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I have read comments from people in hospice care. They are given morphine. Is dying from COPD very painful? If not pain, what is the morphine for. I have experienced fear when having a flare-up but too busy trying to get oxygen to feel pain. Does the lack of oxygen to your organs cause pain?
@MyCOPDTeam users... and @A MyCOPDTeam Member, @A MyCOPDTeam Member has described my experience in dealing with the morphine for my Mom while handling her hospice care at home.
In Mom’s case, she played a last game of Scrabble with me on Friday night, and then fell asleep on the couch after the news, refusing to go to her own bed.
Mom was in and out of sleep for most of the weekend, and I administered the morphine periodically under her tongue. She was not interested in food, and her oxygen and the morphine were all that she wanted or would tolerate. I slept in a chair by the sofa to ensure she wouldn’t be alone, and so that she wouldn’t fall off the couch if she was restless.
There’s never a good time for any of us to leave this earth, whatever our faith or belief systems may be. But, I truly believe she was either talking to her long-missed relatives or having some sort of serious conversation that she didn’t want me interrupting.
Any time I woke her to ask a question about going to bed, eating, or taking her medicine, she’d rouse for a minute, her mind would clear of her preoccupation enough to answer, and then she’d go right back into her dreaming state.
Not being a person of faith, I, too, worry about my eventual end. Memories of how peaceful it was for Mom help me calm those anxieties.
Mom died on a beautiful Monday morning in April, about 10am, shortly after the visiting nurse had arrived and we moved her to her bed.
I hope my answer helps, too.
When I was with my sister at hospice it seem as if the morphine made her comfortable and unaware of her breathing problems. I was with her the entire time and it was very peaceful. No pain no feeling of smothering. It is much different than when we have shortness of breath episodes or pneumonia or bronchitis. It was similar with my parents who both had lung disease also. Being with them as they crossed over to the next path gives me comfort that their crossing was peaceful and tranquil. It also gives me comfort that mine will be when it is my time to cross over. I am stage 3 COPD. I work very hard to keep the lung capacity I have. I do breathing exercises to retain the capacity I still have. I do yoga and eat a very healthy organic diet. It helps tremendously and it makes breathing easier. Meditation also helps in many ways. My faith is also a great comfort. I hope this might be of help to you. Wishing your path to be filled with harmony happiness laughter tranquility and easy breathing always.
As everyone else has indicated, morphine for people at end of life who have COPD is to ease the "air hunger" that people often experience toward the end of life with this chronic condition. The morphine eliminates that discomfort and allows relaxation and calm to be primary. Anyone who's watched someone struggle for breath would welcome it!
I have has COPD for about 13 yrs, and am stage 4. So far so, I try to take care of my self and try not to overdo things. So just keep calm and so dwell on your health, just live life to the fullest you can.
I take morphine has needed when I am having a bad breathing day, it helps me a lot, I am stage four .....
You all have a good breathing day...
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