Palliative care[1] is a multidisciplinary approach to specialized medical care for people with serious illnesses. It focuses on providing patients with relief from the symptoms, pain, physical stress, and mental stress of a serious illness—whatever the diagnosis. The goal of such therapy is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family.[2][3] Palliative care is provided by a team of physicians, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and other health professionals who work together with the primary care physician and referred specialists (or, for patients who don't have those, hospital or hospice staff) to provide an extra layer of support. It is appropriate at any age and at any stage in a serious illness and can be provided as the main goal of care or along with curative treatment. Therefore, although it is an important part of end-of-life care, it is not limited to that stage. Palliative care can be provided across multiple settings including in hospitals, in the patient's home, as part of community palliative care programs, and in skilled nursing facilities. Rememeber AVA it is NOT just for end of life care...don't get hung up on that...you are nowhere near that. Hope this helps.

I am on pallative care. I was in the hospital twice and my Doctor put me on pallative care. I have a nurse that comes to the house once a month. She has me to write down my blood pressure, weight, oxygen levels, blood sugar twice a day. She tries to see that I get what I need. I also go to the Doctors office. I have other ailments, Atrial Fib., COPD , heart failure, diabetes, . They told me it was to give me extra help.
I am also on a blood thinner, diabetes medicine, and symbocort, and Spiriva I am also on oxygen. I have been on it over a year and it has been a big help to me. I have had COPD for 21 years now.

Palliative care doesn't depend on age, and it's not the same as end of life care. You can be on palliative care and improve to the point where you no longer need it. I still say you need to talk with the doc who recommended it, find out how it would work, who would be involved and what they see as the point. Until you ask the people who will be doing it about it, all we can do is speculate. Go ask questions!

@Thank you Nancy I will. I I have done some research on it and some places treat it like a pre-death treatment and other report are saying that palliative care actually makes the patient even life longer with their disease then they might have without it. i think in my case it is a move towards learning a bunch of new stuff and having my mds all on the same page

DoriWarga, thank you - you know things are going really great the last two days - almost to the point where I felt like wow I am feeling really good in mind and body. Then I thought how weird it was because I don't usually experience those feelings anymore, at best I am ok, but not happy and have energy. Then my phone rang and my pulmonologist called and said he wanted me in for a cat scan - Im thinking see, I am going to take this test and it is going to come out awful and back comes the misery, however, I did not get stuck there. If he thought it was serious he would have me in tomorrow, and my appointment is not until Monday. it will be ok I am sure.