ilovecats

Anyone have any experience with this?She had been having cold symptoms for a week or so,We kinda thought she caught something from my dd who had spent a weekend with her.When her condition seemed to get worse instead of better dh begged her to go to the doctor(She hates going to the doctors and just will not go)He was over her house on Saturday and urged her to go.
Finally that night at 9 pm she called gasping for breath and told me she was ready to go to the hospital.By the time dh got dressed and drove the 5 min. to her house she was on the floor unable to breathe .He had to call an ambulance and she was in critical care for days.She was finally diagnosed with Emphysema and went home today with oxygen tanks.I feel so bad for her,she was still working even though she was past retirement age.She has a gas stove and refuses to have a microwave,so that poses a problem for her.
I didn't really mean to write a novel here,but if anyone has any experience,tips,hopeful info to offer,I would appreciate it.Also,how do I explain the tanks to my 4 yr old without scaring him?

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speedygirl

Aww, Cherie, I'm sorry that you MIL got this diagnosis. I know someone that went through a long bout of what was thought to be a cold and bronchitis and ended up with the same diagnosis and uses oxygen. It's a really tough diagnosis to ge. What stage is she in?
As far as telling the little guy, be honest and tell him that she needs the oxygen to help her breathe better.

Here's some helpful stuff

http://www.ehealthmd.com/library/Emp...g.html#slowing

Here's some of i. The whole thing is to long to post. Hugs.

How-To Information:

Slowing the disease progression

People who have been diagnosed with emphysema can help to slow the progress of the disease by following these general health guidelines:

Build your resistance to infections. Ask your doctor if you're a candidate for the influenza (flu) and pneumococcal pneumonia vaccines. Though not proven to specifically help those with emphysema, the general advice to all patients should be followed: Eat a diet high in vitamins, fiber, and other nutrients, and get enough sleep.

Engage in a regular exercise program, which can help to build resistance to infections and improve your overall health. In general, if you can recover to normal within 5-10 minutes following exercise, you are not creating a strain on your body. Consult your doctor before starting any exercise program.

Try to avoid exposure to other airborne irritants, such as smoke from fireplaces or wood-burning stoves.

Contact your doctor if you feel a cold or respiratory infection coming on.

Remember that air pollution may make emphysema symptoms worse. Weather reports on radio and television, and in local newspapers, provide information about air quality. It's usually safest to be active during early morning or late evening, when air pollution levels are lowest. If pollution levels climb, it's best to stay indoors and limit activity.




How-To Information:

Adjusting your daily routine

Emphysema is a chronic condition that forces most sufferers to limit their activities. Experts make these suggestions for adjusting to life with emphysema:

Plan ahead and figure out the least strenuous way to get things done. Rearrange your home for maximum efficiency.

Prioritize. Decide what must get done, then delay or ignore the rest.

Schedule rest periods throughout the day.

Consider using a small utility cart for doing chores and a remote control for the TV. Do as much as possible while seated.

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cathych

Just explain to him what they are, they are to help grandma breathe. Is grandma a smoker?

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ilovecats

Yes,she was.Even before she got the diagnosis she told me she was never smoking again though.She got the crap scared out of her because she could not breathe.She is so against going to doctors that only the lack of breathing would ever get her into a hospital.I have no doubt that she was literally on the verge of death,she wouldn't have called otherwise.

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ilovecats

Thanks for the link and the hugs.I have no idea about what stage she is in because I didn't personally talk to any doctors and dh really isn't that great at paying attention to that stuff.

Nice To Know:

Emphysema may affect the brain, too. Low oxygen levels in the blood may mean that the brain is not getting enough oxygen. The end result can be grumpiness, irritability, impaired mental ability. High carbon dioxide levels in the blood can lead to headaches and sleeplessness

Maybe this is why she seems to repeat the same stories over and over again?I kinda thought she was getting senile.

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gmyers

My husband has it but it hasn't effected him mentally. He can't hardly do anything physical like lifting or walking very far. He's supposed to use oxygen all the time but mostly uses it when he sleeps or is having a bad spell. Cold and hot weather makes it very hard for him to breathe. When he steps out in the cold it takes his breath away. We've learned when he starts to have a breatheing spell to try to calm himself down and it seems to help him recover faster. Which is hard to do sometimes when you can't breathe. He can't eat a lot or he has a hard time breathing. The worst thing is when he builds up so much mucus in his lungs then he has a hard time lieing down or doing much of anything. Sometimes he'll have spells where he doesn't want to eat anything hardly at all and he'll drop weight really fast. We've found ensure drinks help when that happens they give him strength to feel better. I'm sorry your mother-in law has it. Its a hard disease to handle but my husband has learned the things I've said help him. And try to avoid stress as much as you can that really aggravates my husbands condition. He's on Spiriva and Advair. The pulminary doctor says this helps slow down the progression of it. And he uses a nebulizer to 2 to 4 times a day. depending on how he feels sometimes he uses it 6 times a day. I'll keep your mother-in-law in my prayers that it'll get better. And my husband feels better in the evening if he takes a nap in the day.

4diego

I also have this and am only 35 years old. Just be there and be patient, it really is hard to live with. My kids say that I repeat a lot of things I tell them so it must be true, I don't know. Just be there and love her. The tanks aren't so scary once you get used to them and the sounds, it just takes a little bit. Little one's get used to it quicker than adults actually. Good luck and God Bless!

ilovecats

Thanks,and wow you are only 35?I didn't even realize people that young got this.So sorry you are dealing with this.As far as the bolded goes I bet you are right.My dd turns 20 next week and I think she is more freaked out than my youngest seem to be.

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fleabones3

My mother in law has it, as does my DH even tho he wont go to the doctor. They both cough and hack horribly. Every time DH sees him mom he makes comments to her about how bad she sounds. I look at him and tell he sounds just like her, what's he talking about. MIL still smokes, DH smokes. Sometimes he wakes himself up coughing and hacking. He won't go to the doctor because he is afraid of what he will hear.

Just be there for her... if she quits smoking now, it won't make it go away, but it will help her breathe a little better. Prayer for her

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Army-Mom

Just want to offer prayers.

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