As a number of you are aware, I moved my mom down here to TX from VA about a year ago. Her living conditions there were abysmal due to some underhanded activities by another "family" member. From the second we pulled the moving van into the driveway, she was absolutely in love with this place. She was comfortable, happy, eating very well, and we got to spend huge amounts of time just catching up and reliving memories from when I was growing up. A few months ago we all talked and agreed that she needed more interaction with people and more attention than Tracy and I were qualified to give her. I researched assisted living facilities and decided on the one which was the best fit for her. She was so excited to get moved in there and once again, just loved the place. It is magnificent!! She made friends immediately, played Bingo, held court in the cafe telling jokes, sang along with the 50's piano music on Sunday mornings, did crafts, and so on. Well, about 3 weeks ago she was admitted to the hospital for what the facility nurse diagnosed as dehydration. A day or two with an IV and she'd be fine. Wrong!! She steadily declined and the doctors were at a total loss. They had no idea what was going on or how to cure it so back to the assisted living facility after a week and a half and I put her under hospice care for additional comfort and attention. The decline continued to the point that she couldn't talk, couldn't feed herself, could barely open her eyes, etc. All she did was sleep. Sadly I got the call from one of the hospice nurses last weekend that mom had gone into the final stages of what they refer to as "actively dying". That's when the organs just start shutting down. When that starts it's irreversible and there is nothing more that can be done. Rarely does this stage last more than 3 or 4 days so we all knew the end was coming very soon. I was crushed. She held out for 5 days but passed away Thursday morning at peace, quietly, and very comfortably.
This has really put life into perspective for me. Three weeks ago she was running around like a high school track star and now she's gone. When you go through this as well as seeing long-time friends starting to decline, it is a serious wake-up call of our own mortality. I've decided to help Tracy wrap up a few financial goals we've set for ourselves and retire sometime in the very near future. I've started into a hobby over the last 6 months or so, although very hit or miss due to the time I've devoted to mom, and plan to spend considerable time enjoying that. Did a large amount of online shopping yesterday laying the ground work for that hobby and putting the pieces in place to enjoy my retirement. I've done nothing but work since I was 6 years old and do not want my expiration date to come without me having had time to enjoy life and everything I've spent my entire life working for. I'm so sorry having to post this but a large number of the great people here in SMF have gone through this with me and posting it is far more efficient than trying to send dozens of PM's.
God bless,
Robert
This has really put life into perspective for me. Three weeks ago she was running around like a high school track star and now she's gone. When you go through this as well as seeing long-time friends starting to decline, it is a serious wake-up call of our own mortality. I've decided to help Tracy wrap up a few financial goals we've set for ourselves and retire sometime in the very near future. I've started into a hobby over the last 6 months or so, although very hit or miss due to the time I've devoted to mom, and plan to spend considerable time enjoying that. Did a large amount of online shopping yesterday laying the ground work for that hobby and putting the pieces in place to enjoy my retirement. I've done nothing but work since I was 6 years old and do not want my expiration date to come without me having had time to enjoy life and everything I've spent my entire life working for. I'm so sorry having to post this but a large number of the great people here in SMF have gone through this with me and posting it is far more efficient than trying to send dozens of PM's.
God bless,
Robert
