Quote:
Originally Posted by BlueStreak
Ever gone to an "End of Life" meeting with the family and an elderly loved one?
It's no fun. Especially when the loved one in question doesn't understand that
the family and the physicians are just as helpless as they are in that situation.
The first thing my mother did was say, "No feeding tubes, no artificial life support."
Then began to accuse us of "leaving me to die like a bunch of damn baboons". Insulted the doctor, insulted my Dad, insulted us, insulted pretty much everyone she encountered on her way back to her room. Two years later the Alzheimers finally took her.
I still miss that tough old bird.
Dave
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My mother (who also died from Alzheimer's) spared us a lot of grief by preparing a living will and appointing a durable power of attorney. I was the appointee, but fortunately, my brothers and I were close enough to cooperate in the decision-making process (and became closer during Mom's five years in the Kansas City area.) End of life planning makes the last years less frightening, and allows the family to come to grips with reality. My brothers live on both coasts, in a foreign country (Texas), and in the Midwest. We are separated by 17 years, and run the entire length of the (American) political spectrum. Bringing all of us closer together was Mom's lasting gift to us. She was on Hospice for her last year, which created additional physical comfort for her, and emotional comfort for us. I believe it would be cruel to not allow doctors and patients plan for end of life issues, and for patients and families to not have the option to turn medical care over to a hospice organization.
Regards,
D-Ray