Mom has seemed to rally!

Gloria, a "rally" is not uncommon, it could last a day or two or even much longer. Then the person will go back to the stage where she was before the rally. Thus, enjoy every minutes of this rally and be with her as much as possible.

I agree with FF - enjoy the rally, for however long it lasts. It may be a few days or longer, but at some point, the dementia will come back. They can have moments, days or weeks of absolute lucidity and seem like their old selves - then one day, they're right back to not knowing who family members are, or how to care for themselves.

She has received the anointing from the priest. The hospice chaplain, as luck would have it, is a Catholic priest. And , he visits her pretty often. He has spoken to her about it’s ok to let go....we’ve made sure she knows that, as much as we will miss her, we’ll be ok. I’ve made sure that all the grandchildren know about this rally, so they have a chance for, probably, a final conversation with her. This is a blessing we have all been given so that when she passes, we can all be at peace.

I’ve read about rallying before dying, but all I’ve read said only a few days. Believe me, I was so happy when I saw recognition in her eyes and she told me “I love you”. It made all the bad stuff disappear, even if only for that moment. The rally just surprised me, because she was definitely on a fast downward slide. So, we will tell her what we need to while she is still in this state. And, continue to love her, no matter what.

You are so blessed to be able to spend this precious rally time with your mom. Hugs to you both.

Gloria, it sounds like you've done everything you can to make sure she's prepared for the end, and you know there's a chance of it happening soon. Giving her the OK to "go" is extremely important - some people will hang on, thinking they are needed here and can't leave - their body wants to give up, but their spirit keeps hanging on, thinking they need to stay. Telling them you love them and you'll miss them, but that it's ok to let go, is sometimes all they need to make that final step. I did it with my father and my mother did it with her mother - I was there when she did. My grandmother took 2, maybe 3 more breaths after Mom told her it was ok to go, and she was gone. It was hard to do, but it turned out that's all they were waiting for.

Thank you for all the support and loving thoughts. We were lucky to find the absolutely right MC facility for Mom. Every one of her caregivers took to her as though she was their grandma. And, the hospice they recommended to us has been a real blessing.