Fao Sqad- Grandfather's Extreme Ill Health

[kvalidir]

Hi Sqad, or anyone else with relevant experience/ expertise. I wonder if I could have an opinion and some advice please?
Very worried about my Grandfather 76, who is currently residing in one of my downstairs rooms. He has a lot of medical issues ( 3 major heart attacks ( stented complete left bundle branch blockage 2012, 2 further after that), 2 strokes (2015 and 2016), COPD ( since 2007, 2 ltrs oxygen 18 hours + per day), insulin controlled type 2 diabetes with diabetic neuropathy in both legs/feet with tendency to spontaneous diabetic blisters, unstented (because they couldn't get stents in) vascular issues in his groin, large umbilical hernia, slow growing lung cancer, kidney failure (3 or 3b sorry can't remember off the top of my head) and significant Psoriasis so that his skin splits easily. He also has issues sleeping, particularly in bed and is prone to panic attacks when he feels he can't breathe. He has cellulitis in his legs and is usually on some form of antibiotic. He takes morphine for pain control and iron as he's anaemic. He has a Boston Pacemaker fitted and his BP is usually very low around 100/65 ish but is normal for him since his heart issues and hasn't changed recently.
He's lost a significant amount of weight in the last 3 months ( approx 2 stone, from around 15 stone to 13 stone) and has struggled to walk for the last year or so but has been mobile, albeit with difficulty. Noticeable change in him since I got back, now very depressed, very frail and cannot stand unaided or walk at all really. Today he appears weaker than ever. Is there anything at all we can do to improve his mobility, as I feel this has led to him going further and further downhill and I''m worrying about bedsores etc ( has a mattress and cushion to counteract that).He has walking aids etc and a mobility scooter and electric wheelchair but isn't inclined to use them anymore. He sees regular medical professionals, but a new set of eyes never goes amiss, or is this just a normal and natural getting towards the end phase, as I am aware he is very ill?
Full list of medication and dosage below.
Many thanks, feeling so sorry for him today x

Salbutamol 100micrograms/dose inhaler CFC free
One Or Two Puffs To Be Inhaled Four Times A Day When Required
Omeprazole 20mg gastro-resistant capsules
One To Be Taken Each Day
Lantus 100units/ml solution for injection 3ml pre-filled SoloStar pen (Sanofi)
For Subcutaneous Injection (76 Units in the morning).
NovoRapid FlexPen 100units/ml solution for injection 3ml pre-filled pen (Novo Nordisk Ltd)
as directed by hospital
Sitagliptin 25mg tablets
one tablet in the morning
Allopurinol 100mg tablets
Two To Be Taken Each Day After Food
Nebivolol 2.5mg tablets
One To Be Taken Daily
Apixaban 2.5mg tablets
One To Be Taken Twice A Day
Morphine sulfate 10mg/5ml oral solution
5- 10mls to be taken four hourly as required
Docusate 100mg capsules
One To Be Taken Three Times A Day
Laxido Orange oral powder sachets sugar free (Galen Ltd)
One Sachet To Be Taken Twice A Day
Bumetanide 1mg tablets
Three tablets to be taken am, then increased on 23/10 to 2mg pm also
Omnican Fine hypodermic insulin needles for pre-filled / reusable pen injectors screw on 6mm/32gauge (B.Braun Medical Ltd)
For Use With Insulin Pen As Directed
Ferrous fumarate 210mg tablets
One To Be Taken Twice A Day
GlucoRx Nexus testing strips (GlucoRx Ltd)
As Directed
Fostair 100micrograms/dose / 6micrograms/dose inhaler (Chiesi Ltd)
Two Puffs To Be Inhaled Twice A Day
Salbutamol 2.5mg/2.5ml nebuliser liquid unit dose vials
One Dose To Be Inhaled Four Times A Day
Glyceryl trinitrate 400micrograms/dose pump sublingual spray
for angina SIT DOWN spray 1-2 doses under tongue. Close mouth. Wait 5 minutes. If pain has not resolved repeat process. After 5 minutes if you still have pain CALL 999.
Incruse Ellipta 55micrograms/dose dry powder inhaler (GlaxoSmithKline UK Ltd)
One Dose To Be Inhaled Each Day
Diazepam 5mg tablets
1 or 2 to be taken as needed

[bainbrig]

Kindness. Loving kindness. In the end that is all we can offer.

Love, and peace.

I feel for him, and for you.

BillB

[kvalidir]

Thank you Bill, he's feeling not so bad at the moment thankfully, earlier he was awful, so fingers crossed he has a good night x

[tamborine]

kval you might need a licence for more stock, depends on research. Dont inhale fumes, use outside to disperse fumes, wear gloves & overalls.8

[kvalidir]

I always wear gloves etc and I'm sensible with it, but I'll look into that more, not that I've done any for ages anyway. Thanks Tambo x

[tinkerbell23]

Kval... can I add my tuppenceworth in!?

I immediately had the same thoughts as sqad sadly.

Does Grandad have a Macmillan nurse? If not might be a good support at home. District nurse/GP can refer if not!

Keep well xx

[bunkmoreland]

kval,tell him they're doing a renovation of the Albert Clock after all those years of beer bottles being chucked at it ;-)!! He'll understand:-)

[LadyCG]

I absolutely agree with Sqad. His time has come and I'm not in the least surprised that hes fed up of suffering.

I'm also not surprised about the weight loss, given his malignant process.

Just do what you can to make him comfortable.

I'm sorry to to hear about your partner's exacerbated autoimmune process. Winter can be a right *** when it comes to our ailments. xx

[bunkmoreland]

Its a Belfast thing from many years ago!

[Theland]

So sorry. I think Squad said the right thing.

Well done Tambos son.

[kvalidir]

Sorry I only just saw these last few answers.

Tinks- yes well he has a liaison with the local hospice who organised specialist nurses and everyone who comes into him are absolutely great in fairness. x

Bunkmoreland- he laughed x

Theland -Yeah I think he's had enough tbh, although in himself he's a bit brighter but he's still not able to stand unaided or walk at all so I don't really think it's going to get better. x

LadyCG- I imagine so, I was surprised how much weight he'd actually lost ( they haven't treated the cancer at all really because they said given all of his other health issues he was more like to die 'with it' than 'of it'. The Community Matron expects he'll go because of a 'massive event' she said some time ago rather than the cancer as he is generally very poorly and in many ways I hope that she's right, but it's still very hard to watch :(

My partner sent me a pic yesterday of himself and he looks like he's swallowed a cricketball, you can see the lump in his throat really clearly and his right eye is playing up as well now, so everything is just a bit 54it at the moment. Can;t wait for this year to be over :/

Thank you all for your kind thoughts x