Yep, another sign of advanced age, needing new glasses because you cant see out of the old ones but when you have had the old ones sense Dino was a baby you are do. Glad you can see again OLD MAN.

River the Younger

Jema

iMac non-movable screen, less than a gig of power, 600Mhz... I bought it in early 2001.

I leave in about 40 minutes to meet mom's doctor. It seems she's unable to swallow so he wants to insert a tube into her stomache from her side to provide her with nutrition until her swallowing problem is fixed by the antibiotics. Fortunately, thanks to two great friends, I can see where I'm going on my walk up to the hospital

THREE OPTIONS = Same result..Mom has days, weeks maybe a few months to live.

I sat down with a doctor, nurse and a social worker. Considering her age, they gave me three choices:

1. They could choose to do nothing and let her die on her own. I said no way.

2. Option two is to insert a tube into her stomache to feed her and one down her throat to help her breathe. The risk of infection is high and if mom, in one of her psychotic moods, pulled out the tube, death would soon follow. I rejected that one too.

3. They will continue to give her antibiotics for the pneumonia, treat her for a uninary infection and feed her electrolytes through an Intaveinous tube BUT they would take no extraordinary measures to save her life such as cherst compression since it would break the ribs of a 93 year old person and electashocking the heart could kill her as much as save her.

I chose the last option and pray to God I made the right choice. If she recovers from the pneumonia and can swallow asgain, she could survive at home for several more months.

Mac, i have just read all your posts and the commenting posts on your situation, and am sorry to hear of all your problems and those of your mother.

My mother decided that she would not take care of her elderly mother after her husband died. So my single bachelor gay uncle, who did not live in NY but AZ was forced to come take her to live with him, uprooting her from the home she had known for 30 or so years. Her dementia was becoming severe, and she (thankfully?) did not drive, but lived too far from stores or services to walk. For a while, my uncle tried to care for her, but whether it was the natural progression of old age, the shock of losing my grandfather, or moving, her physical health quickly deteriorated. She died within the year. I recall, at times, the heartbreaking words of my grandfather before he died, saying that "M. occasionally has hours or days of complete lucidity where she knows how bad her mind is, and she cries a lot when that happens."

For what it's worth, I think you are making the best ethical decision possible.

And you are probably right to have tried to keep her in her home as much as possible. You have the patience of a saint. I wish you strength.

You have done well by your mother. You soon will have a new realm to explore and new problems to face. Be kind to yourself.

Wolfie, You and I talk almost every evening. You know how much I care and love you and your mom just like my own family. I wanted you also to know I pray every night that she gets well and the best treatment she can get. You know I had a similar problem with my mom not to long ago. You were lucky to have your mom 22 yrs. longer. I miss my mom very much. I know she is so much better off where she is because she had so many health problems. So, you I wanted you to know again, I only have best wishes for both of you.

Love you dearly and big , Lilac

Thank you, Lilac

I missed the bus today and walked the mile up to the hospital to see mom. Three weeks ago I had sprained my left foot but the pain had subsided. It returned half way there and all the way back. I stayed off my feet the rest of the day.

I talked to mom but she seemed too tired to say anything but "I'm thirsty." The nurse said she hasn't had any water in four days and still can't have any because of her unusual condition.

The nurse said anything she swallows has been going into her lungs instead of her tummy. Apparently there's a "flap" in the throat that moves one way for food and liquid and the other way for air. Mom's flap is stuck opening the lung entrance only.

That's the explanation I was given. The nurse did say mom is getting a wee bit better though.

MacTheWolf (imported) wrote: Sun Oct 07, 2007 2:45 pm Thank you, Lilac

I missed the bus today and walked the mile up to the hospital to see mom. Three weeks ago I had sprained my left foot but the pain had subsided. It returned half way there and all the way back. I stayed off my feet the rest of the day.

I talked to mom but she seemed too tired to say anything but "I'm thirsty." The nurse said she hasn't had any water in four days and still can't have any because of her unusual condition.

The nurse said anything she swallows has been going into her lungs instead of her tummy. Apparently there's a "flap" in the throat that moves one way for food and liquid and the other way for air. Mom's flap is stuck opening the lung entrance only.

That's the explanation I was given. The nurse did say mom is getting a wee bit better though.

Mac,

They should keep some of these (http://www.comfortbath.com/aboutOral.cfm) by her bedside.

You get them wet and swab the inside of her mouth regularlly. Don't put enough water on them for her to swallow, though. Have her attending physician write an order on her chart for the nursing staff to use one of these on her hourly. It will be one way to insure that she is closely watched.

The swallowing mechanism is a very complicated physiological process. She needs to have a diagnostic test done by a speech and language pathologist and a radiologist using a fluoroscope to determine the extent of problem with her swallowing function.

93 is a ripe, old age, Mac. My mother died over 30 years ago. I still think of her regularlly. Not every day, though.

Mac,

A-1 (imported) wrote: Sun Oct 07, 2007 6:18 pm They should keep some of these (http://www.comfortbath.com/aboutOral.cfm) by her bedside.

You get them wet and swab the inside of her mouth regularlly. Don't put enough water on them for her to swallow, though. Have her attending physician write an order on her chart for the nursing staff to use one of these on her hourly. It will be one way to insure that she is closely watched.

The swallowing mechanism is a very complicated physiological process. She needs to have a diagnostic test done by a speech and language pathologist and a radiologist using a fluoroscope to determine the extent of problem with her swallowing function.

93 is a ripe, old age, Mac. My mother died over 30 years ago. I still think of her regularlly. Not every day, though.

We used those in the hospice with my father. They are a great help. A-1 makes wise suggestions. I had not thought of them

Blaise (imported) wrote: Mon Oct 01, 2007 11:31 pm . You and your mother are in my daily prayers.

I am sorry that you have walk to the hospital. Please get your sleep while your mother is in the hospital and eat properly. That is something you can do for your mother.