Gretchen's Medical Updates

Mom’s condition is worsening.  She is awake and mildly lucid for about 5-10 minutes at a time a few times today.  She is on O2, hospital bed, suction at the ready.  I picked up her ‘hospice kit’ of medications (morphine, ativan for anxiety and atropine to dry secretions)…  Mom is very weak, cannot hold a popsicle in her hand.  She mostly sleeps.

Her respiratory rate has been increasing over the last 24 hrs, it now hovers around 20-24 breaths per minute and very labored, using accessory muscles of respiration which is very, very tiring.  She really appears to be struggling with her breathing right now.

It is a very sad scene.  Dad and I are sitting with her, holding her hands, doing whatever we can think of to help her feel surrounded by love and Peace.  I hung up a photo of Mom’s cat, Mini, and a photo of Dad’s cat, Max so she can see them from her hospital bed.

Dad and I are trying to eat and stay healthy.  It’s not easy.  We are up a few times a night to tend to Mom and it’s just us 2 with Mom all day and all night.  Tired are we.

And we shall continue soldiering on for Mom, no matter what it takes.  We want her to be comfortable, without pain and anxiety, and surrounded by her family.  She says she’s not anxious or worried about anything.  I hope that’s true.

I’ll try and post another tomorrow but we’ve been pretty busy.  And hospice here is NOT covered by Medicare (boo, hiss) as it is not accredited or whatever.   I am a little disappointed that it’s all about money but that’s medicine now and that’s why I got out.  Even the hospice kit was >$100.  In my opinion that is pure bullshit.  Morphine, ativan and atropine are all generic.  $$$$$, medicine is money.  Medicine is not taking care of people anymore.  Just taking people’s money who can’t afford it but when there’s no other choice, what are you going to do?  My advice?  Don’t move to Sea Ranch if you need quality health care.

Peace.

Suz.