Hospice - 11/30/07

On Wednesday, the day that hospice called us to set up an appointment, Georgetown also called to set up an appointment for a PET scan. They have finally decided that they can treat Warren with the cyber-knife radiation. We met with hospice yesterday and today, the nurse who will be the one to see us most of the time is supposed to come by. We are officially under hospice care. We're still waiting for a call back from the Doctor at Georgetown. We did find out from hospice yesterday that Warren could be signed out of hospice temporarily to receive a treatment and then signed back in with no loss of benefit. The problem is that Warren's condition has deteriorated since the doctors at Georgetown saw him in October and I don't believe he is strong/well enough to even manage the stress of the PET scan. That would involve fasting for at least 4 hours (some PET's its 12) and he has pain meds that need to be taken with food. Another problem is that you have to lay flat for several hours and he would be in excruciating pain if he had to do that. They say they can anesthetize patients for that, but then you have a secondary problem that men (especially older men) get from anesthesia that causes the prostate to swell and then requires a cathatarization. If they'll still need 5 weeks to plot the treatment plan after the PET, who knows what his condition will be then, or if he'll even be here. I want him to turn down this option. I think the ship has sailed on this being able to help him and will only cause him more discomfort.

I feel so much better knowing that hospice is involved. I can call them 24/7 if there are problems or if he falls or has sudden outbreaks of pain. I don't have to call 911. They deliver the drugs he needs to us. They come to the house to check on him and arrange to have hospital beds or wheel chairs if needed. They assure me that he can stay here at home, no matter what happens as the disease progresses. I can get aides to help if his physical care is too much for me to manage (bathing, etc.) Because he has Medicare Part A there is no time limit in how long he can be in in-home hospice care. Hell, I think I want to put myself in hospice now too....of course I probably have to wait until I have Medicare.

I have to let Warren run his process for deciding about Georgetown. I've made my opinions known on the matter. I hope he tells them "no".

On to the more mundane; I've run 4 loads of laundry through the washer and it hasn't leaked again so I think I'm going to cancel my appointment with Sears. It could be it was an "out of balance" thing.

I took Mom's comforter to the dry cleaners yesterday and it will cost her another $37 to get it cleaned. Pretty soon she would have spent enough cleaning it to buy a new one. My brother is taking her to see the cardiac specialist this morning to see about a pace maker.

Have a lovely day on this last day of November 2007.