IV Fluids / Nutrition

SonSon
SonSon Member Posts: 174
edited March 2014 in Caregivers #1
INFORMAL POLL :
Why would we / wouldn't we have an IV started for mother-in-law for fluids/nutrients at this stage (she has not eaten or drank for past 3 days and refuses to open mouth for pills - and chokes on them when we do get them in)?
Please opine away - I want to hear people's opinion both for and against doing this.
(I will keep my opinion to myself just yet).
Fatima

Comments

  • sue Siwek
    sue Siwek Member Posts: 279
    #2
    if your mother-in-law does
    if your mother-in-law does not get fluids she will die soon. talk with the drs., if she is ready to die then maybe this is a painless way for her to go. my experience with my mother was that near the time that she died she could not swallow and choked. i hope this is not too blunt. not knowing you or your mother in law i can only guess that she has given up and doesn't want to fight any longer. it is my understanding that when a patient refuses food and fluids that it is a peaceful way to go. don't know, it must be hard, you seem to know her best.
  • SonSon
    SonSon Member Posts: 174
    #3
    sue Siwek said:

    if your mother-in-law does
    if your mother-in-law does not get fluids she will die soon. talk with the drs., if she is ready to die then maybe this is a painless way for her to go. my experience with my mother was that near the time that she died she could not swallow and choked. i hope this is not too blunt. not knowing you or your mother in law i can only guess that she has given up and doesn't want to fight any longer. it is my understanding that when a patient refuses food and fluids that it is a peaceful way to go. don't know, it must be hard, you seem to know her best.

    need more opinions...
    Ok, that was one "con" opinion. Thanks.
    She actually refuses to accept anything in her mouth. And when we succeed in getting anything in she chokes. Her neural coordination is declining rapidly.
    Any "pro"s?
  • Barbara53
    Barbara53 Member Posts: 652
    #4
    SonSon said:

    need more opinions...
    Ok, that was one "con" opinion. Thanks.
    She actually refuses to accept anything in her mouth. And when we succeed in getting anything in she chokes. Her neural coordination is declining rapidly.
    Any "pro"s?

    not another stick
    Not one more needle, that's my thought. Enough is enough. During my Dad's last days we opened his mouth a little for liquid morphine, but otherwise we let him rest when he could. It was good as these things go.

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