Advice about COPD and mother

[pregooolady]

my Mum has had a cough for 3 years heavy smoker. She always blamed it on a smokers cough.

last December she got poorly and she had pneumonia and sepsis she avoided going to the hospital untill we found her lifeless at home. While in hospital they did a chest extray and told us and her it’s shown COPD and she needed to be referred to the COPD clinic

she was in hospital about 2 weeks and was allowed home. They sent her home with salbutamol inhaler and asked the doctor to put it as a repeat anyways
she still has not accepted that she has COPD and she’s lied to us about her referral said That she never got it and that must mean she don’t have it.
we think she destroyed the letter.
the doctors must no she missed the appointment but they continue to give her inhalers without questioning why she hasn’t been for her diagnosis.

anyways fast forward to now . She goes through one blue inhaler in about 2 weeks then she asks her other daughter who has asthma if she can use her inhalers. She’s lost loads of weight her skin is always pale and she coughs all day she continues to smoke.

I don’t really no what I’m asking but we have tried talking to her. How long can someone with COPD who smokes and is losing weight last ? I don’t want her to die but she’s in complete denial

thanks

My dad stoped smoking almost immediately after getting a diagnosis and lived another roughly 15 years, dying of an unrelated cancer. My neighbour got her diagnosis much later, did not stop heavy smoking, and died within a couple of years.

the doctors must no she missed the appointment but they continue to give her inhalers without questioning why she hasn’t been for her diagnosis
She has her diagnosis. They know she has it. Her not engaging with treatment is a separate issue.

@DorothyStorm thank you. It’s so frustrating I don’t want her to die but there’s only so much we can say or do she’s so stubborn. I’m glad your dad got more time.

There is not a lot you can do if she refuses to listen. Stopping smoking is the one thing that will make the difference in her time. My neighbour had the attitude of well what is the point in stopping now. It was infuriating but you cannot help people who dont want help.