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Unfortunately, everyone is right. I would probably seek hospice care. My mother’s friend died early of the disease. When he was found(they had to kick the door in), gallons of consumed chocolate milk were everywhere, sugar cookie cartons, and brimming ashtrays. He may have not put a gun to his head, but the outcome was the same.
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I had a neighbour who died and knew he was killing himself because he did not manage his diabetes. Al died before he lost a leg, but he had terrible ulcers on both legs for years. He did not manage his diet, well he actually knowingly ate foods that he knew would kill him. I would visit and he would be eating doughnuts and drinking regular pop.

He was about your Dad's age and had given up on life. His family could not 'save him from himself' and he got his wish in the end.
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I am pulling for you, Zeta. What a heartbreaking situation for you and the family.
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I agree with Margaret; the hospital cannot force him to have treatment. However, they CAN assist with, say, getting him Hospice care, or admitting him to rehab which may be an entree into his being able to stay there as a long term care patient.

Please call the hospital today and get the social workers there to help your father.
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What a very difficult situation. If your father is of sound mind, the chances are that neither you, the hospital nor any doctor can force him into any treatment, let alone amputation of a leg.. You would probably not get guardianship, even if you were prepared to take it on, and there may be no state interventions that would be available. If you think about the well-publicised prosecutions of parents who object to blood transfusions for a child, you can see the limitations of forcing any treatment onto an adult of sound mind.

You may have to accept that he does go to his home, does not accept treatment, and dies the next time he has a medical emergency. The advice to talk to the hospital social worker is well worth following up. You are going to need help yourself to cope with this, so it should have a double function.

You are not responsible for solving this problem, no matter how difficult it is to accept. Look after your heart and your conscience by making sure that you have done what you can, and then give the problem to God.
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zeta12 Nov 2018
Thank you, I feel like everyone is telling me what I should do next. I feel like a wreck for it. I'm hoping he's going to become more coherent and be able to direct me on his actual wishes or any contingency plan he has. Until then the social resources seem to be helping me out trying to figure out options in the meantime.

My father's generation of our family have been the ones more connected to god than me and I'm glad his sister is there to provide that kind of support for the both of us. Thank you.
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Is your father currently in the hospital? Call the social work department at the hospital and explain your dad's situation to them.
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