My mother starts hospice today

[thefed]

We all are wishing you the best going forward. Remember to celebrate her life rather than drown yourself in sorrow mourning your loss. I know it is easier said than done, but I'm sure there are memories that will always bring a smile to your face. Try reliving those when you feel down.

[DMGO]

Here's how it went. My sister and I had hired a hospice nurse to stay with my mom each night, as she needed Depends changing, and just someone to be there. The hospice doctor said she was in stage 1, and didn't require 24 hour care from hospice, and wouldn't provide it at this time. In the morming, my sister came over to let the nurse go home, and my mother had intense pain at that time. But, because she was in stage 1 care, there was no morphine available for her use. That was supposed to arrive in a few days. The hospice doc said that there's no pain, so she still should have about a month. At approximately 12:00 PM, my sister noticed it was very quiet, and went in the room to check on Mom, and thought she was sleeping. On closer look, she wasn't breathing, so she called 911. That's why the police came. This leaves a very bitter taste about hospice care, as they definately dropped the ball, in Mom's case. No one should have to suffer that type of pain.