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luvmom's wall
7/30/2011 at 7:32 am
Hi luvmom, I got your post to my wall. We just met with hopsice and they are going to visit today. They will basically help make her comfortable. They don't treat anything but her pain. I understan
...Read MoreHi luvmom, I got your post to my wall. We just met with hopsice and they are going to visit today. They will basically help make her comfortable. They don't treat anything but her pain. I understand how upsetting it is to think of your parent bedridden for years. That was something I was scared about because we were originally looking into a nursing home. My mom hasn't been eating much. For example yesterday she ate 1/2 a cup of applesauce. The day before that she had 8 chunks of pineapple and 1 potato chip. This has been going on for 3 weeks. The hospice nurse checked her over looked at her skin, checked her blood pressure, etc. When I explained my fear of mom in a nursing home and the fact that she probably couldn't afford more than 6 months payment, the nurse was very honest with me and said "she isn't going to last that long, right now it will more likely be weeks because of her not eating and the fact that her mobility had changed so drastically". She said that she would most likely be bed bound soon. My mother has a living will that states she doesn't want anything like a feeding tube. She is basically miserable now anyway, so to do that would just prolong her misery. Hospice has provided a hospital bed, they provide medications for pain and anxiety, and oxygen if needed. They also provide an nursing aid for 2 hour blocks of time a couple times a day to check on her. We can also get a volunteer who will just sit with her in case I need to get out of the house or run errands. They also provide assistance in planning for the end, funeral arrangements, a chaplin, someone to talk to for family members. It really has been a relief to know that this is available and to know where things are going. Medicare pays for all of this so that is a relief too. I think knowing when to ask about this is the hardest part. I was at the end of my rope, Mom was getting worse, not eating and I didn't know what to do anymore. I called the doctor, explained what had been going on, and asked "Is it time for hospice?" He agreed and they got me set up with the local hospice. I still can't be sure how much time mom has left, but I want her here with me. I wish you luck on your journey, this has definitely been a long one for me. I wish you all the best. If you have any other questions you can email me at irwinsu@gmail.com. I'd be happy to try and answer them. -- Susan