Mom has aspiration pneumonia

It has been a tough couple of days.

Mom was admitted to hospital yesterday and the hospital doctor, not
her regular physician, discussed the reality of aspiration pneumonia
with Dad today. I went up and visited with Dad yesterday and did not
go in and see Mom at the hospital. Dad and I shared a meal and
discussed Mom's situation with "possible pneumonia". I have learned
much in 24 hours.

Dad called me mid-day today and updated me. The doctor apparently had
a rather frank discussion with Dad about the reality of what is
happening with Mom and the Alzheimer's. There is no way I can type
all the material I have read today on this topic and I will post some
links here on what I have found. I have known of aspiration for
years, you choke and get a little water in your windpipe. Well, with
the advanced deterioration of the brain in Alzheimer's the lower
level brain controls begin to break down and the semi-autonoumous
action of breathing or swollowing gets confused and happens at the
same time. Fluid gets into the lungs, infection sets in, aspiration
pneumonia has arrived. And medically it is discussed at length, how
much treatment is appropriate, the infection will continue reaccuring
and the cause can not, ultimately, be removed.

http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?

nodeid=399&expandnodeid=387

http://pages.prodigy.net/bjbservices/eol.htm

http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/HQ/00618.html

Tough decisions. What to do, what not to do?