I’ll preface this post with a request for your indulgence, as well as your thoughts, prayers or whatever your means of spiritual support may be.
I think I mentioned that on January 10th my Mom entered into a Hospice program. This was during her second hospitalization in less than a month for heart failure.
While most certainly this was not an easy decision, I have no qualms that it was the right decision.
She had actually asked that we talk with her internist PCP concerning Hospice ~ 18 months ago – so she realized even back then that her time on this earth was coming to a close.
Her PCP wisely told her back then that he could not sign the Certificate because she did not meet the necessary criteria to be admitted to a Hospice program. Of course, I was much relived. She took it with her usual equanimity. (She’s always been solid as a rock – me … not so much.)
I’m blessed that SHE has been the one who has said “It’s time for me to move to Assisted Living” – “It’s time that I start using the wheelchair for long the long distance to the dining room rather than my walker” – “It’s time to revisit that talk with my PCP again about Hospice Care”
When someone who is first diagnosed with congestive heart failure at 101 y/o, the writing on the wall is pretty clear.
So with her second admission in less than a month in January, we again re-visited the subject with both her cardiologist and internist. This time there was no hesitation that this was the right (and inevitable) decision.
But, sadly, it doesn’t make it any easier.
I fully admit that I’m the one having a much more difficult time with her “Final Journey” than she is. (And I am grateful she’s doing much better!). Maybe most people will be fortunate enough to recognize that their time here is coming to an end. I certainly hope I do.
The real difficulty for me is the fact that she lives 400 miles away … AND my cat.
I know I have shared with you that my shelter cat is NOT a friendly critter. And because of that, the staff at Mom’s Assisted Living is not fond of him … AT ALL!
(I will note that while Nike and I have been up visiting, there have been at least three different Hospice nurses, the Hospice Chaplain, the Hospice Social Worker and Mom’s Pastor who’ve come to visit. Each one has spent over 30 minutes with Mom, me and the cat – and not one of them has ever had a problem with Nike.)
But as I’ve tried to explain to them (especially as a Pediatrician), it’s like having a child with disabilities or other medical issues – you don’t just get rid of them & ask for exchange. You play the cards you’re dealt.
But Mom likes the cat and asks that I bring him along. That’s a request I simply cannot refuse.
But it’s made trips up to Mom’s very stressful in and of itself. That’s now compounded by Mom being in Hospice. Hopefully the facility and I have worked out a program that will prevent any further problems involving the cat – both on Nike’s part AND on the staff’s part. (Won’t go into the details, but some on the staff have treated the cat less than kindly.)
At any rate, I’ll try, as best I can, to continue with the “Friday Fun”. But hope you will understand if I miss a few entries when I’m just not feeling up to it – like today.
As most of you probably know from your own personal experiences, this is just not an easy time for me.
