Step right up. Tickets for the Emotional Roller Coaster are for sale and the line forms to the left, please. No kidding....after a beautiful and serene Easter, today I finally heard back from mom's Geriatrician who agreed to pull mom off all her meds, except comfort ones. Lovely high (Easter)-- followed by a sad low (today). Man, life is a doozie sometimes.
Though I've never met mom's doctor--she's only been there a month or so--we had an immediate rapport on the phone. Her beliefs around death and dying are like a hand in glove fit with mine and mom's, and while I realize everyone may not feel the way we three do, it's comforting to be able to do EXACTLY what your mom asked you to do, with complete support and willingness on the part of the person who can make it happen. Both she and the Hospice doctor were in agreement and that's all I needed.
When she asked me why mom was still ON some of her meds, I had to laugh. I told her because "no one bothered to take her OFF", and she laughed and said "Well, I sure would have!" (She's mom's third doctor in the four years she's been there so there ya go.) I told her I wanted mom comfortable or as comfortable as we can make her-- for the time she has remaining. Clean and comfortable. That's my #1 concern.
Today I realized just how grateful I am for my Nursing education, knowledge, and experience. You can't do what you don't know to do--or how to do--and you can't police it for someone else-- unless you know. Knowledge is power wrapped in kindness.
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