tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417858178588416830.post6017815343125076709..comments2024-03-19T09:45:12.928-04:00Comments on Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog: Impact of Death Rattle Sounds on Hospice Workers (Research, Video 3:27)Frances Shani Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13963810627889715839noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417858178588416830.post-77084778727328017732022-03-05T22:21:13.965-05:002022-03-05T22:21:13.965-05:00Dear Unknown, I hope you are in contact with medic...Dear Unknown, I hope you are in contact with medical professionals who can evaluate your mother's condition and give you feedback on the status of her condition so you can understand better what stage she is in. They can also tell you about support services available for family members and caregivers. You should not constantly be afraid to leave her alone. As a hospice volunteer for many years, I was able to stay with patients sometimes so the family caregiver could leave for an errand. There was no charge for this. Check to see if that service is available for you. Some churches also have volunteers for sick people. Frances Shani Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13963810627889715839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417858178588416830.post-46331849067471044802022-02-25T12:35:19.645-05:002022-02-25T12:35:19.645-05:00Hello, I am going through exactly the same thing a...Hello, I am going through exactly the same thing apart from my mum is sleeping most of the time and is shallow breathing with a sound like there’s loads of fluid in her chest.<br />When I do finally bring her around she has all her facilities apart from a little confused but she’s not awake for long.<br />Her fingers are quite cold and around her nose area it’s very pale.<br />Her hands also have a bluish/ grey colour.<br />I don’t know if this is the end it’s so frustrating as I don’t want to leave her in case it is.<br />Sorry you are going through this but you are not alone xAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09692134141174708839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417858178588416830.post-38033926220209025782018-09-11T17:00:08.998-04:002018-09-11T17:00:08.998-04:00It is good that you are being proactive. I wish yo...It is good that you are being proactive. I wish you both the best.Frances Shani Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13963810627889715839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417858178588416830.post-58933266776856307202018-07-29T15:18:32.192-04:002018-07-29T15:18:32.192-04:00Why they stop eating and drinking is that a sign o...Why they stop eating and drinking is that a sign of deathAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12153707272344054070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417858178588416830.post-9267062063976920782018-07-29T15:17:16.833-04:002018-07-29T15:17:16.833-04:00When they in pain and they are sleeping it's l...When they in pain and they are sleeping it's like they talking to someoneAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12153707272344054070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417858178588416830.post-69406923545489014822018-07-27T12:51:09.314-04:002018-07-27T12:51:09.314-04:00My mom has entered into hospice due to COPD. I kno...My mom has entered into hospice due to COPD. I know what exacerbating is; however, I'm not sure if her lungs are starting to fill with secretions. Here is what's going on...I do not hear a gurgling sound when she is simply sitting up; however, when she talks I hear a gurgling noise. Could this be secretion build up in the lungs. She has a complete DNR so there is no reason to hastily call the doctor. Will be calling hospice if it worsens, I am just trying to research for my own peace of mind.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00994964498407188731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417858178588416830.post-54708850104043279632017-09-22T22:09:48.832-04:002017-09-22T22:09:48.832-04:00Sometimes tears are happy ones when someone is dyi...Sometimes tears are happy ones when someone is dying. Many times, patients see visions of deceased loved ones and become emotional with joy expressed through tears. Seeing loved ones like this can bring great comfort to the dying process. I wish you peace.Frances Shani Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13963810627889715839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417858178588416830.post-35477585361281857642017-09-22T07:01:15.172-04:002017-09-22T07:01:15.172-04:00Hello I know this is an old post but my dad also s...Hello I know this is an old post but my dad also shed 2 tears out of one eye minutes before he passed away, broke my heart, but at the time I just wasn't up to asking why it happenedAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417858178588416830.post-4463571126410722992017-08-27T08:34:41.673-04:002017-08-27T08:34:41.673-04:00Thank you for sharing your experience. I extend my...Thank you for sharing your experience. I extend my best wishes to you.Frances Shani Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13963810627889715839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417858178588416830.post-35699892856195335922017-08-27T00:19:27.299-04:002017-08-27T00:19:27.299-04:00My stepfather has been very ill for 2 months. He h...My stepfather has been very ill for 2 months. He had a heart attack last night and has been septic with MRSA. He is now in a Hospice center and 2 hours ago the death rattle began. He looks like he is already in Heaven. I believe he is, just waiting on his shell of a body to stop. It's pitiful but I feel he's going peacefully. Reading these comments has really helped and may God bless you all losing loved ones. It's so hard to watch, as death gets physically ugly. A wife of a pastor told me, "we're not put on this earth to live forever." Somehow I found her words to be soothing because it's true. Roxynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417858178588416830.post-47096981243486031352017-07-05T20:05:08.106-04:002017-07-05T20:05:08.106-04:00Extensive research states that the patient is not ...Extensive research states that the patient is not experiencing what you appear to be witnessing because the patient's level of consciousness is very low. I hope you will seek reassurance from a nearby hospice healthcare professional at St. MIchael's Hospice soon who can address your concerns in more detail.Frances Shani Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13963810627889715839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417858178588416830.post-63076607254573628942017-07-05T16:37:10.469-04:002017-07-05T16:37:10.469-04:00I am sat in St Michaels Hospice. I think that the ...I am sat in St Michaels Hospice. I think that the patient should be put into a deep sleep or coma so that they do not experience what I am witnessing. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417858178588416830.post-40575632321482347532017-01-13T18:03:38.269-05:002017-01-13T18:03:38.269-05:00Anonymous, I cannot give you medical advice and ca...Anonymous, I cannot give you medical advice and can only say that in terminal care, drugs may be used to reduce secretions and minimize this death rattle effect. Karen, in the first comment says "Usually I medicate dying patients who have the death rattle with atropine or scopolomine simply because the sound upsets the family so much."<br />Again, I can add that considerable scientific research concludes that the level of consciousness in patients who appear to be actively choking while experiencing the death rattle is usually so low that it is generally assumed that they are not in pain. I wish you well during your caregiving experience. Frances Shani Parkerhttps://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Dead-Right-Hospice-Volunteer/dp/1932690352?ie=UTF8&keywords=becoming+dead+right&qid=1417769603&ref_=sr_1_1&s=books&sr=1-1noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417858178588416830.post-11553521222257289822017-01-13T05:32:40.796-05:002017-01-13T05:32:40.796-05:00I am a caregiver and I have only had two clients w...I am a caregiver and I have only had two clients who had the death rattle occur. My current client just recently started the rattle however it seems to be getting worse faster than my other client. It started off very faint this morning to being extremely loud and there is A LOT of fluid. We are giving her Atropine, is there anything else I can do to help?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417858178588416830.post-45617367315889110002016-11-19T11:06:50.268-05:002016-11-19T11:06:50.268-05:00Peace with you as well. Your high school work as a...Peace with you as well. Your high school work as an orderly was good preparation for you. Your mother is surely proud of you and your family's care and attention.Frances Shani Parkerhttp://www.francesshaniparker.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417858178588416830.post-78156166891165508252016-11-13T15:40:56.978-05:002016-11-13T15:40:56.978-05:00Thank you for sharing your story with us. Peace be...Thank you for sharing your story with us. Peace be with you and your family. Your mother is so very fortunate to be surrounded with so much love on her journey.Frances Shani Parkerhttp://www.francesshaniparker.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417858178588416830.post-49255139491297979572016-11-13T15:15:38.085-05:002016-11-13T15:15:38.085-05:00My mother started the death rattle about 30 hours ...My mother started the death rattle about 30 hours ago and having worked as an orderly 25 years ago as a high school kid making some gas money, I remember those sounds and patients not being around for more than 2 to 3 days. I saw her yesterday and she is in a catatonic state and sleeping with her mouth in the O position. Very sad and I'm glad my father called me Thursday morning and told me I should try and make it home to see her before she passes away. I drove home early from a business trip 400 miles and it was the longest drive of my life - fortunately Friday my mom was somewhat responsive but also hallucinating and seeing things in the room. Yesterday when I arrived my sister and father said she started gurgling late Friday evening so I went to ask the hospice team what that was and they said that it means death is very close. The Dove Center is Westminster, Md. has been very good and I appreciate the warmth and care they have provided my mom the 4 days that she's been with them. Thank you all for sharing and peace be with you!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07118724311254647885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417858178588416830.post-49729207799958111482016-11-13T15:11:15.165-05:002016-11-13T15:11:15.165-05:00Thank you to all that have shared your stories. M...Thank you to all that have shared your stories. My mother is in hospice and was admitted 4 days ago and started the death rattle about 30 hours ago and she sleeps with her mouth wide open. My dad called my Thursday morning to tell me she didn't have long so I drove 400 miles to see her and fortunately on Friday she was conscience and could talk a little. She was imagining things in the room and fell asleep Friday evening and started gurgling in the middle of Friday night. It does sound horrible and I really couldn't take hearing it for more than a couple hours and my father came back to be by her side. As of this afternoon she is still hanging on but I think the end is hours or a day at most from her moving on. Very sad time to see someone have atrophy in so many physical and mental genres. Peace be with you all and your fallen loved ones. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07118724311254647885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417858178588416830.post-85381100584749322162016-09-16T08:39:13.327-04:002016-09-16T08:39:13.327-04:00My sympathy goes to all of you. Thank you for shar...My sympathy goes to all of you. Thank you for sharing your detailed description of this very special experience. Your comments can benefit others who participate in future death vigils.Frances Shani Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13963810627889715839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417858178588416830.post-37704429950910718512016-09-16T01:52:02.552-04:002016-09-16T01:52:02.552-04:00Three hours ago, our family friend took her last b...Three hours ago, our family friend took her last breath with my brother-in-law and me by her side. We had been on vigil for many days, and today her pulse went well above 100. All other vitals were good. She had been very restless for the last three days. Lots of fidgeting, moaning, reaching upwards. We had just decided to increase her meds today and make them more frequent. The hospice nurse said she was likely in the final stages of dying and that death would be within days. At 9:00 tonight, she received her lorazepam under her tongue. She had been given morphine 2 hours earlier. By 9:45, the death rattle started. Her eyes went from usually closed to partly open, although her gaze was fixed. We were in the process of checking her diaper and repositioning her when she suddenly sat up and started gasping for air. It was a bit alarming. She seemed to be trying to cough up phlegm, so we attempted to suction. We got nothing from her mouth and throat. We knew at that point that the gurgling noise was the death rattle we had read about. We tried to comfort her. We talked to her and assured her it was going to be okay and that she was going home soon. We told her we loved her, and we let her dog say goodbye and we promised to take care of it. She continued to gulp for air as the death rattle grew louder. I don't know is she actually felt anything. She did not acknowledge our presence or that of her belived dog. Although it was very distressing to the watch her APPEAR to drown, she was behaving as if on a biological autopilot, I think. An hour after it started, she was gone. She had calmed down. Stopped breathing. A minute later took a breath, and repeated it once more before finally passing. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417858178588416830.post-74345970449093964112016-09-11T20:33:36.953-04:002016-09-11T20:33:36.953-04:00Lola, I extend sympathy to you and your family tod...Lola, I extend sympathy to you and your family today at a time when America grieves the lives of those who died as a result of the 911 attack 15 years ago. Thank you for sharing your experience with the group. Your nurse was wise to remind you that your husband probably heard your soothing words and the words of others to him. Surely, he appreciated all the love and comfort you gave him during his death journey. <br /><br />By the way, some people prefer to die when loved ones have left the room. If you have problems with your memories of the death rattle or any other part of your experience, I hope you will seek grief support from hospice or another appropriate source. Your husband would want you to be comforted as well. I wish you all the best.Frances Shani Parkerhttp://www.francesshaniparker.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417858178588416830.post-933716624631507642016-09-11T20:06:07.967-04:002016-09-11T20:06:07.967-04:00We can be as certain as considerable scientific re...We can be as certain as considerable scientific research which concludes that the level of consciousness in patients who appear to be actively choking while experiencing the death rattle is usually so low that it is generally assumed that they are not in pain. I wish you well during your grief experience.Frances Shani Parkerhttp://www.francesshaniparker.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417858178588416830.post-70634751135892853362016-09-11T16:09:51.438-04:002016-09-11T16:09:51.438-04:00I knew my husband was already gone in the early mo...I knew my husband was already gone in the early morning when I was awakened by that horrible rattle. The night before he want talking and it seemed like he was looking at me but not really seeing me. I called the hospice nurse at about 4 in the morning. The drops werent helping the rattle. He died at 8:45 that night. The nurse was able to turn him over on his side to stop the rattling. I wish I didn't remember all of the brown fluid that came out of his mouth and nose. And that noise was horrible. Everything I have read says they don't suffer with it. But I just don't know. The nurse told me to talk to him because he could still hear. I am so glad that he wanted to die at home. I say there for hours with him. My daughters brought me dinner. We were eating in the dining room and I kept checking on him every 10 or 15 minutes. He slipped away while I was in the other room.Lolanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417858178588416830.post-51929689218843425762016-07-09T11:35:43.544-04:002016-07-09T11:35:43.544-04:00Orion Lake, thank you for taking the time to send ...Orion Lake, thank you for taking the time to send me such a lovely word bouquet as I begin my day. Sharing the "happy death" experience your mother had will be very inspiring to many and hopefully encourage them to accept hospice care sooner. Sadly, too many apply late and miss out on benefits they could have enjoyed. It's all about being proactive about our quality of life, being at peace while treated with dignity on our journey. I wish you and your friend happy endings.Frances Shani Parkerhttp://www.francesshaniparker.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2417858178588416830.post-28672471795746515082016-07-08T23:26:30.687-04:002016-07-08T23:26:30.687-04:00Frances, your responses have been so kind, gentle ...Frances, your responses have been so kind, gentle and reassuring. My mother had a "happy death" with hospice and loved ones by her side and was kept comfortable throughout. That experience prompted me to recommend hospice today for a dear friend who has fought cancer courageously for two years. She is finally ready to accept hospice. I only wish she had done so months ago. It would have made life so much easier for her. But I am grateful that she will be cared for by the best, in the time she has left. THANK YOU for all that you and other hospice angels do for the dying. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09947311334450692495noreply@blogger.com