Withdrawl Of Assisted Breathing

[Islay]

My friends husband has MS advanced stages, last week he choked on a sandwich and was found sometime later unconscious and not breathing, they rushed him to hospital and he has been in a coma since.

Today they decided to remove his assisted breathing, how long will he last without it? They are now providing palliative care.

Anyone with any knowledge on this?

Thank you

[pixie374]

That really depends on his own breathing. Very hard to tell.

[Islay]

OK thanks Pixie I don't know how his breathing is.

[Sqad]

I presume that the assisted breathing was via a tracheostomy.(Tube in the neck)

Who can say............48 hours.......depending upon how he can breath without assistance, which will be monitored by blood gas levels.

Sounds pretty terminal to me.

[Islay]

Yes I believe it is a case of it being terminal - even if he pulled through apparently brain damage was going to be very serious!

[paddywak]

There was a case in American,a young lady called Carol Anne Qinlan,who after being taken off her ventilator started breathing by herself and though she remained in a coma and was fed through tubes she survived nearly nine years before dying of pneumonia. so I suppose it depends on what care he gets.

[EDDIE51]

Happened with my Father in Law last week. He had lung cancer terminal, no hope. Could only breath with machine assistance.
Thursday they said they would turn the machine off, that happened at 9 am. It was expected to be 'very quick' but he hung on 13 hours till 10 05 pm. Astounded everyone. He was on morphine so no suffering.

[Islay]

Thank you Eddie for my friend I have mixed feelings, if he passes quickly she can start to make arrangements, if he lingers she is stuck in limbo

[Peter Pedant]

On the facts you have given us
we can't tell

The Karen Quinlan case is reported here
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199405263302101

and i think is unhelpful

[Islay]

Update - my friends husband passed away peacefully this morning.

[Sqad]

Feedback much appreciated.

[murraymints]

hope the soul is at peace now..thinking of your friend at this sad time x

[Mamyalynne]

Condolences to your friend.

[Prudie]

How very sad and at Christmas too. Condolences to your friend.

[Islay]

Its heartbreaking he was such a happy man and never let his illness get to him. He will be sadly missed.

[EDDIE51]

My Condolences , We found that once my Father In Law passed away things became easier, the worst was the waiting for the inevitable.

[Islay]

I agree Eddie, she has her family and faith she can now make arrangements and start to move on.

[EDDIE51]

My view is that if a person has had a happy life their passing is not a cause for despair and grief. More a chance to look back with pride what they achieved in life.