As long as the morphine is being used for the pain, and not purposely to kill the patient, it is now considered acceptable practice. They used to try to ration it, in the older days, a few decades ago, in order to keep people from needing more and more of it, and it resulted in tremendous suffering. The amount needed to ease the pain spikes sharply at a certain point and that is the end. Thank God we are not back in the older days anymore.
“The amount needed to ease the pain spikes sharply at a certain point and that is the end.”
In the case of my mom she had very high breathing and heart rate at the end. Pretty much just worn out and at the end - but her body fighting to keep everything going. The morphine also was used to slow down things - she was just working so hard.
But of course when the body knows it is at the end and is working hard, and then we slow it down.... But I’m at peace with that. And I know my mom was too.
I would get a bit emotional talking with her the week before, and she would say things like “since when did you get so sentimental?”. And “Well, it’s not like it is the End. Just the beginning!”