HYPERTROPHIC OBSTRUCTIVE CARDIOMYOPATHY

[Bev170]

My 89-year-old mother was in the hospital over a month ago with CHF.  She has "severe" HOCM.  At the time Mother was in the hospital, the cardiologist said to me, "Your mother is approaching end of life."  Mother does not have a pacemaker, but she is taking 200 mg. Amiodarone daily.  She began the Amiodarone treatment in the hospital at 1200-1500 mg. per day.  

Mother has been at home for 2-3 weeks.  At present she is doing okay.  Does is appear that I should still continue to anticipate 'end-of-life"  for her?  Would you suspect my mother's condition to be critical?

Thanks for any answers you can offer from the information I have presented.

[ireneo]

Do you have any help with your Mom? I'm not sure if she's still pretty independent or do you have to take care of her on a daily basis? When my hubby and I go to visit each week we try to do jobs around the house (like pulling weeds or trimming bushes - things neither one of them can do) and/or run errands (take the dogs to the vet, do grocery shopping, etc.). The rest of the time they're pretty good about day to day stuff even if they don't get along at all. If you're taking care of your Mom every day you might want to get other family members (if any) involved or even close friends. Don't forget to take care of yourself too while taking care of Mom.

[Bev170]

Thanks. You are fortunate to have help and I can tell that you are happy about it.  Nothing is greater than working together.

[ireneo]

I'm not that familiar with HOC; I've heard of it and that's about all. Have you read up on it? Maybe that would help or maybe not. Sometimes information can be scary. As trite as it sounds all we can do is take it one day at a time or one week at a time. One week my Dad will be full of energy and alert and ready to run. Other visits he looks gray and small and almost too tired to get out of his chair. That worries me and I wonder if his time is near. I don't understand the ups and downs. It just proves to me that I don't know, can't predict when his day will come. So I make each visit positive and compassionate. I run into a little trouble there since my Mom is so angry about all of this and that's a drain. But I do what I can. My husband helps a lot too - we do a divide and conquer technique  :-) Then they both get the attention they crave and need. Time for work. Hope your day goes smoothly.

[Bev170]

Irene, my mother was in bed most of the day yesterday.  But today is better.  She is presently unloading the dishwasher.  I allow her to do what she can so that she feels good about herself and also needed.  Do you consider Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopahty to be a death sentence?  I am quite confused after all the reading that I have done on this illness.  Anything I've read offers hope.  So that is why I'm having a difficult time recognizing that my mother is a end of life.  Now, naturally, her age tells us that.  But her mother lived to be 101.  Mother's grandmother lived to be 99, so her genes are quite good.  Mother has never drank alcohol or smoked cigarettes.  She has always been active.  But I will add that I was more than a little bit frightened when she went to the hospital with CHF about 4 or 5 weeks ago.   My mother also is in the mild stage of Alzheimer's so I'm sure this is not helping her condition.  I am wondering if she will make it another year.

[ireneo]

An ICD is an implantable defibrillator. When a person goes into serious v-tach or worse, v-fib, it delivers a shock to get the rhythm back to normal. Like the paddles only it's tiny wires and a battery pack in the person. Last Nov. my Dad was getting 3-4 shocks a week. Their goal was no more than 1 a month. Part of the problem was his unwillingness to take the Amiodarone or some of the stronger meds. He'd take it for a couple days, complain about the side effects and stop. But the day he fell face first (unconscious)  in the parking lot of the hospital, that's when he finally decided to give it a go. Like I said, he's stable now, still very tired and thin but gets around the house on his own (when he feels like it). We have to face the fact that our parents are very sick but  it doesn't mean we should sit back and wait for death. Yes, there are days when my Dad is tired of it all and feels depressed. I would too. But our visits seem to help. We can talk about all kinds of things, take him out for a short trip to the barber or to lunch. We keep living life, just at a different speed.

[Bev170]

Thanks, Irene, for your input.  Though I'm indicating my ignorance, I must ask.  What is an ICD?
Thinking of you and your dad, too.  It's difficult for you and for me, but it is good to hear something encouraging.  I just want to be realistic.  I may be in denial.  Just don't know.

[ireneo]

My Dad's heart isn't quite the same as your Mom's but he has had 4 heart attacks and now has congestive heart failure. He had an ICD put in a few years ago but he kept going downhill. Last Nov. his episodes of v-tach and v-fib were becoming more frequent and we thought his time was near. The doctors determined he was in "end stage heart failure" and started him on hospice care. There was a lot of juggling of meds and such to the point that he stabilized and we got to have all the holidays with him. After 7 months he was still stable and is now off hospice care. He's not cured by any means and is still weak and taking lots of meds every day. The thing is that we thought his time was up last Nov. and he's still here and may see another Thanksgiving and Christmas. So don't give up. Enjoy your days with her. Who knows - it might turn into months. The amiodarone helped my Dad and it may help your Mom. Don't let her give up either if she's still able to get around and enjoy the little things in life.