Choosing hospice program can be an extremely difficult decision for many patients and families. Whether for better pain management, reduce caregiver burden and maximize the quality of life, the decision to continue the hospice is never hard and fast.
The journey of each patient with mesothelioma, lung cancer or any life-threatening condition is different. In some cases, the hospital is a last resort; in others, patients spend months using palliative care resources out not improve.
Learning the right time to enter a hospice program for patients with mesothelioma or any cancer patient is not one-size-fits-all, and it requires a lot of thinking and family communication.
The steps of declining health
For years, I had seen the decline of the health of my grandmother . When she was diagnosed with dementia, I knew we had a long and difficult road ahead. His emotions ranged from anger to sadness with bright spots of light. Nobody thinks they become mentally incapacitated.
This is one of the hardest parts of dementia. Everything seems okay. For a woman 80 years old, my grandmother easily transmitted than 60. However, we could see his mind apart piece by piece. She did amazingly well for many years, but finally completely dementia consumption
- First :. Mentally. Besides the obvious oblivion, she lost her ability to reason. It has become impossible to think logically and rationally. For my grandmother, a woman who appreciated his thought, the voice and confidence, it was horrible
- Second :. Physically. Over time, she could not physically around the same. She could not pick up his feet to walk. She dragged from room to room, risking a potentially fatal fall with all the cracks and crevices
- Third :. Agency. After the first two pieces fell, she could not support herself. It became dangerous to live alone at home. For many seniors, it is losing the independence that hits hardest. It feels like giving up.
Because mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer, the health of some people diagnosed with the disease may decline faster than others who are sick.
Leaving Home and Hospice Entering
We tried to keep it at his home as long as possible. It flourished for months between home care aides and caregivers, but soon, the management of his health and the cost of keeping her safe was too large. Our family could not keep it at home.
She first moved to an assisted living facility and a nursing home. At this point, it deteriorated rapidly. She was in constant pain. We soon realized that she deserved something better. It took two days to move in a hospice.
There was a godsend. The palliative care team has worked hard to develop a pain management plan. Finally, after weeks of pain and anxiety, it was comfortable. At the hospice, my grandmother had custody around the clock. She never had to be alone - his biggest fear
For Mom, the hospice has to be together .. With a large bedroom and a spare extra bed, my mother could be with her all the time. Rather than flying across the country every weekend, my mother was able to spend the last few weeks with his mother. This was different from the weekends take care of my grandmother at home.
Instead of administering drugs, forcing her to eat and help around the house, my mother became again his daughter. The time was spent sharing memories and create new ones. Time my mother will cherish forever.
Finally, fate took its course, and with my mother beside her, my grandmother died.
put myself in his shoes
While the death of my grandmother is one of the toughest losses I've met, I knew we were capable of it give the last two best weeks filled with days of relaxation and spending time together. These two weeks have been better than the month before with tears and pain
We regret one decision: .. We consider palliative care earlier
It seems like a strange regret, but for my grandmother, her last months were filled with pain and confusion. We spent a lot of time hoping it would get better knowing it was impossible. It is difficult to understand if we waited on hospice for her or for us.
If we were too afraid to face what was happening? Do we believe that hospice meant leaving?
Anyway, we have taken decisions that prolong suffering. We have forgotten the importance of focusing on quality of life. I know that we were afraid, but we can not even imagine how she must have felt.
Likes make those tough decisions. It never gets easier. But the most important thing to remember is to put yourself in their shoes.
What would you like?
