| Subject | Date Asked | Expert |
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| Morphine | 8/19/2008 | Margot RN BScN CGN |
Q: I am caring for my wife who is under hospice care for 4 weeks. She was diagnosed with stage 4 lung ...
A: I think your wife has built up tolerance and her current medication regime is simply not working so ...
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| Friend dealing with life support issue on adult child | 8/13/2008 | Paul D. Friedman, M.A., Ph.D., J.D. |
Q: I have a friend who's adult child was put on life support a few days ago. She has been estranged ...
A: Mindi, Her mother needs to speak to an attorney immediately to determine her rights. She can also ...
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| Mother is in end-stage COPD | 8/12/2008 | Margot RN BScN CGN |
Q: My 84 yr. old mother has been diagnosed with end-stage COPD. She also has CHF. She is on oxygen ...
A: It sounds to me like your Mother has prided herself on being an active and contributing member of ...
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| my son has kidney failure | 8/12/2008 | Paul D. Friedman, M.A., Ph.D., J.D. |
Q: my son is 25 and has learning disabilitys the doctors are now saying that he is unable to make ...
A: Sandra, I strongly suggest you see a lawyer. If your son does not have decision making capacity, ...
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| DNR | 8/10/2008 | Paul D. Friedman, M.A., Ph.D., J.D. |
Q: If you have a DNR order and decide to have a cardiac catheterization and possible stent, does that ...
A: Karen, I am going to answer your question from an ethics standpoint and not give legal advice. ...
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| Lung Cancer | 7/29/2008 | Margot RN BScN CGN |
Q: Mu 43 yr old husband was just recently diagnosed with lung cancer. I am totally lost and don't know ...
A: I am sorry to read about your husband’s diagnosis; the time after the diagnosis is a very scary ...
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| my grandmother is sick and has 2 options related to life support | 7/22/2008 | Paul D. Friedman, M.A., Ph.D., J.D. |
Q: My grandmother is 84 years old. She fell and broke her pelvic bones as well as got a urinary tract ...
A: Bethany, I cannot answer your question as no ethicist could answer it. The first thing that must ...
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| Dying | 7/1/2008 | Margot RN BScN CGN |
Q: My mother tried to wake up my grandmother 3 weeks ago and she had passed. My mom seems to have ...
A: Dementia is a slow, progressive disease and does not suddenly occur so I doubt your Mother has ...
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| Mother in-law dying | 6/30/2008 | Margot RN BScN CGN |
Q: My mother in law is currently in a hospice with terminal cancer (colon metastasized to liver). When ...
A: Below is an excerpt which I think should answer all your questions. I hope this helps and I wish you ...
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| Looking after my Mother | 6/17/2008 | Paul D. Friedman, M.A., Ph.D., J.D. |
Q: My Mam, who is 78 this yr has been gradually going down hill, (mentally) since 2000 when my Dad ...
A: Chris, You provided quite an expressive narrative of your mother, however, I am not exactly certain ...
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| rectal cancer | 6/3/2008 | Margot RN BScN CGN |
Q: My 95 year old grandmother was just diagnosed with rectal cancer. They did a colonoscopy and found a ...
A: Sandee I think you need to request a family Care Conference asap so you, and any other interested ...
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| kidney and respitory failure | 6/3/2008 | Margot RN BScN CGN |
Q: My mom has been in the hospital for 2 months after a fall. She has emphazema, congestive heart ...
A: I’m so sorry to hear about your Mother's poor health. The first thing you need to do is find out if ...
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| mom has end stage copd | 5/31/2008 | Margot RN BScN CGN |
Q: my mom has had copd for the last 15 years. she was recently hospitalized and released into home ...
A: As you are no doubt well aware, COPD is a progressive condition which slowly worsens year after year ...
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| Fathers Death | 5/27/2008 | Margot RN BScN CGN |
Q: I have some unanswered questions that i was wondering if you could please answer, and if not, then ...
A: I am sorry to read about your father’s passing; I know how painful it is to lose both parents at ...
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| Hospice | 5/25/2008 | Margot RN BScN CGN |
Q: My mother has been a long time sufferrer of COPD & CHF. Recently, she has been haing more and more ...
A: Generally “Palliative” patients are those who have been assessed to have less than three months to ...
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| Liver Cancer | 5/24/2008 | Paul D. Friedman, M.A., Ph.D., J.D. |
Q: i'm 17 and my dad has liver cancer. It has spread to his lungs. After some research over the ...
A: Winnie, I am not an oncologist and suggest your family listen to the treating doctor regarding ...
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| Removing Life Support | 5/12/2008 | Paul D. Friedman, M.A., Ph.D., J.D. |
Q: My 82-year-old mother has been in the ICU with a ventilator and feeding tube for 2 weeks. She had a ...
A: Kitty, Sorry to hear about your mother's condition. The first thing you need to do is find out if ...
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| COPD | 5/3/2008 | Paul D. Friedman, M.A., Ph.D., J.D. |
Q: My husband has had copd since 2000, he has been hospitalized alot with his breathing , so far this ...
A: Sandra, I am sorry to hear about your husband. It is not possible to say without examining your ...
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| kidney failure | 4/25/2008 | Margot RN BScN CGN |
Q: thanks cathy
A: This is a very difficult position for anyone to make but you have to base your decision on QUALITY ...
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| Grandfather - end stage renal failure | 4/3/2008 | Margot RN BScN CGN |
Q: My grandfather is in palliative care for end stage renal failure. We were told it would be a fairly ...
A: I am so sorry to hear about your Grandfather’s struggle and obvious discomfort. There should be no ...
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| my brother on life support | 3/31/2008 | Paul D. Friedman, M.A., Ph.D., J.D. |
Q: my brother has been on life support for 3 days because of phenmonia it is so severe it has gotten ...
A: Brenda, Just because your brother is on life support does not mean he is going to succumb. Life ...
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| 89 year old grandmother end stages. | 3/30/2008 | Paul D. Friedman, M.A., Ph.D., J.D. |
Q: My grandmother is 89 years old. Has copd,dimensia,alz...well she is at the end no. We have hospice ...
A: Jamie, There is no way to tell when someone is going to die in the situation you described. It ...
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| grandfathers dying | 3/24/2008 | Paul D. Friedman, M.A., Ph.D., J.D. |
Q: MY grandfather was given 4-6 weeks to live. We are already 4 weeks into this diagnosis. My ...
A: Jenny, I am sorry to hear about your grandfather. A prognosis such as this is meaningless as each ...
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| 86 y/o father failure to thrive, under hospice care | 3/20/2008 | Margot RN BScN CGN |
Q: My father is 86 and is completely bedridden. He has NPH and emphysema; he also has had numerous ...
A: I am sorry to hear about your Father's illness, I’m sure this is a very difficult time for you and ...
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| My Uncle | 3/17/2008 | Margot RN BScN CGN |
Q: My dear uncle was diagnosed with COPD last January (07). He is 81. Thus followed two further ...
A: Obviously I am not familiar with your uncle's case, but from what you wrote it does sound like ...
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| coping with your best friend having cancer | 3/17/2008 | Margot RN BScN CGN |
Q: At her 21st birthday in November my best friend Becca was taken into hospital with a stiff arm. She ...
A: I'm so sorry to hear about your friend's diagnosis - cancer is difficult to deal with at any age, ...
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| Decision Maker | 3/13/2008 | Paul D. Friedman, M.A., Ph.D., J.D. |
Q: My dad has been on oxygen for about a year, 24/7 he was very ill and send to the hospital from the ...
A: Christiane, The "right" decision is the decision your father would make if he were capable of doing ...
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| mums death | 3/7/2008 | Margot RN BScN CGN |
Q: My mum has recently passed away at 50 years of age from COPD. My emotions are up and down I fell ...
A: I apologise for my delay in responding, computer challenges! Please do not feel guilty that you ...
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| COPD+end stage | 3/7/2008 | Margot RN BScN CGN |
Q: My mother was diagnosed with COPD approx. 5 years ago, although, in retrospect we now think she had ...
A: It sounds like you are all trying to do what is best for your Mother and have managed quite well so ...
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| no life support and in hospice 3wks | 2/26/2008 | Paul D. Friedman, M.A., Ph.D., J.D. |
Q: My friend was in a car accident and was severely injured. His brain stem was torn. In the ...
A: Brandi, Everybody is different when it comes to this stage so time frames are not always accurate. ...
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| Pancreatic cancer involving the liver | 2/25/2008 | Margot RN BScN CGN |
Q: My Mum has just been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer which has (metastasized?)to the liver. The ...
A: It will certainly be a lot of work and a full-time commitment, but I believe the time is ...
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| COPD and Congestive Heart Failure | 2/20/2008 | Margot RN BScN CGN |
Q: My mom (who is 82) has been diagnosed with severe COPD and CHF. She has recently been suffering ...
A: This is very general and may not be the course your Mom follows, but I can tell you how an average ...
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| Kennedy skin disorder? | 2/15/2008 | Paul D. Friedman, M.A., Ph.D., J.D. |
Q: My mother has been slowly wasting away from a degenerative brain disease, and the nurse recently ...
A: Cathy, It sounds like you are describing a decubitis ulcer or what is commonly known as a "bed ...
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| stage 4 melanoma | 2/14/2008 | Margot RN BScN CGN |
Q: My father is suffering from stage 4 melanoma started under his toenail. The past 2 months he has ...
A: I would guess that your Dad’s brain tumour is causing all the behaviours you have described; it is ...
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| last stages of death | 2/14/2008 | Margot RN BScN CGN |
Q: I recently sat within two hours of his death. He was sleeping and breathly irregularly (on oxygen). ...
A: Many people "see people" (or things or spirits or whatever) during their final days - this is not ...
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| Should she be fed? | 2/12/2008 | Margot RN BScN CGN |
Q: My mum is 72 and has COPD. Recently she has been in hospital more than she has been out. On ...
A: I do apologise for my tardy response, my Laptop froze on me and I had to get it repaired this week. ...
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| 93 yr. old mother | 1/26/2008 | Margot RN BScN CGN |
Q: my mother fell in may of 2007 and went to the hospital. They kept her for 10 days with a broken ...
A: I'm sorry to read about your Mother's recent struggles, I hope I can answer your questions for you. ...
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| My Grandad-Mottling | 1/22/2008 | Margot RN BScN CGN |
Q: My grandad is 70+ and hopitalized. Last night his feet were mottled and now his fingers are ...
A: It sounds to me like your Granddad's body is shutting down and he will pass away in the near future. ...
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| how do you tell a 4 year old about death? | 1/16/2008 | Margot RN BScN CGN |
Q: My grandfather, my daughter's great-grandfather or Pop-Pop as she calls him is in ICU right now and ...
A: Talking To Children About Death Introduction If you are concerned about discussing death with your ...
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| Death Stages | 1/15/2008 | Margot RN BScN CGN |
Q: My father is probably going to be passing away in the next 2-72 hours. At this time his breathing ...
A: I'm sorryto read about your Dad's imminent passing, I hope it is peaceful. Below is an excerpt ...
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