Tom and

[Guest guest]

Hi Tom and -

There seems to be so many faced with tough decisions

of " what would be best. " I have walked in your shoes

and am beyond the end of the journey. Please remember

" we are only responsible for the effort, not the result " and

seeing the love and admiration you have for your mothers

there is no wrong way of caregiving. You will know when

you have made your decisions that it feels right and

the end will come in it's own time.

My heart goes out to you, both.

Hugs-

Sandie

-- Re: end of life removal of aricept

Tom, we will go the next stage together then. I know exactly how you feel,

but we do

what we must for those we love and respect. I am now debating leaving Mom

on Eltroxin.

The nurse I spoke with said it is not keeping her alive, so much as keeping

her more

comfortable, metabolically more stable. I wonder.

As a friend was told by a doctor when they needed to remove her mom from

life supports,

respirator, tubes, that we reach a time where we are prolonging death rather

than

prolonging life.

You are not alone.

>

> Hello...I'm almost at the same point you are.....my mother is not quite as

> bad as yours physically but close...Our doctor suggested last week (when I

> saw him for my pneumonia which Mom hasn't picked up!!??)that we consider

> withdrawing her namenda and reminyl(razadyne) and letting her go as the

> cognitive drugs may just be prolonging her suffering and he noted the wear

> on me (I just keep picking up one problem after another)....he did also

say

> that it would not be easy to watch and that maybe after the drugs were

> withdrawn I should consider hospice in the skilled portion of a nursing

> home...I read and reread the living will and remember the conversations

with

> my mother and father about " being kept alive for no good reason " ). and my

> other problem is one of her paid caregivers is older and has started her

own

> health ills and the youngest one is moving this spring.....but mainly his

> concern was " does she a have any quality of life? " ...well it's pretty

close

> to no if it's not " NO " ........that's where I'm at and at some point this

> month when I have all the backups in place we will begin to withdraw her

> meds......TOM

>

>

>

> end of life removal of aricept

>

>

> > My mother is in end of life, needing full care, transferral by sling

lift,

> > needing to be turned

> > in bed, diapered, in a tilt wheel chair for relief of pressure areas,

> > spoon fed pureed food,

> > still tolerating clear fluids, eyes closed most of her days whether

awake

> > or asleep. She is

> > sadly more aware of her present than her past.

> > The doctor has now recommended removal of Aricept as he does not feel it

> > is helping

> > anymore. She obviously does not now meet the government cognitive

> > standards for this

> > medication to be given freely. She can afford to have it continued

> > privately.

> > I promised her years ago that if she reached this state of being that I

> > would stop any

> > treatments that prolonged her state of life. Do I continue or stop this

> > cognitive enhancer?

> > I think now what I need is support to stop it so she can continue her

> > decline more easily.

> > If I'm wrong, please let me know! I am alone in this decision.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Welcome to LBDcaregivers.

> >

> >

> >