AboutMargot RN BScN CGN Expertise I nursed my own Mother and Grandmother at home when they were dying so I have personal experience with the emotions involved. I have also spent the last 15+ years as a Registered Nurse caring for The Elderly and Terminally Ill and it has brought me great satisfaction. I am willing to answer any questions I can.
Experience
Past/Present clients Hundreds of Long Term Care Residents as well as hundreds of Cleitns and families in the community (including my Mother and Grandmother).
Question My father is in late stage Multiple Systems Atrophy (MSA) and is currently at home in a hospice type of situation. He is currently getting a urinary tract infection (UTI) about two weeks (about 4-5 days after the antibiotics are finished). He is thinking about not taking the antibiotics the next time. We think that this would probably lead to a kidney infection and complications from that. Is this a long process or is it a fairly short time from UTI to death? Is it uncomfortable/painful (we have the availability of pain killers from hospice). I know that it is impossible to be specific, but in general how would this progression compare to the progression of untreated pneumonia.
Thanks for your time,
Kirk Jones
Answer The uses of antibiotics in palliative situations is often misunderstood. In my experience we do use them for UTIs as a comfort measure, but not with respiratory infections which would prolong life. UTIs often recur due to reduced fluid intake or catheterizations; UTIs cause uncomfortable symptoms such as urgency, frequency and burning so we treat the infection to reduce the symptoms and promote overall comfort.
