Cold Autumn Day

CatsWithHandsAreTrouble

It's a cold and dreary day here, rain on and off. Mom's been sleeping for most of the day. Still not eating much but everytime she wakes up, I offer her water and a pretzel. She takes one or the other, not both.

We got in touch with a lawyer to get the guardianship process started. We're going to try and do it ourselves first and not a third party. The CELA we wanted wasn't accepting new clients and refered us to someone else.

Gonna see if mom will have some soup.

LicketyGlitz

Sorry, Cats, it sounds like its a dreary day inside and out. I hope the lawyer will be able to guide you through the process.

Hang in there.

mommyandme (m&m)

Did you get hospice in for an evaluation?

CatsWithHandsAreTrouble

M&M no, sadly not yet. I keep bringing it up, reiterating that it is helpful and the positive aspects on it, but no one's doing anything. Dad keeps saying he "has to do something" and I'm like, hello?? Hospice eval???

We have an appointment with the lawyer to discuss the guardianship for the middle of the month. I'm not sure if we're waiting until then to get it or what. My OS is taking mom to the doctors tomorrow. Not sure exactly what they're going to do just that they "want to see her."

I'm just so frustrated and not sure exactly what I can and can't do. I don't think you need to be a POA or on someone's HIPAA form to request a hospice evaluation?

Mom has been eating a little bit more lately but keeps trying to throw out her medication instead of taking it.

CatsWithHandsAreTrouble

I just told my OS that I'll either call for hospice before or after the doctor appointment, she picks. She said after. In between watching mom, I'm looking up information on hospices and then I will be making calls (ugh) to get someone in. 

I'm thankful mom's not seeing her PCP. I don't like her. Maybe I'll tell my sister to dump her and get a different one. Big talk coming from someone who can't get a doctor themselves but at least I know I'm making my own progress.

mommyandme (m&m)

At least there’s a tiny agreement. Thanks for the update.

Quilting brings calm

I don’t know what type of doctor your mom will see, but maybe they could order the evaluation?   I have seen PCPs handle home health care in two different ways.  The ones in my parent’s snowbird state just told us to call around, the one up here in my hone state sent an order to the home health care is his choice and it happened pretty quickly.  Of course, that was not hospice.   

SharonAnne7

Your mom is lucky to have you. You are there for her as much as you know how to be.
What does "she" want? Does she want someone to keep her comfortable while she weans herself from food and meds? Can she verbalize that? She may need your support (and/or permission) to do so. With her permission go get the services you both need, namely hospice. Look for a team who understands the normal end-of-life sequence of pulling away from people, food and meds.  Tell your dad that's what you're doing and I'll hope with you that he will understand, and be ready to shift so he can be there for her, too. 
I send you lots of hugs.

CatsWithHandsAreTrouble

SharonAnn, thank you for your insight. I will keep that in mind going forward. 

Quilting, my OS was going to ask them about hospice while there but for some reason it either didn't get brought up or the doctor dismissed it.

I was looking forward to her seeing a different doctor than her PCP since I've mixed feelings on her, however I'm not pleased with this other doctor mom saw. He wants to start her on two more pills, one for I think heart burn and then another to stimulate hunger. I don't know why he thinks she has heart burn but I can understand getting heart burn from not eating so I guess he wants to try that and then rule it out. I'm skeptical about the medication to stimulate hunger. I don't understand how that would work if she's not aware of being hungry. 

She's also still on the donepezil, which I'm losing my patience with. One of her doctors, I'm not sure if it's the PCP, geriatric (if that's not also the pcp), or the "Alz doctor" as OS calls him (neurologist?), but one of them is refusing to stop and/or switch out the donepezil until mom's on "lactobacillus acidophilus" which I'm guessing is something like "milk bacteria for stomach acid." I took German in school, not Latin.