Journey

Today, we spoke with one of the hospices in Wake County. They sent one of their social workers out to talk with us at home. I didn't realize how many different hospice offerings are available, both for and non-profit. We are in a holding pattern until Mom/Wendy and I decide which hospice we will use. We have IV/PT coverage for the next 2 weeks and we have enough meds to give us time to make a decision. Chad came and sat with us for the beginning of this discussion today. We needed to have someone hear the conversation that is not right in the middle of the decision.

The hospice word of the day is "Journey". This is all over the printed materials and also is used quite frequently in any conversations. I can't wrap my mind around the use of this word in this context. Maybe later, but now, it doesn't feel like a journey but more of a huge running flying leap. A leap to think these people will care for mom with compassion and kindness, a leap to think "Mom is really sick", a leap to hear people so matter of fact talk about something that I can not even bring myself to think about, a leap to get over the why, a leap to remember the substance of things hoped for.

Mom is having a little more continuous pain today that is being covered with her breakthru meds. This is the first day we have taken them twice during the day. We had some fluids this morning and Lois came back to change Mom's access. This day was less busy than it looked on paper. I had Richard coming today, when he will actually be here Friday. We have another hospice coming to talk with us on Friday. It is getting harder to find something that Mom will eat or even thinks she might eat. Mom had a bacon and egg sandwich this morning, a few bites of lasagna for lunch and a few bites of a turkey Ruben for dinner. She had a Cherry Blizzard and some cookies during the day plus a couple of Ensures. She is off the Toaster Strudel kick for a while it seems.

On a side note, since this is rambling, if anyone would like to post anything to the blog, just email it to me and I will add it. Again, thanks to all of you to care about Mom. Please feel free to call Mom. Send me an email and I will send you our home number. We are getting ready to try an either reduce the minutes on Mom's phone or try to get out of the contract with Verizon (best case).