My alarm goes off at 6am....Mum is fast asleep still after an unsettled night with Dad. I make my way downstairs, put the kettle on a prepare my lunch for a 10hr day at work. This is how I start most mornings.......
Dad woke up and sat on the edge of the bed not being able to breath this morning as there was a build up of Mucus. In turn he began to have a panic attack. You see my Dad is in Stage 4 of COPD, he is reliant on Oxygen and barely gets out of his bed that is stationed in our living room. He is struggling at the moment after having a tough time with severe Pneumonia about 4 weeks ago now. I go into panic mode myself as I rush to him to give him a gentle smile and tell him its okay I'm going to help. I sit opposite him, holding both of his hands, I ask him to concentrate on me and tell me about how he met my Mother. I've heard the story about 100 times over but its the only way I can get him to control his breathing and to raise a smile.
We sit there for what seems like forever, his panic attack has subsided so I set up the nebulizer. This is part of my Fathers routine now. We do the neb in 2 stages; the first half breathing in through his mouth and out through his nose making sure it gets into his lungs. We stop the machine and I lean him into me and mildly pat, rub and shake his back to help loosen him up. He takes a deep breath in and I encourage him to cough. At this point he does and my exact words are" get out and walk will you"? The relief on my Fathers face is instant so we proceed with the second half of the neb.
All is now calm, I've helped dad back into bed but he still makes grunting noises as he breaths out. I prepared him breakfast of Weetabix with hot milk and a cup of tea. He hardly touches it, but at least he has had something right? How can you force someone to eat when they don't want to? So i hand him a fortisip. At least I know he is having some nutrients.
He grabs my hand as I go to tuck him into his bed and pulls me down, he wraps his arms around my neck gives me a kiss and thanks me for helping him. "Dad" I said "You have looked after me for 33 years so it's my time to look after you". It's that moment right there I'm Daddy's girl again. COPD has changed my dad, as his condition gets progressively worse so does his mood swings, days of depression and agitation. In that split second I saw my dad for the man he once was and I will hold that very close to me now and in years to come.
I hope my experience from this mornings events can help someone out there who doesn't know what else to do when a loved one suffers a panic attack or how to help with congestion of mucus.
If you have any questions please don't hesitate in messaging me
Love Katie
The Hospital Bill U.S. of A
Anyone here a carer for a COPD sufferer?
copd end case should i let doctors let my father die by withdrawing his by pack mask they have wanted to do that for the last year when ill
Life in the Australian army!
Panic attacks with copd
