Hubby caregiver
Member
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2016
- Messages
- 19
- Reason
- Lost a loved one
- Diagnosis
- 06/2016
- Country
- CA
- State
- British Columbia
- City
- Vancouver
Been busy physically and drained emotionally. I have not had time to post or read threads.
In the last couple of weeks, we have turned a page. We have gone from not being able to talk about our situation to, with many Kleenex, talking about her fears, her mind-frame, wishes for end of life treatment and other wishes before she passes. Her abilities continue to weaken very rapidly. We are being followed by a palliative care team of social workers, nurses, counsellors and doctors and continue to have care aides coming to the house for personal care. Our front door is a revolving door where physical and emotional support comes through. I am extremely grateful for the love and support her family, our friends and the palliative care team have shown in the last few weeks. Accepting the Dx, I think, has come and gone; now we move on to whatever next step in the process.
We will have a busy week this week because, her and I have made the decision to move her to the hospice. Her GP has revised her prognosis and if things continue to progress the way they are, by Christmas, she will have lost her manual abilities, her breathing will be critically affected, her ability to speak and swallow will be seriously diminished. She continues to refuse to use the BiPap machine or do any type of breathing exercises to help her breathing. So her death will be sooner rather than later during that time frame.
Even though this week's move to the hospice is "on a trial basis" or "to give me a break" (her words) I have a strong feeling (or the strong hope) that the hospice will provide her with the peaceful environment she needs to reach the next stage in her journey. I don't believe that she will be coming back home (which is heartbreaking for me) but knowing the timeframe, it has to be done. This also means that I have to let go of my role of full-time caregiver; in order to become her husband again. That will be the hardest part.
"One day at a time" ...
B.
In the last couple of weeks, we have turned a page. We have gone from not being able to talk about our situation to, with many Kleenex, talking about her fears, her mind-frame, wishes for end of life treatment and other wishes before she passes. Her abilities continue to weaken very rapidly. We are being followed by a palliative care team of social workers, nurses, counsellors and doctors and continue to have care aides coming to the house for personal care. Our front door is a revolving door where physical and emotional support comes through. I am extremely grateful for the love and support her family, our friends and the palliative care team have shown in the last few weeks. Accepting the Dx, I think, has come and gone; now we move on to whatever next step in the process.
We will have a busy week this week because, her and I have made the decision to move her to the hospice. Her GP has revised her prognosis and if things continue to progress the way they are, by Christmas, she will have lost her manual abilities, her breathing will be critically affected, her ability to speak and swallow will be seriously diminished. She continues to refuse to use the BiPap machine or do any type of breathing exercises to help her breathing. So her death will be sooner rather than later during that time frame.
Even though this week's move to the hospice is "on a trial basis" or "to give me a break" (her words) I have a strong feeling (or the strong hope) that the hospice will provide her with the peaceful environment she needs to reach the next stage in her journey. I don't believe that she will be coming back home (which is heartbreaking for me) but knowing the timeframe, it has to be done. This also means that I have to let go of my role of full-time caregiver; in order to become her husband again. That will be the hardest part.
"One day at a time" ...
B.
