Post by anna on Jan 21, 2021 5:12:17 GMT
On new years day, my elderly father decided to go check the mailbox and fell on his back and head. Since then it has been one
hospital after another and then ICU for several days. It turns out he had walking pneumonia and fluid around his heart. He fractured
and dislocated his T12 vertebre. Did I mention he is 83 years old. Before ICU, his oxygen levels dropped because he had mucus in
his lungs. He has been in ICU for several days and has continued to decline. The ICU doctor, who was so full of promise earlier about dad's
condition, is now saying that he will no recover and has consulted hospice. My siblings and I have met with palliative care and hospice.
Hospice will take him, but it's not sure he will survive the trip from the hospital to the hospice house. I lost my mother last April 2020 during
the COVID lockdown in her nursing home. I helped care for her for 4 years and my dad the last 2 years.
I am worn out, exhausted, exacerbated and am struggling with depression and hopelessness. I know I should be relieved when my dad passes on
but I am more frightened of life without my parents. selfish, I know but I am 50 and both of them have always been there. Our childhood home is so
empty now without them. The house will never be same without my dad there.
My siblings keep saying they want dad to stay in ICU until Monday and then hospice take him, but I have a feeling he won't even last that long. Hospice wants to remove his feeding tube and Bipap which would probably cause an earlier death. I understand that is easy to consider for an experienced hospice nurse, but we don't want to be pushed into a bad decision for dad. We do know that dad wound't want artificial life support and are trying to adhere to his wishes.
Caring for my elderly parents was one of the hardest, challenging, crazy making but loving things I've ever had to do. I'm literally a different person
after so many years of caring for them, and now that the role is about to end, I feel so empty emotionally. It's going to take a long time to recover.
hospital after another and then ICU for several days. It turns out he had walking pneumonia and fluid around his heart. He fractured
and dislocated his T12 vertebre. Did I mention he is 83 years old. Before ICU, his oxygen levels dropped because he had mucus in
his lungs. He has been in ICU for several days and has continued to decline. The ICU doctor, who was so full of promise earlier about dad's
condition, is now saying that he will no recover and has consulted hospice. My siblings and I have met with palliative care and hospice.
Hospice will take him, but it's not sure he will survive the trip from the hospital to the hospice house. I lost my mother last April 2020 during
the COVID lockdown in her nursing home. I helped care for her for 4 years and my dad the last 2 years.
I am worn out, exhausted, exacerbated and am struggling with depression and hopelessness. I know I should be relieved when my dad passes on
but I am more frightened of life without my parents. selfish, I know but I am 50 and both of them have always been there. Our childhood home is so
empty now without them. The house will never be same without my dad there.
My siblings keep saying they want dad to stay in ICU until Monday and then hospice take him, but I have a feeling he won't even last that long. Hospice wants to remove his feeding tube and Bipap which would probably cause an earlier death. I understand that is easy to consider for an experienced hospice nurse, but we don't want to be pushed into a bad decision for dad. We do know that dad wound't want artificial life support and are trying to adhere to his wishes.
Caring for my elderly parents was one of the hardest, challenging, crazy making but loving things I've ever had to do. I'm literally a different person
after so many years of caring for them, and now that the role is about to end, I feel so empty emotionally. It's going to take a long time to recover.