What is happening to my mom?

[Blueclouds07]

My mother is a PSP case and the doctor said that she is in her late stages but she had airway obstruction last Tuesday and we took her to the emergency, and there they said she is back to her normal condition you can just take her back home. Since then she became unresponsive , so weak , she can hear us but can’t talk . Sometime when I come to her I see tears in her eyes I really don’t know what is happening inside her , what does she want to say to us, I just don’t know! Does anyone passed through this stage ? Or just have an explanation?

[FrazRin21]

Hi Bluecoulds,Unfortunately airway obstruction is common in late stage PSP and can happen fairly often.

In my experience with my Mum, the unresponsiveness is also common, it doesn't mean your Mum doesn't hear you or understand you but her brain just can't process a response. Changes in symptoms can sometimes be triggered by an event or just seem to happen for no reason and sometimes they remain and other times they revert back. My Mum responds sometimes but its getting less and less. Try and get your Mum to nod or squeeze your hand or just say something funny to get her to smile!

Are you sure they are tears and not runny eyes? My Mum's eyes run I think because the muscles in the tear ducts are now affected.

PSP is rubbish, sorry it is in your life.

[Blueclouds07 in reply to FrazRin21]

Yes it could be runny eyes really I don’t know

[Stephanielayell82]

I'm so sorry this happens to anyone what a cruel disease. We use a communication chart as my loved on mumbles most words. We also made index cards with common questions and choices to eat and drink. We are have airway obstructions as well. Normally she will sneeze, cough or choke or heavy druling. For several hours afterward she can't speak, eat or drink. She demands to do so but I've instructed care takers not to feed or drink as she can easily aspirate and kill her. She isnt able to process how it can happen. There is a suction machine our local hospice has provided to clear her airway. Best wishes

[Blueclouds07 in reply to Stephanielayell82]

Thank you Stephanielayell

[Dosco]

My wife's tongue is progressively becoming paralyzed resulting in increased danger from aspiration. We may be looking at a PEG in a year or so to feed her.

[Blueclouds07 in reply to Dosco]

Thank you Dosco

[oilman1]

From my experience, your mother is probably at end stage. My wife lived about 2 days after she reached that point. I think she willed her self to pass away as the hospice help was quite shocked that she had progressed so rapidly.

[Blueclouds07 in reply to oilman1]

Yes this is what’s happening with my mother

May Allah bless them all

[MRSYafffle]

Thinking of everyone on this journey. It's simply awful for all involved. My mum was at end of life in hospital with covid amd pneumonia after a second hip replacement. She's pulled through and is in an end of life care home, they won't say she last stage psp which she obviously is and has been for several months.She's hanging on at the moment, but visibly distressed.

Communication and reasoning is very difficult. Her swallow is just at very pureed foods which she barely eats. No idea how she's still with us.

Sending lots of love x

[Blueclouds07 in reply to MRSYafffle]

Yes I really understand

Than you MRSYafffle