lungs failing

4 mths ago my dad fell off a ladder & was admitted to critical care.Broken ribs caused a hole in his lungs.As a heavy smoker he had emphysema & copd.He was put on ventilator,& extubated within 3 days but put back on when suffered withdrawl (withdrawal) symptoms from heavy drinking & went psychotic,causing breathing difficulties.Wk 2 he developed a lung infection & put on antibiotics.Had 2 chest drains put in for a few wks(1 on each side).Week 3 extubated & had morphine withdrawls & psychotic fits,was sedated & breathing deteriorated,back on ventilator.Week 5 extubated again,having difficulty coughing sputum out,fluid still in lungs,breathing fine.2 days later got sepsis.1 week later had cardiac arrest.They said it was congestion or clot.They said he will not wake up & if did he would have brain damage.Within 24hrs he woke with no damage.Fluid in lungs became loculated,2 wks pass b4 anything is considered,turns into empyema & had decortication(wk 8).Bleeding didnt stop so back to theatre to stop it.wouldnt stop & they said he would die that night.The nurse later found the chest drain clogged with clotted blood & tapped it out,his condition improved.4 more chest drains for 2 more wks.Weaning with CPAP for 3 wks then trachy oxygen mask.Wk 13 more fluid in lungs,chest drain put in.bleeding,low blood pressure.Wk 15 Trachy mask all day,CPAP night.Then pneumonia,setback to bipap.antibiotics help.back on trachy mask but last 4 days deteriorating.sepsis suspected but they say lungs failing & can do nothing else & hes dying.not sure about their medicalcare & what else we can do? appreciate advice

[National Jewish]

Your description suggests that your dad has fought valiantly to recover from multiple complications.  However he is now about to die.  My only suggestion is mostly for your own peace of mind.  This would be to seek another, independent, opinion from a pulmonary disease or critical care specialist.  You will want a specialist who is in no way connected to the current team of doctors taking care of your dad.

[shers]

My mother has suffered from dementia for 16 years and has been in a long term care facility.  She has exhibited a pattern of declining and then hitting a plateau for a few months, decling significantly and then levelling out again.  2 weeks ago, she began experiencing severe edema.  Her lower extremeties are 4+ and then last week she developed fluid in her lungs.  Because she is under pallative care with hospice, she takes no diuretics and is kept comfortable.  We were told that she would most likely develop pneumonia and this would lead to her death.  We have been sitting bedside for nearly 10 days, very lethargic, difficulty swallowing, oxygen sat dropping, rising, dropping, rising--was put on full time oxygen 3 days ago.  Nurse tells us today that she is full of fluid, they have begun suctioning out "thick, yellow mucus" from her throat and that she is very lethargic.  However, they tell us that she has not entered the active phase of dying and that she could lay in this condition for another 90 days.  Is this possible?