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 mother is at home under hospice care. Dx:
May 2005 lung cancer stage 4 matastisis to the
bone. Bed ridden non-wt. bearing on 36 difference kinds of medication to control pain & other issues. She has the Steriod look. Feet very very swollen and this past weekend motteling look to ball of foot and
toe area. Feet very deformed looking due to the swelling. Swollen in the leg area, but not as bad as feet. Torsal very swollen and big
She is in her 11th month. Very confuse most days appetite just started to decline about a week ago. Urine appears to be normal in looks.
Question : Is this motteling purplest color normal for a period of time before actively being
in the dying stage. Hospice just says it is part
of the process and lack of oxg. and cir. to the
body. Just wondering if the time is approcaching
within the week. They said she could hang on
for some time. Mom has never been treated for her
condition because of stage 4 cancer Dx:. Only had last summer 10 treatments of radiation to the outer skull bone on forehead. Still has some
residual in the area. In Nov. cancer had spread
to the pelvic area. Who knows where it is now.
In Nov. had not hit the organs or brain yet. Mom
does not want to die and is fighting this. Just
needed a little more information if possible if the motteling is normal weeks before death. My Grandmother did this and it was my first exp. with this sort of thing. She was on her death bed and died within 2 days. Mom is not on her
death bed on a medical stand point. Thank You for any advise you may have on this. Hospice is
not direct and her nurse always says "it could" and "possible" and "sometimes" just very indirect answers. She is with Mount Carmel Hospice in Columbus, Ohio. Non-Profit hospice. They do not have the funding to increase anykind of care for mom outside of there 2 day visits by the nurse to fill pill box and the aid to bath her twice a week if Mom lets her. My Dad and us kids are doing everything for her. Any information we gather is usually from the internet. Thanks for you guidance. Kim from Columbus Ohio
Answer Hi Kim and thanks for writing,
It is difficult to be too sure when answering what the discoloration is due to. Swelling and lack of Oxygen certainly can cause bluish discoloration, but it's generally more evenly spread. Motteling realted to death usually starts at the feet and slowly works it's way up the legs and has a more marbeled appearance. In your Mom's case, it could be a bit of both.
I know you want to know if this is a sign the end is nearing, and sadly all I can say is "it may be". But there are other common signs when the body is starting to shut down which include: decreased thirst & appetite, lethargy, dark urine, and a eneral weakening.
Unfortunately there is no "typical death" - some people look great at lunch and are gone by dusk, others slowly fad away over days or weeks.
I hope ths helps answer your question and I wish you all the best, please write aain if I can be of any more assistance.
