I JUST NEED TO KNOW

My Mother has been in the hospital going on 4 weeks. She was admitted for a back problem that has been corrected. In July of this year she was admitted for congestive heart failure and anemia. She also has had anemia and low sodium with this 4 week visit. She had open heart sugery in April/07 with quad passes. They have told us that her congestive heart failure is advancing. They seem to get all the fluids out of her, then a day or so later it all comes back again. She has had insulin dependent diabeties for over 35 years, has a cholesteral problem, neuropathy in her legs and hands, is bone to bone on both her hips and knees. They have tried a week of physical thereapy trying to get her stronger. We would get two steps ahead and fall six steps back with that. This past Thursday she was sent to cardiac icu for one whole day. Her heart doctor says it'ts the congestive heart failure and didn't need to be in icu. She also is hardly eating anything at all, tells us she is not hungry. Her physical thereapy has all but ceased with the exception of moving her legs in bed. She cannot stand for more than a minute without having pain in the legs and back and then wants to sit down.
My question is.. she is 84 years old and this woman has been to hell and back with her health. They keep telling me she can come home if they can keep the fluid level in her body down. My question is this. I have taken care of her for the last 3 years in my house. I have had her on an extremely low salt diet since July of this year and very low fluid intake and no water at all except when she takes her some odd 19 pills a day. She takes insullin two times a day and I had that in darn good control up till four weeks ago.  Am I looking at bringing her home only to constantly brought back to the hospital every time she fills with fluid? They will not send her home with a foley, but I dont know if she could get up and down as much as these new diuretics will make her go to the bathroom. I don't know if I'm gong to be able to handle this all myself with no help.
How do I know if she is at the end of her life or not and if it's just a matter of time before her heart gives out from trying to beat so hard with all the fluids. If I thought her end was near, say within the next six months I would have her put into the local hospice center as they are wonderful. .
I need your opinion as the Doctors never seem to give me a straight answer...


This discussion is related to Heart Failure Progression.

[Encephalomalcia]

Is she on a good water pill and potassium?  Straight talk.  Usually people with congestive heart failure live between 5 and 12 years. Women normally live longer with CHF.  Toward the end of life, there will be continuous visits to the hospital to remove fluid buildup.  Bed needs to be elevated.  Extreme shortness of breath.  When the left side of the heart gives out the ears, nose, lips and hands, feet can turn extremely blue (like a crayon color).  What diuretic is she taking?  She does need water.  Becoming dehydrated is extremely serious.  Sounds like you are doing a real good job of taking care of her.  It's really hard.  I know I went through this with my mom for 3 years.  Once she started retaining fluid and in and out of the hospital every 3 to 6 months she was giving 6 months to a year to live.  She lived 6 months after given the news.  She had heart surgery which failed due to the radiation damage from breast cancer.  Take care of yourself and maybe there's a support group in your area that can help you get through.