Mom's Health Care Plan

October 3, 2011

My brothers and sisters and I, and mom, had a Health Care Meeting with Parkdale Care Center concerning mom's future Health Care Plan.  Do we leave her in the Nursing Home?  Do we take her home and put her on Hospice? She is unable to help lift or move herself at this point.  She is in multi-system failure.  Her kidney's are not working at all.  The fluid is not getting flushed out.  It's retaining in her body. She is so swollen, everywhere.  She gained over 7 lbs. since last week.  She is so miserable and in so much pain.  An aid tried lifting her a week or so ago and tore a muscle in her chest.  The physical therapist discovered the injury. Another setback!  No more physical therapy.  Mom is so fragile.  Could we really take care of her at home? So many questions.

After meeting with Parkdale, my siblings and I went to Dr. Potter's Office and talked with him.  After much discussion on mom's condition and her desire to be relieved of her suffering, Dr. Potter said he would meet with mom and us kids at the Care Center at 7:00 p.m.  When the doctor saw mom and the condition she was in he said it did not look good.  He asked mom if she wanted to live 2 more months in that condition, or two weeks.  She said she wanted to go.  We talked to mom and discussed what she could expect.  Her heart medication and insulin would be taken away and a new pain medication would replace the morphine, to relieve her itching  and make her as comfortable as possible.  Did I really understand the immediate implications?  Did mom?    I think not!  But one thing we all knew.... mom's Health Care Plan was completely in the Lord's hands.  We had collectively petitioned the Lord on mom's behalf.  We had faith, we trusted in Father In Heaven's Plan for her.

I slept in the bed next to my mother tonight.  I felt her spirit so close to mine.  It was pure.  It was clean.  It shone brightly in spite of her dying body.  I felt peace.  She seemed to sleep good.  I was thankful for that!

Mom's poor swollen arm and hand... my heart aches for her