Dear Tracy33, Gary's advice is great about pain management. Also, the mucus problem might be helped with a mouth suction machine, which can be rented at a medical supply store. He will have to have a DR's prescription for it. It helped my husband alot and it cost us $40.00 a month to rent. It's a little machine with a suction tube alot like a dentist uses. Hope he can hang in there until the end. He will feel better. Amy