She has Achalasia and the doctor refused to do her last botox treatment because of her poor health. She now can't keep almost anything down. She has so much mucus and phlegm she chokes on it. Her intake pretty much just sits in her esophagus until she gets bad pain and only gets relief when she throws it up. Hospice put her on scopolamine (?) patch and it helps but she gets sore spots from it. Neither the drops or pills we tried help. She has pretty bad dementia. So now with very little food/water intake she's been mumbling, gesturing, not sleeping much. Hospice Nurse came out last night (not her usual one) and said she thinks it's progression of the dementia. Mom seems restless and I can't understand 90% of what she is saying. She seems to be talking to someone nonstop. This sounds really strange but I wish I could understand her side of the conversation. I'd like to join in and offer her whatever I can. I don't want to have nightmares after she passes about her trying to tell me something and I'm not able to understand her. I requested antibiotics in case it's a UTI (she's prone to them). Sorry for the ramble. I know nobody can say for sure but has anyone else's loved one experienced this? Also, she doesn't seem particularly agitated in her "discussions", more animated (?). But if she wants or needs something I'd like to be able to get it for her, if she just wants conversation I'd like to be able to offer that. I tried reading to her, she used to love that, now I don't think she's even listening. She's making signs like she is eating something sometimes and I know she's hungry. Even when she does manage to eat she gets a bad stomachache. Needless to say I feel so bad for her. I keep her favorite music on. I talk to her anyway. I hold her hand - she sometimes jerks away, possibly involuntarily. She has hand tremors on her "good side" gor the past year. She has been awake since 6 a.m. like this. No signs of sleeping. She usually sleeps all the time. Any ideas?
I can attest to the fact that you're never prepared for the end. Try to stay in the moment and not to worry too much about the "next".
Giving her food at this point is probably counterproductive. I'm so Sorry she's so agitated, and that YOU are dealing with this alone.
Call the hospice nurse and take her advice about giving mom meds from the Comfort Pack you were given.