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Bad report on last cat scan as the tumors did not grow by centimeters, but the last report showed no growth, this report showed growth in the MM range, but growth nonetheless. The Endocrine Cancer is wonderfully slow but certain.
So, I took the wife to a local hospice facility about a 100 miles from Northwestern Hospital. It is a wonderful place with very nice people. I know people get uncomfortable when I talk about these things, but it is all good by me, and hopefully will assist others when dealing with similar issues. The way this county sets up their hospice program is to maximize care in the home, and offer assistance to caretakers for the terminally Ill. I weigh 230 lbs and am over 6' 3" and my wife is in the 150 range and 5'8", and not really able to handle somebody of my size.
You need to first and foremost figure out how the bathrooms will be utilized from where you will be sleeping. I sleep currently in a lazy boy and plan to not get a hospital bed. We installed a handicap accessible toilet and grab bars last summer, and are in the process of modifying the bathroom tub to allow easy sit down showers. Hospice will come into the home as needed, and the wonderful thing is that they are set up to take a patient a few days in a state of the art facility to give families relief as a patient is going through a bad stage. Beautiful views of pristine woods, an area where family can sleep on couches and lazy boys with a glass pocket door, a large screen tv, and a wonderful fully tiled bathroom for showers anywhere and room to sit down and move a wheelchair if necessary.
The really cool part is the family kitchen, family showers, family room with tv, and a kids room filled with age appropriate toys. Grandchildren, children, and spouses can be comfortable until the very end. Pain control is their specialty and they coordinate with your doc on a end game plan.
I think it is important for people who are terminally ill to take the pressure off loved ones and embrace the care of strangers and make sure you communicate that this is the way you want it.....without burden on the caretaker. My wife was uncomfortable at first, but after seeing the facility, she was very happy that we made the stop and talked to the folks in advance. We are getting this death thing down pretty good, and it is important as a society that we not fear the discussion, that we recognize limits, and engage our brains........I am very happy to report that these folks are doing a wonderful job.
So, I took the wife to a local hospice facility about a 100 miles from Northwestern Hospital. It is a wonderful place with very nice people. I know people get uncomfortable when I talk about these things, but it is all good by me, and hopefully will assist others when dealing with similar issues. The way this county sets up their hospice program is to maximize care in the home, and offer assistance to caretakers for the terminally Ill. I weigh 230 lbs and am over 6' 3" and my wife is in the 150 range and 5'8", and not really able to handle somebody of my size.
You need to first and foremost figure out how the bathrooms will be utilized from where you will be sleeping. I sleep currently in a lazy boy and plan to not get a hospital bed. We installed a handicap accessible toilet and grab bars last summer, and are in the process of modifying the bathroom tub to allow easy sit down showers. Hospice will come into the home as needed, and the wonderful thing is that they are set up to take a patient a few days in a state of the art facility to give families relief as a patient is going through a bad stage. Beautiful views of pristine woods, an area where family can sleep on couches and lazy boys with a glass pocket door, a large screen tv, and a wonderful fully tiled bathroom for showers anywhere and room to sit down and move a wheelchair if necessary.
The really cool part is the family kitchen, family showers, family room with tv, and a kids room filled with age appropriate toys. Grandchildren, children, and spouses can be comfortable until the very end. Pain control is their specialty and they coordinate with your doc on a end game plan.
I think it is important for people who are terminally ill to take the pressure off loved ones and embrace the care of strangers and make sure you communicate that this is the way you want it.....without burden on the caretaker. My wife was uncomfortable at first, but after seeing the facility, she was very happy that we made the stop and talked to the folks in advance. We are getting this death thing down pretty good, and it is important as a society that we not fear the discussion, that we recognize limits, and engage our brains........I am very happy to report that these folks are doing a wonderful job.
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