i was a hospice nurse, if hes under hospice, what are they trying to do?/ artificial feedings? im sorry for what u are going thru. im here if u want to talk

Thank you glazzbird. Yes, they are tube/IV feeding him along with broad spectrum anti-biotics for his severe UTI. He has NO muscle mass at all. He was 6'7" at his tallest & now weighs 103 lbs. I just don't understand WHY?

well , the antbx will control the uti, but theres a fine line if he goes to renal failure. iv fluids will hydrate him n flush the kidneys/bladder,, is he responsive , alert?? i would enc the hospice nsg or pastoral/counceling involved to continue education on the process of dying , so your siblings understand n dont have guilt of letting him go thru that process naturally. alot of people feel they r starving the person n continue feedings . i think u need to gently continue to review qaulity of life

Are your siblings Christians?

When my father had a massive stroke which destroyed 80% of his brain (according to the doctor), my mother wanted to pull all artificial tubes keeping him alive and let him go naturally. My sister did not, but I sided with mom. He passed away in 11 days.

A few weeks later we were visiting someone at the nursing home and a man was sitting in a wheelchair and unresponsive, basically a vegetable, no quality of life. My sister told mom she was glad mom did what she did because dad would not have wanted to be like that.

glazzbird, I just went to see him & he had no idea who I was for the first 5 minutes. He was hallucinating badly & thought he was in the episode of "law & order" he was watching. He kept saying "I want to go to the church". Then he chewed me out for never doing things like he wanted me to do. Ornery & mean right up until the end.
Norske-me & my cold hearted sister are the only ones who go to church. I think the other 2 sisters are Christians, but don't have any belief system or go to services. Not saying they are bad people at all, they are nice people. They were raised Catholic,but don't believe in any organized religion.

Praying for God's will to be done. He is in control.

AMEN to that lindajoan. You will have to read my latest post about my ES...garbage upon garbage right now, it stinks!

God's grace and knowledge can overcome any artificial means of support.

Echoing Lindsjoan...praying for God's will to be done

Blessings
AllK

Gordos: Did your father have a living will? If he did, they have to follow his wishes on how his life should end. Otherwise, if you truly believe he is in pain and needs to be assisted medicinally, talk with the nurse the next time she comes or call his doctor. Tell them your concerns. Hospice is a very different thing than just regular care.

If I can help, please ask. Sadly Ive been there. If you don't know if he does have a living will, it is something the hospital would have asked him to do so you need to call them and ask. A lot of times the pastoral care team handles them, but all places are different.

If you feel strongly that what they are doing is cruel, then stand up and say No, and don't let anyone make you feel less than. Less than: feeling unworthy compared to the ones abusing you. You are a child of God and not less than.

Blessings my friend

funny, he was asking about church. is he a christian? if there is a pastor who can see him?? I fully believe dying people can see things we cant, and it goes both ways.. try ministering to him. play calming christian music, even sermons.

glazz, unfortunately, our priest is out of town this week. He did give my dad the anointing of the sick last week, a Catholic sacrament. I am going to call the nun tomorrow & ask her to give him last rites soon..