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Re: Dementia Patient needing pacemaker battery change

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nancybelknap 

normal Re: Dementia Patient needing pacemaker battery change

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msg# 1.30.1
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Charlie wrotes:
My 77 year old mother in law has had Vascular Dementia for 9 years. She is now in a nursing home in the late stages, very confused, bed ridden (turner every few hours, double-incontinence, hallucinations. She eats a few spoonfuls of food a day & minimal fluids.
She recently had a hospital appointment to check the life of her pacemaker. This was very traumatic for her as she had to be taken to the hospital on a stretcher. The hospital advised us that the battery has approx 4 months life left in it & that we need to look at replacing it. My husband & I advised the hospital that we were not sure whether this would be of value to my mother in law to simply keep her alive in this state for a longer period of time.
We have made an appointment at our GPs to discuss our options as my husband feels like he is almost giving his mum a death-sentence if he chooses to not have the battery replaced.
I believe that my mother in law originally had the pacemaker put in for ventricular fibrillation - eratic heart beat.
I am not clear whether the heart would simply stop in approx 4 months as this pacemaker has been regulating her heart beat?
Can anyone help?

Posted on 2012/12/12 5:39




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