S
Saintlucy
Guest
I have cared for my mother and, before her and including her, my father and aunt for 14 years. They died within 7 weeks of each other. I also lost my dear sister from cancer during this time. That was very sudden. I am not married. I have no life away from this situation. I’m not grumbling, just saying the truth.
My mother is an incredible 98 years old. However, her health is breaking down and it is obvious that she can’t take much more. She cannot walk.
She has had recurrent urinary infections for a year or more. She is now catheterised and things are a bit easier for me and more comfortable for her because she is not constantly lying in ammonia soaked pads and sheets. She is pretty much bed bound at the moment. I can only describe it as having a baby you can’t pick up. Mum is not demented, apart from the times when she has an infection and then she is as normal as the next person. Well can’t ever say that my mother is “normal”. She is a feisty Italian. She is also an insulin-dependant diabetic. Another problem. She also developed arthritis before I was born. She was 46.
Mum now has a cold and it has moved to her lungs. This is quite different from the urinary tract infections. Her chest doesn’t sound that bad (I have a stethoscope) but she is bringing up horrible stuff. She has been raving and I’ve had to hide all mirrors and pictures. I took her temperature and it was 102F. I knew this was going to happen and called a doctor earlier. She has had one dose of antibiotic. I sponged her down and gave her paracetemol to bring down her temperature. She is now asleep at last. I these episodes she goes from being furious with me and then more loving than she ever was with her other children.
My question is: When is enough, enough? She is not in a coma. She is still here. The next time do I just not contact the doctor for a prescription? She is adamant that she will never go to hospital again. I hate hospitals and I’m sure that that’s where she got this infection. I reluctantly let her go into a nursing home for 2 weeks recently. She was so unhappy and got another UTI.!
No one takes care of her as I do. She wants no help from others but when does the time come to just let her go? I think it’s when medicine stops to work.
She has been anointed many times and our priest says it is unnecessary again. I know that there is something on her conscience and it is almost keeping her alive. I think I know what it is but it’s her business not mine. She seems so afraid to die.
My siblings are not good Catholics. They were brought up and educated as such but I’m the only one who flies the Papal flag, so to speak. Mum is very Catholic.
Stop now with my question. There is no point in calling the priest. I am doing everything that can be done in a medical way.
How can I let her know that her sins are forgiven? If she knew my sins!!!
My mother is an incredible 98 years old. However, her health is breaking down and it is obvious that she can’t take much more. She cannot walk.
She has had recurrent urinary infections for a year or more. She is now catheterised and things are a bit easier for me and more comfortable for her because she is not constantly lying in ammonia soaked pads and sheets. She is pretty much bed bound at the moment. I can only describe it as having a baby you can’t pick up. Mum is not demented, apart from the times when she has an infection and then she is as normal as the next person. Well can’t ever say that my mother is “normal”. She is a feisty Italian. She is also an insulin-dependant diabetic. Another problem. She also developed arthritis before I was born. She was 46.
Mum now has a cold and it has moved to her lungs. This is quite different from the urinary tract infections. Her chest doesn’t sound that bad (I have a stethoscope) but she is bringing up horrible stuff. She has been raving and I’ve had to hide all mirrors and pictures. I took her temperature and it was 102F. I knew this was going to happen and called a doctor earlier. She has had one dose of antibiotic. I sponged her down and gave her paracetemol to bring down her temperature. She is now asleep at last. I these episodes she goes from being furious with me and then more loving than she ever was with her other children.
My question is: When is enough, enough? She is not in a coma. She is still here. The next time do I just not contact the doctor for a prescription? She is adamant that she will never go to hospital again. I hate hospitals and I’m sure that that’s where she got this infection. I reluctantly let her go into a nursing home for 2 weeks recently. She was so unhappy and got another UTI.!
No one takes care of her as I do. She wants no help from others but when does the time come to just let her go? I think it’s when medicine stops to work.
She has been anointed many times and our priest says it is unnecessary again. I know that there is something on her conscience and it is almost keeping her alive. I think I know what it is but it’s her business not mine. She seems so afraid to die.
My siblings are not good Catholics. They were brought up and educated as such but I’m the only one who flies the Papal flag, so to speak. Mum is very Catholic.
Stop now with my question. There is no point in calling the priest. I am doing everything that can be done in a medical way.
How can I let her know that her sins are forgiven? If she knew my sins!!!
.