This has been a day with emotions running in every direction. I didn't go to sleep until 6 am. My mind just wouldn't settle. I had scheduled an appointment for Hospice to come here to discuss the direction to take in caring for Mama. Somehow, guilt squeezed it's way into my head, although I knew that was ridiculous. Hospice used to be called only when the patient was near death. But now that is not the case, it is available at any time a person needs home care. I just felt like having Hospice was giving up. When I did finally go to sleep, I was dead to the world. I knew Anna Ruth and Naomi were here and would take care of Mama. I knew I didn't have to listen for her. The nurses came at 10 sharp, me still asleep, in my pajamas. I jumped up, (sleeping on the couch), and asked them to give me a minute to dress, they said why, it was just them. So at the beginning I was put at ease, which set the tone for the rest of the visit. They were able to answer my questions and even answer questions I didn't know I wanted to ask. We found we had a lot in common, cats. We all love cats. So how could it go wrong.
I feel more equipped to keep Mama here until she dies. The support system gives me a lot of options. They provide the resources for me to handle whatever comes our way in caring for her. Already the nurses have provided me with medication to help manage her pain so she has been able to get some rest, without side effects. She did well with her speech and did quite a bit of talking. She popped a few jokes and we had some laughs. What more can I ask.
1 comment:
Making the decision to call in Hospice is not an easy one to say the least. My mom had Hospice care in her home last year when her cancer reached the stage where chemo & radiation would not help. My dad and I were just not able to care for her properly on our own. The nurses, nurses aids, social worker, and chaplain were wonderful, kind, exceptional, supportive people. I can't say enough good things about them.
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