Both my father and brother had Morphine and Ativan during their last days. They were extremely comfortable and peaceful. My father had shortness of breath and I asked him if he wanted me to give him the meds that would put him to sleep and make him more comfortable and he nodded yes. No regrets both slept sound and no apparent distress. I am very grateful for hospice foe their compassion. In my opinion MS does not kill but helps the suffering patient leave this world with dignity and comfort .My last days with both my brother and father were very sad but I am grateful and comforted knowing they did not suffer. In my faith I believe God has the final say when one leaves this earth.
In the case of my uncle who was on hospice, he was having pain and was gasping for air. Morphine relieved his pain and dulled his need for oxygen, in turn made him more comfortable, but also put him to sleep.
He didn't die because of morphine. He died because he wasn't eating or drinking. The reason he didn't eat or drink because his liver and kidneys were failing and shutting down.
I suppose my uncle "lived" his last two weeks pain free.
Morphine doesn't do either of those things. It is a drug that relieves pain. A very strong one. It is a drug that relieves air hunger in one's last time, when struggling for air causes panic. It is a drug that sedates as a side effect. The giving of morphine with hospice care may speed death by some minutes, hours, or days when it is needed in doses large enough to suppress the breathing systems. However, at the same time, by preventing panic, struggle and agony it may also prolong life by some minutes or hours or days. Please discuss the administration of Morphine with Hospice or with ordering MD.
I can honestly tell you that my Husband would have been in much more pain had it not been for the Morphine that I was able to give him. It was not enough to make him "comatose" it was enough so that I could move his contracted arms and legs without causing him more pain. It was enough so that I could move his arms so that he was less constricted so that his breathing was better. Was that enough to allow him to "live"? I doubt that anyone would have called what the shell of what once was a vibrant, loving, always smiling man was doing was "living" ... he was surviving. Would he, or anyone for that matter want to "live" like that? What the morphine did do was allow him to be relatively pain free for a while, for that I am grateful!
(if you are talking about Hospice giving morphine to a patient, the amount of morphine given to a family to give to their loved one is not enough to kill them, they are very controlled about the amount that is given and it is documented as to the amount that has been administered over the course of the time on Hospice. Same in a hospital, morphine is controlled and each dose is documented not enough is given to cause the death of a patient.) {this is excluding stories of "angels of death"}
Totally agree with you about the dosage of morphine with hospice. I was required to keep a log of each dose with time and amount, this was reviewed by hospice nurse at each visit. When my dad died, one of the first things the nurse did was destroy all remaining meds with us watching her. We weren’t given enough at any time to cause an overdose
When my dad was in end stage congestive heart failure and gasping for each breath, morphine eased his breathing and made it so much easier for him. He was calm and no longer gasping for air. I was and am grateful to have had it used for him
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He didn't die because of morphine. He died because he wasn't eating or drinking. The reason he didn't eat or drink because his liver and kidneys were failing and shutting down.
I suppose my uncle "lived" his last two weeks pain free.
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The giving of morphine with hospice care may speed death by some minutes, hours, or days when it is needed in doses large enough to suppress the breathing systems. However, at the same time, by preventing panic, struggle and agony it may also prolong life by some minutes or hours or days.
Please discuss the administration of Morphine with Hospice or with ordering MD.
It was not enough to make him "comatose" it was enough so that I could move his contracted arms and legs without causing him more pain. It was enough so that I could move his arms so that he was less constricted so that his breathing was better. Was that enough to allow him to "live"?
I doubt that anyone would have called what the shell of what once was a vibrant, loving, always smiling man was doing was "living" ... he was surviving.
Would he, or anyone for that matter want to "live" like that?
What the morphine did do was allow him to be relatively pain free for a while, for that I am grateful!
(if you are talking about Hospice giving morphine to a patient, the amount of morphine given to a family to give to their loved one is not enough to kill them, they are very controlled about the amount that is given and it is documented as to the amount that has been administered over the course of the time on Hospice. Same in a hospital, morphine is controlled and each dose is documented not enough is given to cause the death of a patient.) {this is excluding stories of "angels of death"}