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Post by homeschooldad on Dec 22, 2023 8:13:21 GMT
Progress report: my mother is back home, in time for Christmas. She is still in a weakened state, and had a bad drug interaction (so it seems) last night, which resulted in her sliding into the floor (she didn’t get hurt) and needing to be hoisted back into her chair by the paramedics (who weren’t here five minutes). Her physical therapist showed me how to use a gait belt to give her stability, and we’ve got it down to a science. She is resting comfortably, eating normally, and is as articulate and as mentally agile as she ever was. For the time being, she will have in-home health care as well as a caregiver to come in twice a week, Bahamian-American, Anglo-Catholic, delightful lady, great conversationalist. We all have a lot to talk about.
Most of all, she has returned to a strong faith and determination once again to be a practicing Catholic, though going to Mass would be impossible for her. The Extreme Unction appears to have healed her both in body (to the extent possible) and in soul. Laus Deo!
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Post by tth1 on Dec 24, 2023 17:18:44 GMT
Glad to hear your mother is doing well and has returned home.
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Post by homeschooldad on Jan 9, 2024 4:45:36 GMT
My mother has taken a turn for the worse, and rather suddenly. In the past few days, she has grown very weak, has become bedfast, her normally-sharp mind and articulateness have been replaced by confusion and babbling, and she can barely eat. She just sleeps almost nonstop.
I don't look for her to live more than a few days. She has a doctor's appointment on Friday but I will be surprised if she lives till then.
I am considering calling the priest tomorrow, to come and do whatever (she's already had Extreme Unction). It would be impossible for her to confess or receive Viaticum. She might be able to swallow a crumb, I'd be happy to receive whatever she can't.
She is at peace and ready to go, if it comes to that.
Prayers appreciated.
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Post by RN69 on Jan 9, 2024 7:36:53 GMT
I'm sorry that your Mother's health is failing. Please accept my condolences as you feel like these are her end of life days. What a special blessing it turned out to be to have her back home for Christmas. My prayers are with and for her during the coming days.
May the Angels lead you into paradise, may the martyrs receive you at your coming and take you to Jerusalem, the Holy City. May the choirs of Angels receive you and may you with the once poor Lazarus have rest everlasting. Amen. ~ from The Catholic Company end of life prayer card
May the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen.
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Post by tisbearself on Jan 9, 2024 10:25:52 GMT
Praying for your mom, and you. In Jesus' Name we humbly pray.
I'm sure Our Lord is right there with you, and his Blessed Mother too.
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Post by homeschooldad on Jan 9, 2024 11:08:32 GMT
Praying for your mom, and you. In Jesus' Name we humbly pray. I'm sure Our Lord is right there with you, and his Blessed Mother too. Thanks. We are both at peace. If this is indeed the final chapter, my mother welcomes it, in that she sees her life as having been pretty much over since my father died, and she has several physical infirmities --- near-blindness, cannot walk, depression and anxiety --- that make every day a cross for her. She has said many times that she hates to face one more day. So I think, in a very real sense, she is finally at peace, thinking that the end is likely near. My son is the one who is going to have a hard time with it. His natural mother hasn't been a part of his life for years, by her own choice, and Grandma is basically his mother figure. He's been very bitter and cynical lately, finds his only solace in videos, games, his vast collection of comic books, and his online gaming friends around the world, and that's the reason why. He's been mostly staying in his room --- McDonald's on Wednesdays and Saturdays when my mother's caregiver comes (soon to be three days a week if my mother survives) --- and I've been leaving him alone. We may have to extend Christmas break by a few days.
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Post by tisbearself on Jan 9, 2024 11:22:27 GMT
The first significant death is hard on young people. Praying for him as well.
Please keep us updated over here. I'm on break from the other place. My nerves are too raw from the Tucho scandal and a few other recent past events to be modding or posting there for a while.
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Post by homeschooldad on Jan 9, 2024 19:59:32 GMT
The first significant death is hard on young people. Praying for him as well. Please keep us updated over here. I'm on break from the other place. My nerves are too raw from the Tucho scandal and a few other recent past events to be modding or posting there for a while. Thanks. Actually, when it comes, it will be his second significant death, the first one being when my father passed away in 2021. He actually handled that pretty well. He has a penchant for shutting out unwanted realities, and in this case, it might have been a good thing. He could not attend the graveside rites, and to this day will not accompany me to my father's resting place. I suppose everyone handles things differently. My mother survived through the night, but I have not been able to rouse her, her kidneys seem to have shut down, and her catheter bag has been almost empty since sunrise (it is just shy of 3 PM EST here now). I don't know if she is in a coma, or just sleeping very soundly. She does not respond to anything, and I had to prompt her, with a sip of water, to swallow the three medications she absolutely has to have (diuretic, seizure medication, and blood clot medication to deter another stroke), the rest of them weren't possible. Home health care will be here shortly and we will go from there. I've already cleared out the patio entry area in case they have to take her to the hospital or some other facility. She is at peace and is not suffering. If she does stay here at home, I am considering calling the priest to come and do whatever he judges opportune. She received Extreme Unction in the traditional Latin rite while she was in hospital a month ago.
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Post by homeschooldad on Jan 9, 2024 22:26:56 GMT
My mother is doing better and is awake, talking more or less normally, and the home health nurse says there is no cause for alarm. Her kidneys are again functioning normally. She may simply have needed 24 hours of good, sound sleep. Her caregiver is coming for 1/2 day tomorrow.
Thank God for false alarms.
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Post by tisbearself on Jan 10, 2024 0:06:21 GMT
Deo Gratias
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Post by tth1 on Jan 10, 2024 18:27:22 GMT
Only just read this thread so a bit late for your initial request. I really don't know how your mother keeps rallying from these episodes. My mother is the same. She was hospitalised until Christmas Eve. As one of the hospital nurses said to me, they don't make them like they used to. I doubt I'll live that long, I'm falling apart already.
Offering prayers for your mother's continued well-being and peace.
I'm sure if your mother received Extreme Unction some time ago there is no reason why she couldn't recei9ve it again.
May God give us all the strength we require for our adversities and the tranquillity to bear them well.
Keeping your family in our thoughts and prayers.
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Post by homeschooldad on Jan 11, 2024 5:42:55 GMT
My mother, after rallying some yesterday (but only very minorly), is quite low tonight, and at one point her breathing became very shallow and belabored. She is barely eating a bite, in fact, tonight, she could only take an Ensure-like nutrition drink. She sleeps almost all the time. We are going to try and get her to the doctor Friday, but at this point, unless things would drastically improve, palliative care and possibly hospice are the likely scenarios.
I'm not planning to post any more updates until the end comes, which looks as though it might be very soon. I will say, though, that even if he almost totally quits eating --- as is happening --- she is a plumpish woman, and it would take a long time for her to go down to skin and bones, as my much smaller father did. So I'll look to the health care people to advise hydration, medication, and some minimal amount of food, just whatever she can take, possibly coupled with some kind of multivitamin. She does not wish any extraordinary means to prolong her life.
She has made her peace with God and with the Church, and in fact she spent some of her last coherent words imploring my son to believe and accept the Faith. To tell the truth, he's a bit shaky on all of that right now, one reason he doesn't desire confirmation (and I am not forcing the issue).
Please pray. I'll let everyone know when the time comes, or if anything dramatic happens before then.
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Post by theguvnor on Jan 11, 2024 22:31:01 GMT
I'll post this - which is one of my favourite poems:
In Memory Of My Mother I do not think of you lying in the wet clay Of a Monaghan graveyard; I see You walking down a lane among the poplars On your way to the station, or happily
Going to second Mass on a summer Sunday - You meet me and you say: 'Don't forget to see about the cattle - ' Among your earthiest words the angels stray.
And I think of you walking along a headland Of green oats in June, So full of repose, so rich with life - And I see us meeting at the end of a town
On a fair day by accident, after The bargains are all made and we can walk Together through the shops and stalls and markets Free in the oriental streets of thought.
O you are not lying in the wet clay, For it is a harvest evening now and we Are piling up the ricks against the moonlight And you smile up at us - eternally.
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Post by tth1 on Jan 12, 2024 14:10:13 GMT
By Patrick Kavanagh (+1967) of Monaghan I believe, who died relatively young from lung cancer.
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Post by theguvnor on Jan 12, 2024 17:35:36 GMT
It is. He also has a poem for his father as well I am fond of.
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