My Mom is Dying

[Henning]

These things are just sooo very hard.
Occasionally my dad has a glimmer of light and warmth and we get the sense that he is still in there. But it's getting very, very rare.
Just awful.

My ex wifes grandfather had Alzheimer's and was in a home (he kept taking off on a tractor or his P/U on the ranch), problem was he'd fall down a lot and get hurt. I built a roller frame/walker out of PVC that would bounce off the walls, and mounted his favorite old saddle on it. He'd just wander the halls all day "Riding the Range". When he died the nurses called and asked what we would like to do with it. I told her there must be some other old cowboy there who could use it. She was very appreciative.

 

[Ghery]

I'm very sorry to hear this. I lost my Dad in May. Saw him for the last time in April and knew it would be the last time. It isn't easy. Prayers for you and your family.

 

[bstratt]

Just got "the call". My Mom has slipped into a coma. Prognosis 2 -5 days. Leaving work to drive up now.

 

[SCCutler]

Prayers for a peaceful passage, home to glory.

Amen.

 

[t0r0nad0]

Barry, all that's really left for me to say is that I'm praying for a peaceful passage for her. She knows that you all love her, and you know that she loves you, too. Let that bring you comfort in this hard time.

 

[TangoWhiskey]

Barry, I've never met you in person, but my thoughts are with you now. May you and she have peace...

 

[bstratt]

By the time I had gotten home, packed, ready to go, I had a phone call from my Dad that Mom had "woken up". Eyes open, talking, taking liquids but still unable to move. He said there was no point in rushing up now and he would give me an update in the morning. She's a tough old bird!

Hard to believe how much the body refuses to give up!

Still its a matter of days/weeks, not weeks/months.

 

[Henning]

By the time I had gotten home, packed, ready to go, I had a phone call from my Dad that Mom had "woken up". Eyes open, talking, taking liquids but still unable to move. He said there was no point in rushing up now and he would give me an update in the morning. She's a tough old bird!

Hard to believe how much the body refuses to give up!

Still its a matter of days/weeks, not weeks/months.

Sigh... I just got a horrible call last night. My friends 18 year old son (on his 18th birthday) had a brain anuerism then fell down 4 steps hitting his head on the concrete. He's in the hospital at the moment "brain dead"....

 

[bstratt]

That's terrible Henning. Losing a child must be the worst thing that could happen!

 

[gprellwitz]

Henning, that's horrific!

And Barry, I'm praying that your Mom goes peacefully and quickly.

 

[DawnW]

I've found that losing a parent, while nearly a universal experience, is a special grief and loneliness that no one else has felt. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Right after my mom died, a stranger said to me, "the only thing you get used to is the missing". Turns out she was right.

 

[Henning]

That's terrible Henning. Losing a child must be the worst thing that could happen!

Yeah, she's in bad shape. We've reached a sticking point that's going to take the carpenters a few weeks to work out, so I'm flying into LA on Friday and am going to head down to San Diego to check out the situation. She asked me to come and take a look and advise whether to pull the plug or to keep hoping. We've been friends for over 23 years, since the anchorage days off Shelter Island and I'm about the only person whose judgement she trusts. This is going to suck because I 99% know from what she told me what I'm going to end up saying....