Well this sucks!

[FlintTony]

Thanks Linda. They took the ventilator off Chris. He is breathing on his own, barely. They want to put him in assisted living. He doen't want to go there. He wants to go home. I have been designated as his legal decesion maker. I just don't see how he could make it on his own at home. I can't spend 24 hours a day there and he doen't have any insurance coverage for that. I'm going to speak with the Docs and the social worker and see what I can do. Chris is in no shape to even consider being on his own. He looks like a skeleton with some skin hung on him.

[Ms Grumpy]

Tony, you need to put him in the assisted living. He will have the help he needs. I know how people have talked about how caring for a loved one was extremely difficult. Is there a place near you so that you can visit often.

[flash]

If Im ever in that situation please see to it that someone pulls the plug and lets me go .My father in law had made the decision that when the his time came he did not want to be on artificial life support of any kind and it made things so much easier to deal with but we still had to make the nursing home comply with his wishes .They brought in a Hospice Provider to make him comfortable and he died peacefully .At that time our prayers were answered as he had suffered enough .
My prayers continue to all in need .

[FlintTony]

He is trying to find a Doc that will release him. He is adamant that he is going home. I'm just not sure what I should do now. He is convinced that all he had wrong was pneumonia and he will recover. He was at the cancer clinic a couple of weeks ago for a stem cell treatment. They said his lungs were too far gone to help him. Doc said he has a 50/50 chance of ever leaving the hospital. I can understand him not wanting to die there.

[FlintTony]

Any news on your mother Hank?

[Ms Grumpy]

Tony does your brother live anywhere near you ? I take it he is alone, no significant other, or children.

Hank, same as Tony, wondering how your mom is doing.

[FlintTony]

This is nuts. He checked himself out of the hospital! He lives about 10 miles from me. He has five kids, but ony one or two of them have any real contact with him. I'll go over there this morning and see what the hell he is thinking.

[Ms Grumpy]

Tony, I hope that your brothers kids make an effort to help you. I pray that you will get thru to him.

[FlintTony]

He got mad and threw his daughter out of the house. The Doc and nurse that were taking care of him released him AMA. Against Medical Advice. He can't get his oxygen tanks filled under a prescription now. He thinks the Doc was trying to poison him, the nurse was putting poison in his food, his phone was tapped, and the Hospital had people hiding behind the curtain watching him. This aint any fun.

[Hank70SS]

Sorry to hear that Tony. He needs to be in hospice but if he's not ready mentally that's tough. I have no idea what to say about how you should handle this. All the best.

Mom passed last night. We flew back down on Tuesday. Saw her Wednesday in ICU, she looked awful. Dr said we had to make a choice. They could put a tube in for feeding, maybe try to build up some strength or take the IV out. She couldn't remain on the IV much longer, it has bad side affects after awhile. We decided to move her into hospice. The Dr wouldn't say it before we decided but told us we made the right decision for her. They moved her Wednesday night and made her comfortable, no more tubes, IVs and needles poking her. She slept most of Thursday and Friday, only opening her eyes for a few seconds at a time. She looked very comfortable and at peace for the short time she was there.

They called a few minutes after 10 last night and said she had passed. We went and said goodby. So mom's not miserable and in pain any longer and we're glad for that.

Thanks for your thoughts and prayers.