Posted by medlib on August 22, 2001, at 16:25:51
Hi AKC--
I'm so very sorry to hear about your mom's serious illness. I lost a favorite uncle to COPD and my mom to a similar chronic illness, CHF (congestive heart failure). My uncle spent the last 4 months of his life in ICU on a respirator; my mother was able to realize her long-held wish to die in her own home of 58 years. A number of factors helped her to do this, including a Living Will and a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care. But, her most important enabling agent was the Home Hospice program (run by Visiting Nurses Association in our community). This is a wonderful service paid for by Medicare which is available to any patient living in a residential situation who has 6 months or less to live; it is as helpful to a patient's family as it is to the patient.
If you think that such a program is, or might be, applicable to your mom's situation, and if you're interested, there is much I could tell you about it. Since I have no wish to add to your considerable burdens when you're feeling vulnerable, and don't know whether such info would be pertinent or useful, I'll "hold the matter in abeyance until notified."
Warmest regards---medlib (who comes from a family of attorneys)
poster:medlib
thread:10039
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20010817/msgs/10039.html