My mom hasn't started treatment yet and her mucus is unreal. She is coughing/spitting all day, it's keeping her up at night. What is a portable suction machine? She has been on cough meds, all kinds of stuff nothing works. It seems like from what I'm reading it gets worse when you have treatment? There is no way it could get any worse for my mom, she goes through at least 3 toilet paper rolls a day. On the suction machine is this something she can do herself or will I need to do it? I'm getting ready to move her within 5 mins of me but not until the middle of July, right now she is 25 mins/15 miles from me. I'm over there 3 times a day to do her feedings.