I'll be leaving Wednesday to go visit my father, who is dying of emphysema. My mother just passed away in January--she died on lung cancer and emphysema.

Emphysema is an incurable, progressive disease. While doctors often prescribe respiratory rehabilitation therapy for the disease, it is really done as a means of last resort, because nothing makes the disease "better". The disease not only results in enlarged, damaged lungs, but also an enlarged heart, which often is the cause of death.

The "best case" prognosis most doctors are willing to give to a patient with severe emphysema is five years, and if your brother in law has been "losing ground" for several years, he may just be reaching the end of his road. Which means the most compassionate thing may be to encourage the family and patient to get counseling about end of life care, and beginning to let go so his suffering will end.

And the prolonged suffering from this disease is awful to both experience for the patient, and endure from the loved ones' perspective. Be careful about praying for the miracle of life in these circumstances. Having your prayers answered may not be best for the patient, especially if the loved one isn't ready to let go, and allow the patient to die. If this man said he didn't want to be put on life support but was put on it anyway, I'd say there is a real possibility of your sister manipulating the situation. She absolutely is NOT "free of the burden" of making the decisions about his care. This is but the beginning, and sooner or later, the decision to remove him from life support will have to be made.

This is where I would advise trying to find a really good hospice program, so your sister can get the counseling she needs to let go, and do what is best for her husband.

Just my .02, but I've been in the thick of this emphysema thing for 10 years now with both parents.