been doing this strict regimen for the last five years it has warped my own sense and I've become emotionally dependent on my mom so if she dies it will be like I will die. I mean her care is around the clock and requires 24 hour supervision.
1) you do not want he lying in urine or fecal matter as that can cause a skin breakdown.
2) remaining in one position for a long time like that can start a pressure sore (aka bedsore)
I would wake my Husband and 99% of the time he would go back to sleep when we were done with whatever it was that I woke him for. Shower, meal, change of briefs. And I am sure there were plenty of times when I was asleep that he was awake. (I had his hospital bed in another room positioned so he could look out into the back yard)
Just curious..is your Mom on Hospice? If not you might want to call Hospice and have her evaluated she probably would qualify and then if she does this again you can contact them and they will check right away for UTI or underlying causes right at home so you don't have to take her to the ER or Dr office for tests.
I think it's hard to know what to do since not eating is also the body's way of dying, too.
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