[LisaMalia]

Our biggest frustration is trying to deal with all of the doctors that are involved. Don't any of them talk to each other? I don't think that our system was set up to handle so many octagenerians. My father in law is 82 and also has congestive heart failure and emphysema.

I agree. My mom has so many different doctors, (just in her GP practice) and I worry about that. Seems they just go on what they read on a chart.

My daddy had COPD and we took him to a lung specialist in Cincinnati (about 90 miles away). He saw him in Feb. 2004, and in May 2004 daddy had passed with lung cancer, which had spread to the liver. He died about 6 weeks after his diagnosis. I think if the specialist would have not blamed his symtoms on his COPD, daddy may have been diagnosed sooner, and possibly had better options, rather than none.

[richardtavor]

Unfortunately, that is about where my Dad is--I just pray that he maintain his dignity to the end...