Living with COPD

My mom has been living with COPD for 8 years now, which like in most cases gas got worse over time. Last year mom became unwell and taken into hospital, were she had to wear the NIV mask (non-invasive ventalitation) but because moms Co2 leavels were so high she was becoming aggitated and confusion and refused to wear the mask. Doctors told us that if did not wear the mask that she would die, nothing that we did would make her wear it. Later that day mom was taken to ITU to be sedated so that she would keep the mask on. after four days she was well enough to go back to a normal ward and after two weeks was discharged home.

With mom being back home with us was fantastic. Six days after mom being home, her mother, my grandmother passed away suddenly and we were all hit by grief. a week later the funeral took place and we all tried to get on with life. mom took things really badly and again was took into hospital where again went down hill really fast. mom was not eating or drinking and was put back onto the NIV mask.

Doctors asked me to get my brother and sister to the hospital and sat us down and told us that mom was going to die and that if her heart was to stop that they would not try to re start it, and that they were just giving her TLC. this came as a massive shock and we all took it in turns to stay with her. i remember looking at her and she looked so weak and poorly. after a couple of days mom seemed to be getting better and came off the NIV mask, the doctors were so shocked that she had pulled through and after five weeks she was discharged home.

All this was over a year ago now, and mom is doing really well, she has been back in hospital a couple of times but has not been so poorly. we all are looking forward to a bright future and hopefully a lung transplant.