Water on the lungs

My mother age 85 has water on the lungs and legs.  The doctor is giving her water pills and return in 5 days.  Can anyone tell me anything?  Of course, I want her to live forever!  how serious is this?  What should I be doing for her at home?  She can stand but moves by wheelchair.  She is mentally sound except when in the hospital she develops dementia.

[National Jewish Health]

Water on the lungs and legs can be caused by heart failure, liver disease or kidney failure.  Also, at times by compulsive water drinking, either in or not in association with excessive salt intake.  What you can do is to just monitor her salt intake and keep her legs elevated at all times when she is seated.  They should be elevated so as to be at the same level as her hips.

The water pills should release a lot of the fluid.

[pinkishlita2]

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