A nurse is caring for a client whose partner has a terminal diagnosis. Which of the following statements made by the client indicates effective coping?

A. A client who has aspiration pneumonia: Pneumonia leads to hypoventilation and carbon dioxide retention, which causes respiratory acidosis. It does not typically result in metabolic alkalosis since it affects gas exchange rather than acid-base balance at the metabolic level.

B. A client who is receiving continuous gastric suctioning: Prolonged removal of gastric secretions depletes hydrochloric acid, leading to an excess of bicarbonate in the blood and resulting in metabolic alkalosis. This is a common cause of alkalosis, along with excessive vomiting or diuretic use.

C. A client who is experiencing an opioid overdose: Opioids depress the respiratory system, reducing ventilation and causing carbon dioxide buildup, leading to respiratory acidosis. This does not cause metabolic alkalosis, as the issue originates in the lungs, not metabolism.

D. A client who has uncontrolled diabetes mellitus: Diabetic ketoacidosis results in excessive production of acidic ketone bodies, which lower blood pH and cause metabolic acidosis. The acid-base disturbance in diabetes is typically acidosis, not alkalosis.

A. Flushed cheeks: Tuberculosis typically presents with systemic symptoms such as fever, night sweats, and weight loss rather than flushed cheeks. Flushing is more commonly associated with fever spikes in other infections or conditions like menopause.

B. Severe headaches: Tuberculosis can cause headaches if it leads to tuberculous meningitis, but this is not a common initial symptom of pulmonary tuberculosis. Headaches are not a hallmark feature of active TB infection.

C. Low-grade fever: A persistent low-grade fever, particularly in the afternoon or evening, is a common symptom of tuberculosis. It is often accompanied by night sweats and weight loss due to the chronic inflammatory response.

D. Dry cough: The cough associated with tuberculosis is usually productive with purulent or blood-tinged sputum rather than dry. The infection causes lung tissue destruction, leading to a persistent cough with mucus production.