My Mom Is Dying - please pray for her

December 27, 2005

Hi Everyone:

I have been trying to keep up with the posts but I have had so much

to deal with lately. I had chemo number 11 today and I am hooked up

to my 5FU 48 hour pack until mid day Thursday. -Very sick.

I have a mom who has been struggling with another horrible disease -

Alzheimers. She has had my dad to care for her and has been doing

well at home. On Saturday she became a ill from exposure to the flu

(via a caregiver). By Xmas morning, she turned completely blue and

her breathing (rawls) could be heard across the room. My dad called

911 after more than one hour of this (why he waited I don't know) and

she was taken to the hospital. Meanwhile, my dad became sick with

the flu and couldn't go see her. This morning she was returned home

on hospice care. We were told that she is in stage 4 heart and lung

failure (one collapsed lung) and she has 2 days to 2 weeks to live.

Having said that, I believe she has only a day or so because when

under hospice care they are doing nothing to feed her. All she can

have is a few drops of water from a small water dripper. She is not

on antibiotics at all but receives oxygen and morphine for pain.

Since she hasn't eaten anything at all since Saturday the 24th, in my

view she will starve to death. It reminds me of the Terry Shivo case

but I guess this is the way it happens.

To those of you who are familiar with end of life treatment, is this

the way it is done? In any event, I have to make funeral

arrangements and I am too sick to go to the mortuary. My dad is also

too sick. I just pray that she doesn't go while I am too sick because

it will break my heart not to be able to attend my own mother's

funeral.

She was a very special mom -- the best I have ever known. She always

put her children above anything in her life and never wanted anything

for herself. She was filled with love for her family. She had no

help at home, cooked dinner everynight for us, and was a full-time

Chiropractor for 40 years. She always told me I could be anything in

the world that I wanted to be and, because of her encouragement, I

have had a wonderful life and achieved all of my goals.--Undergrad

degree at USC, then law school, practice with the best lawfirms in

the U.S., was a federal prosecutor for 12 years, and a Judge Pro Tem,

and now (most importantly) I am a wonderful mom to my 2 boys because

I learned it all from her.

Please pray that she passes in peace. Thanks so much.

in California

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