pathway to dying - can anyone help?

[1legmummy]

I know it is late, I cannot sleep.

My Ucle was put on this after a stroke on Friday which was 9 days ago. We were told he would not last past Sunday.

All food, drink and drugs were stopped. We were only told about the pathway this week.

The Doctor realised yesterday when we showed concern about him not having any drink that the nil by mouth had been left up in error.

He is now on the morphine 24 hour thing and is comatosed

Is this normal? should they be talking t us? should he be fed?

honey, I'm so sorry - but glad that he is gone peacefully now. Please feel happy for him and consider that you did the best you could for him under the circs.

Big ((hugs)) to you. God Bless.

Very teary reading your last post. I'm so sorry and you did all you could under the circumstances. Hope you are okay, he is at peace now.

1legmummy, so sorry to hear the news. Take care of yourself xxx

Am very sad for you, but he is at peace now and not suffering, so take comfort in that. Take care of yourself, you sound like alovely and caring person.x

Hi

So sorry to hear about your Uncle.

I nurse the Elderly in general hospital wards, on a regular basis, and we have a lot of our patients on the End Of Life Pathway. There are different levels and degrees of it though. Total withdrawal of feeding is usually quite near the end, as is withdrawal of medical intervention, even to the extent of withdrawing the regular Observations - BP, Temp, O2 Sats etc, which are done on all patients. It is so as not to disturb them. However, they almost ALWAYS have a drink, whether it be water or Fortjuice or similar. We often have to hold it to their mouths in a beaker with a sppout or straw, if they are unresponsive, but it is amazing how many of the patients can still drink a little when it is ofered up to them.

One thing you COULD ask the nurses for though, is for someone to carry out 'oral care', if his mouth looks coated and not very clean. We do this for all our patients who are dying, as it is a common need. It involves using gauze swabs, dipped in warm water, to clean the inside of their mouth and lips, either with our fingers or on small splints, to get to the back. If needed you could ask for Nystan for thrush in his mouth, as a lot of people who are at this stage can have it. Also, sounds funny, but after this we use a bit of lubricating gel as a sort of lip balm, because the vaseline can actually be drying.

Hope some of this helps, and it's not too patronizing. I'm sure you and your family and the nurses have been taking care of your Uncle brilliantly. It sounds like he has a family who really care

www.endoflifecare.nhs.uk/eolc/pathway.htm

Hi there

Just read your last post.

Sorry to have missed it before.

Hope you are OK.

HUGS xx