Marti,
I sometimes forget I even have CHF until a random symptom comes up to remind me. I just feel we can live many more wonderful years and we will get reminders now and then that our hearts need adjustment and fine tuning, but I don't think we are doomed to wonder about our last days. I recently made an almost fatal error of assuming some systems were CHF symptoms and I made an appointment but didn't mention any urgency.
I almost ended up on my death bed by assuming a symptom wasn't important enough to be urgent. I learned all symptoms are urgent.
I'm recovering now from pulmonary embolisms that mirrored heart symptoms short of breath and leg swelling, I made the appointment but should have done so as an urgency.
Thank God for sharp doctors I got emergency treatment and am currently under care.
So I guess what I am trying to say is CHF should be just a bump in our life journey, making us aware of certain things we need to watch for and good health issues we have to practice, diet exercise, attitude, but that's all part of our journey to begin with.
Peace and love. Hope that makes you just look forward.
Nancy

Been to the cardiologist and PCP this past week. Her BNP is 1550. The cardio ordered an echo and venous check of her lower legs. Her PCP doubled her lasix up to 80 mgs and put her on spironactone. We’ll know more after the echo. I think she will feel better after the increase in her lasix kicks in.

My mother is in stage 4 at this time. She is going to be 93 yrs old soon. She is very tired all the time and can’t walk 2 steps without losing breath. She is out of breath even when she is not exerting herself. She is nauseous most days and sleeps most of the time. We are going to look into hospice this week. She needs care now because she cannot even get up to make her own meal, and do other simple things. It’s just too much for her.

She still lives in her own home and is very stubborn about going to a hospital when she needs to go. It is very difficult for me - her only living child and relative. I can do some things to help her, but not all.

This last stage came on quite suddenly. And I feel the stress of losing my sister (her daughter) this past July really worked on her health. I don’t know if we would be where we are now in her journey if she didn’t have the sudden death of my sister. It is a puzzle for me.

She handled stage 3 all right - even at her age. But stage 4 - I see a big difference.

Isn't there a palliative worker out there that can can give us some insight on the final days?

I'm not sad. l am quite happy. I don't fear death. I am in class III failure. All I want to know is what to expect at the end.