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M
MarkRh Asked January 2018

Use of a catheter for a cancer patient with limited mobility. Any advice?

My mom is at home in hospice and at the end stages of lung cancer. Her mobility is extremely limited and her oxygen issues are severe. Division in the family about a catheter. Does anybody have any advice about using a catheter for an 83 year old limited mobility lung cancer patient with the severe oxygen issues? If anyone has any opinions it's appreciated. Thank you

Shane1124 Jan 2018
If it were my mom I would try to encourage your mother to have a catheter inserted. It’s very energy consuming for an end Stage COPD patient to roll back and forth to change wet pull ups and bedding. At least ask her to try it.
Often catheters can cause urinary tract infections but if inserted under sterile conditions and monitored regularly and anchored properly for a hospice patient I think it’s better than lying in wet sheets or pull ups. 
By anchored properly make sure the nurse uses a device usually adhered on the upper thigh that has a Velcro strap that can be used to secure the tube to her leg so it doesn’t cause discomfort from pulling. 
Good luck to you.

chdottir Jan 2018
I don't have any direct experience. When MIL was virtually bedridden, hospice suggested a catheter might be easier on her than trying to use the commode or having diapers changed. She wouldn't consider it. I think it would have been worth considering, given how fragile she was at the end so that even changing diapers was hard on her.

Hopefully somebody will chime in who has more experience.

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