What is that?

jim and i
jim and i Member Posts: 1,788 Member
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Last night Jim coughrd up something that looked like tissue. It was about the size of a dime. The next cough produced blood spray but very little. Could it be lung tissue or throat tissue? Hospice nurse didn't seem to concerned but would send a nurse if I wanted. Said if he was resting she would take her time sending nurse since didn't want to wake up. I later decided to call and tell her never mind since he stopped coughing and was resting. He only stays awake for about 20 seconds so catching him awake would be impossible. A little disappointed with this Hospice.

Last night Jim kept getting out of bed without me hearing him which is unusual because I usually hear him sit up. I just figured it out an hour ago. There is a plastic mattress that changes pressure points on top of the mattress that makes noise when ever he moves. The box that controls the air flow hangs on foot of the bed. At some point he turned the box off so there was no air in the mattress and thus no sound. I guess the light on it was bothering him so he turned it off. I will have to put something over it to night. One of the times he got up he fell. Luckily the bed side toilet was there and he fell on it. He did scrape an elbow and bruise it. I am thankful he didn't break a bone. They said he is not a candidate for repair of broken bones and they would only give meds for the pain, which is severe.

Another development is his urine looks like tea. The Haldol can make that happen and so can kidney shut down. I wonder how they tell which is which.  Anyone have experience with Haldol?

Well rambled enough. God bless you all.

/Debbie

Comments

  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #2
    debbie, i don't know anything

    debbie, i don't know anything about the symptons he is having but want you to know i"m praying for you both.  did you save what he coughed up?  if so, show it to the nurse when she comes.  i'd be like you, i'd worry about it.  i pray its nothing serious.  God bless you and Jim.

    dj

  • Steve5
    Steve5 Member Posts: 147
    #3
    Praying for you and Jim

    Praying for you and for Jim, you are something else - ramble as often as you want and need to - God Bless you, JIm has an Angel by his side.

    Steve

  • Ladylacy
    Ladylacy Member Posts: 773 Member
    #4
    Jim

    Debbie, sometimes Joe spits up something small and brown that looks like tissue.  We just are assuming that it is part of his tumor (he doesn't do this too often) but he has never spit up blood that he has told me about.  At this stage for Jim, while on hospice there is nothing that you can do as long as he is on hospice.  You can always take him off hospice at any time and then you can take him to the doctor or the hospital.  But we were told up front that if Joe fell and really hurt himself, we needed to call hospice first and then they would tell us what to do. 

    Also is Jim getting enough water to stay hydrated.  I remember my mother's urine really dark at the end but she wasn't taking in any water (she was in a coma).  Then her kidneys just stopped working.

    Wishing you both peace and comfort -- Sharon

  • jim and i
    jim and i Member Posts: 1,788 Member
    #5
    Ladylacy said:

    Jim

    Debbie, sometimes Joe spits up something small and brown that looks like tissue.  We just are assuming that it is part of his tumor (he doesn't do this too often) but he has never spit up blood that he has told me about.  At this stage for Jim, while on hospice there is nothing that you can do as long as he is on hospice.  You can always take him off hospice at any time and then you can take him to the doctor or the hospital.  But we were told up front that if Joe fell and really hurt himself, we needed to call hospice first and then they would tell us what to do. 

    Also is Jim getting enough water to stay hydrated.  I remember my mother's urine really dark at the end but she wasn't taking in any water (she was in a coma).  Then her kidneys just stopped working.

    Wishing you both peace and comfort -- Sharon

    Tumor

    Sharon, nurse said the stuff was probably tumor tissue. Afew weeks ago when he was coughing a lot he coughed up a grayish blob that the nurse said was tumor debris. He is doing pretty good tonight, even asked for something to eat. I scrambled an egg and he ate about 1/3 of it. As for the urine, the Hospice caregivers manual said dark urine meant kidneys shutting down. He is getting same amount of fluids as before but urinating less. I read today that the tube feeding can painfully prolong life. That bothers me. I will talk to his supervising RN about this on Tuesday when she comes.

  • Duggie88
    Duggie88 Member Posts: 760 Member
    #6
    Deb

    Debbie your allowed to ramble. My thoughts and prayers are with youand Jim.

          Jeff

  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #7
    jim and i said:

    Tumor

    Sharon, nurse said the stuff was probably tumor tissue. Afew weeks ago when he was coughing a lot he coughed up a grayish blob that the nurse said was tumor debris. He is doing pretty good tonight, even asked for something to eat. I scrambled an egg and he ate about 1/3 of it. As for the urine, the Hospice caregivers manual said dark urine meant kidneys shutting down. He is getting same amount of fluids as before but urinating less. I read today that the tube feeding can painfully prolong life. That bothers me. I will talk to his supervising RN about this on Tuesday when she comes.

    Prayers...

    My prayers are with you both...

    John

  • Grandmax4
    Grandmax4 Member Posts: 723
    #8
    always

    in my thoughts and prayers...you're a brave and loving wife

     

  • wolfen
    wolfen Member Posts: 1,324 Member
    #9
    Grandmax4 said:

    always

    in my thoughts and prayers...you're a brave and loving wife

     

    Debbie

    I think of you so often & what you both are going through. As Ron's kidneys shut down, his urine output was almost nil & very dark, even though he was on dialysis machine. His digestive sysytem also quit. This was about 3 days before I had to let him go. He was mostly unconscious & connected to many life support systems. I'm sorry, I don't mean to make this sound so harsh. My heart is breaking for you.

    Luv,

    Wolfen

  • jim and i
    jim and i Member Posts: 1,788 Member
    #10
    wolfen said:

    Debbie

    I think of you so often & what you both are going through. As Ron's kidneys shut down, his urine output was almost nil & very dark, even though he was on dialysis machine. His digestive sysytem also quit. This was about 3 days before I had to let him go. He was mostly unconscious & connected to many life support systems. I'm sorry, I don't mean to make this sound so harsh. My heart is breaking for you.

    Luv,

    Wolfen

    Wolfen, You do not sound

    Wolfen, You do not sound harsh. I read the symptoms of the last days every day trying to prepare. Jim seems to have revived some today. Insisted on walking with walker to the bathroom. Said he was hungry. Was sad about having to rely on me so much but other than that awake for better part of morning and evening. Urine also cleared some but very small output. I wonder if this is the revival before the end.

    Debbie

     

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