LGBT
Related: About this forumThanks everyone...it's been a tough week. My father, who is in Hospice care, stopped talking
yesterday. He seems to have lost that ability, which I guess was to be expected in his condition, but it means that he is declining more rapidly than we thought. He can still swallow and eat, when he is fed, but cannot do that on his own. He turned 93 in August, and up until this past February he was able to live alone and care for himself with some additional help. Then he took a couple falls and was in and out of the hospital and nursing homes for the next 3 months. When he got home, I moved in with him until October when we got him into assisted living. He has congestive heart failure, multiple myeloma (a blood cancer like leukemia) and Alzheimers, and things progressed to the point where he needed more skilled care than I could provide. My mother also had Alheimer's and I can see the similarities with how she departed and what he is going through. Fortunately my father has a living will so he won't have a feeding tube or any type of extraordinary measures done. Please keep him in your thoughts.
Again, thanks for the kind words about Scarlet. I'm picking out her urn right now. At the vet's on Monday I told them I couldn't make a decision then. For those of you who asked, I lost Melanie in June. She also had CRF and was diagnosed earlier than Scarlet so both got the IV fluids treatment for a year before it was clear that would no longer help. I like to think the two of them are reunited snuggling, and then causing havoc like they did as kittens. Below is the picture of them I'll keep with the urns...it was a "real" paper photo I scanned, so the quality isn't great here, but is actually pretty good in its frame.
NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)You have my deepest sympathy. Just yesterday I requested hospice for my stepfather, who in in a long term care facility with my mom, both of whom suffer from dementia but dad is failing fast.
In_The_Wind
(72,300 posts)Granny M
(1,395 posts)You have had a very hard week, Joeybee. Peace.
Sekhmets Daughter
(7,515 posts)I'm so sorry.
lunasun
(21,646 posts)southernyankeebelle
(11,304 posts)of 93. God bless him. God will bless you for being there. This is the hardest part to go through when they are in the hospice house. All you can do is go see them daily and make him comfortable. My mother-in-law just gave up at the age of 89. We tried hard to tell her to try to go through rehab for her broken hip. She just could do it. Then one day she just stopped eating. We tried and it was so hard on my husband. He went every day. But finally there was nothing more you can do. Just be there and know you have done everything you could have done. I will pray for you and your father. I know how you feel. God bless you.
dickthegrouch
(3,175 posts)LeftofObama
(4,243 posts)Peace to the both of you.
roguevalley
(40,656 posts)family against great adversity. I am so sorry. I wish you peace and your father god speed. My father beat lung cancer, lymphoma, strokes and died of radiation treatments. You are doing a good thing and i will keep you in my thoughts.
cate94
(2,811 posts)MADem
(135,425 posts)mitchtv
(17,718 posts)In a very bad situation. Hang in there, all my best hopes and wishes for you and your Dad