May 22, 2014

Mom has started her journey out of this world. It began on Tuesday May 20th; fortunately I was there to take her laundry in and observed someone working on her behind the privacy curtain. I was quite and listened and heard this woman being really gentle and kind to my mom. It was wonderful. She was giving her a bed bath and talking to her with respect and kindness. WOW! That was great to hear. To know that someone who’s “job” it was to care for her was being really kind and caring was a great joy to me.  I hung up her clothes and waited until they were finished and then went in to see mom. Caroline said “something is not right with her today”. So this is when it started. Caroline notified the staff at the skilled nursing facility and texted the hospice nurse. Everyone was there right away tending to mom. They determined that she was failing and started medication her so that she had no pain.  Her symptoms are that her respiration rate is decreased and her cognition is very low. I was able to see her eyes one more time and ask her where it hurts and then for the past 2 days I have only watched her slowly decline. The body’s ability to hang on is amazing.

The Chaplain came and we all surrounded her bed and prayed and we talked to her about going on and leaving this crappy old body behind and off to see our loved ones that have already passed, etc. But she is going to get all the mileage out of this old car to the very last second…..