My Mom has been retaining a lot of water, is this a sign of dying? She is getting much weaker too, can barely walk with walker.
She is almost 91, getting really weak now. Her calves and ankles are as hard as rocks and her urine smells awful. One day she loves everyone the next day she is swearing like a pirate. Yesterday is the first time she had no clue who I was.
If a UTI goes untreated it can turn into a kidney infection. This happened to my mom and it was difficult. (Everything resolved and she recovered). The at-home kits are not as effective as those used in labs. If your mom is uncooperative, you can probably take a specimen directly to her doctor, a local hospital or a lab. They may not even require her to come in.
Well I am no doctor but she maybe dehydrated or experiencing low oxygen levels. My mother had swollen ankles and feet and was not drinking enough water. Her varicose veins was effecting her blood circulation. You may want to check for oxygen levels by taking her to the doctor which also can cause confusion if she has not been diagnosed with dementia. Oxygen should be 90%. Also her urine smell can be also related to dehydration especially if it is brown or dark. Water retention could be from a high sodium levels and lack of movement to keep the fluid levels flowing. You may also keep her legs elevated and ask for a MRI or cardiogram of the heart to check for clotting due to water retention. I hope this helps.
No one can say for certain if someone is actively dying. Unless it’s an accidental death or a crime committed, we all die on our own time.
Your mother is exhibiting signs of a urinary tract infection. She needs to have her urine tested. There are home urine test kits, but if it’s positive, she will still need to be tested again and have antibiotics prescribed. If she is retaining so much water that her calves and ankles are hard, it may be a heart issue. In any case, she needs to see her doctor or you at least need to call him/her.
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Take care.
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Your mother is exhibiting signs of a urinary tract infection. She needs to have her urine tested. There are home urine test kits, but if it’s positive, she will still need to be tested again and have antibiotics prescribed. If she is retaining so much water that her calves and ankles are hard, it may be a heart issue. In any case, she needs to see her doctor or you at least need to call him/her.