Do not blame yourself, the ones giving the orders for morphine are to blame. You didn't know any better but they do. God does not hold people accountable for accidents, especially those we repent of and have great sorrow over towards God. Jesus knows your heart and your struggle.
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My father passed away 6 days ago at his home, he had dementia but not severe not diagnosed with alzheimers. He was alert the last week of March and back and forth the following weeks. He was in Hospice by my step mother, from what I have gleaned from his care about two weeks ago he was agitated, acting out. They gave him Atavan (which can produce those symptoms) then switched to Haldol which sedated him, then gave him morphine (the lowest dose) to "keep him comfortable from pain" I questioned several times over and over what "pain" was he feeling? He did not have any chronic /terminally illness such as cancer, ect...needless to say he was kept in a drug induced stupor so he could not eat or drink. I again questioned this care but it was too late. I believe hospice influenced my step mother into thinking he was on his way out. But to me they hastened his death by keeping him in a drug induced stupor thus he succumbed to dehydration and starvation. The death certificate stated that the cause of death was dementia. The only reason I know this is that the funeral home called me to ask me how long he had dementia because his doctor did not put a time frame on the certificate and they could not get in contact with him the other day? the whole series of events leading up to the death of my father is disturbing to say the least. I am going to continue to follow up and try to get a more detailed account of how this happened the last four weeks.
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Very interesting post. May I ask, would they have let you stop them or prevent them from administering that bunch of meds?
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My mum was given morphine when she was in hospital ,, showing no sigh of pain but she doesn't talk because she has dementia
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I experienced the same thing with my mother. The day before hospice raised het douse of meds, she was eating, sitting up, and talking. My sister stayed with her for the night. The next morning the nurse from hospice instructed my sister to give mom 5mg of ativan liquid, 20mg morphine every hour. When I saw het at three pm, her face was swollen, she couldn't speak and was very combative. The hospice nurse came in at 4pm and wanted us to make the decision whether or not to give her haldol. She said it would make her rest easier and sleep. We didn't know better, we just wanted mom to be relaxed. At 5pm she was given the first shot oof haldol. At 6pm she was given another shot. She was fighting everyone. Very restless. I never saw this in my mom before. She wad the sweetest person in the world. They were scheduled to give another shot in a couple of hours, she didn't get it. She died at 7pm. I think hospice took her life by misleading us about the drug reactions. This should not happen to anyone. God is the only one that can take you on his timing.
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I found your article because my mom is on hospiss and I am tired of the nurses asking if she needs morphine! And suggesting she may be in pain. Really? You see she is relaxed and resting well!! One day the home health nurse from Kaiser asked about her needing morphine. I was like WHAT? I ask her, "why is everyone asking me about drugs?? I don't think she replied to my direct question. Last evening my mom's breathing concerned me in the early morning before day. I spoke with a very understanding male nurse. He named 2 different meds I can give her IF I CHOOSE TO. HE STATED LETTING GO IS HARD. HE WAS VERY PATIENT. I wonder if hospiss gets paid more for patients on morphine??!
Mom will be 94 next week.
Mom will be 94 next week.
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Wrong Dilaudid is even worse as it is over 10 times stronger than morphine. Opiates will lower the blood pressure especially in elderly and stays in the system a long time. Mistakes made on giving patient more. Opiates caused my mothers death as it created so much damage to her. Elderly have to be given small dosages and most hospitals think same dosage for all. So many hospital staffs know little about side effects to watch on pain medicine and we lose our loved ones
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Hospitals now offer hospice to elderly patients needing care and are quick to say they lived a good life but its a way of stopping their regular meds making them comfortable ...hospice should only be used in severe cases because all they do is make them comfortable drug them up and wait. Life has no expiration date older people get better its the use of morphine and opiates that changes that. How can a doctor tell you the time span they don't even know the person. Each person is stronger and different. Don't use hospice , give them their regular medicine and a good doctor. A doctor who is going to do all that is possible to give them life not a comfortable death. Its hard to let go yes....but even harder knowing they didn't have to go and mistakes were made.
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You have to review her drugs. Read up on them and you know your mom better than anyone. I hear this a lot....she was ok and aware only had medical issue....after opiates and all it sounds like what I saw in my mother......who was a strong lady and ex nurse.....she even said what have they done to me.... a ex war nurse knew something was wrong. For all with someone in the hospital ..question ask what is given and assume nothing. I saw that nurse had no idea what pill or shot or iv was given..they knew nothing about the side effects to watch for and opiates will put them in respiratory depression cause distended abdomen and change them so much until it is out of their system. You are right....Only God knows and all doctors must do their best to the last minute..to save not make death easy.....We must be aware . I witnessed so many mistakes so I know how they can happen.
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Great comment and 100% true....We all need to question and learn about all drugs given . The person who knows the patient knows more than someone going by the book.....Everyone is different . Its all out there but it needs to be listened to. It takes all of us to make sure the medical field is safe and right now I don't think so.............
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I TOO,AM TAKING CARE OF MY MOTHER AT HOME,YET EVERYTIME HOSPICE CALLS TO SAY THEY ARE COMING TO JUST BATHE MOM,THEY TELL ME "TO MED HER BEFORE THEY GET HER" SHE SLEPT 17 HRS.!! EVERYDAY HAS BEEN PURE HELL TO TELL THE RN OR CNA,,IT IS NOT NEEDED.THEY GET SOOO UPSET WITH ME..WELL,I LET THEM TALK ME INTO THE MED TOO MANY TIMES,NOW SHE SLOWLY DIEING IN FRONT OF OUR EYES. SO SAD FOR ANYONE TO GO THROUGH. I HATE HOSPICE SOMETHINK HAS TO BE DONE TO STOP THIS PRACTICE!!
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My mom was a victim of over dose of morphine. They gave her morphine every hour. then every 6 hours they give her a cocktail. that's what they called it. she couldn't speak she was so heavily sedated. Even if she was sleeping they still gave it to her around the clock actually I shouldn't say they. they make a family member give it to them. which was my oldest sister. two and a half days of hospice the last day they told her to up the morphine. I asked her why she was giving that to her she wasn't in no pain. as far as I understood it was supposed to be managing the pain. My sister said they said to up the dose but I did not. I'm sorry she listened to everything they said. she did up the dose. I saw it my mom lasted 10 minutes after that dose. I want everybody to know not like me when it's too late. It was horrible. I wish I would have known what I know now I would have never let my sister ever give her that. morphine. the nurse told me specifically do not give her water. Let her have this little sponge. I feel they want them dehydrated. I will tell my story to anybody. the funniest part is theyfor everything even the cremation. I guess a Medicare patient in the long run will be less money if they're not here. I feel they want to hurry up and get rid of them. no one needs to be done like this. I think about my mom everyday. I haven't spoke to my sister since my mom passed away. she knew what she was doing...... sad to say it. when I found out the truth about how everything works, I can only cry and say I am so sorry Mom. please share this amongst everybody so they know.
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I know how you feel. I'm so sorry your going throuh this.your absolutely right!!!!!
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I just found out, while going through my mother's medical records, that she was given morphine against my instructions. She passed away several days later. If you agree that we must take a stand against hospice and their morphine abuse, please check out the reviews for my book, "The Neglected Ones" on Amazon. At the end of the novel there is a checklist for how we can come together and bring about change.
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