Hi, haven't posted for a while, but wanted to share the news that my lovely Mum passed away on January 10th.
She collapsed at the care home where she had been living for the past 15 months, and was taken to hospital in an ambulance. She was vomiting and had stomach pains. Initially they thought she may have a perforated bowel - but a scan showed she had pancreatic cancer, and a shadow on her lung. We didn't want any invasive procedures, and asked that she be kept pain free and comfortable. The doctor said she would just receive palliative care.
On calling the care home to keep them updated, they immediately said we could take Mum there for end of life care. They told us that it was Mum's home, and they wanted to look after her. Although not a nursing home, they would call in district nurses and Macmillan nurses if necessary. So after just four days in hospital, Mum went home to be with people who loved and cared for her. They put a camp bed in Mum's room so one of us children could stay at night. She was on a morphine pump so wasn't really aware of where she was - but we had the comfort of knowing she was with people she knew.
This was a Tuesday, and Mum died on the following Saturday surrounded by her family. Although it is terribly sad to lose Mum, her dementia was advancing at a rapid rate, and we lost our 'real' Mum months ago. They were going to move Mum to the dementia wing at the care home, and we were worried how this would affect her. It seems that she made up her mind she wasn't going to be moved
During Mum's time with dementia, I have found a lot of comfort just reading about other people's journey on this website, and would like to wish you all the very best.
We like to think Mum is now dementia free, dancing above the clouds with her beloved husband, my dad Fred xx
She collapsed at the care home where she had been living for the past 15 months, and was taken to hospital in an ambulance. She was vomiting and had stomach pains. Initially they thought she may have a perforated bowel - but a scan showed she had pancreatic cancer, and a shadow on her lung. We didn't want any invasive procedures, and asked that she be kept pain free and comfortable. The doctor said she would just receive palliative care.
On calling the care home to keep them updated, they immediately said we could take Mum there for end of life care. They told us that it was Mum's home, and they wanted to look after her. Although not a nursing home, they would call in district nurses and Macmillan nurses if necessary. So after just four days in hospital, Mum went home to be with people who loved and cared for her. They put a camp bed in Mum's room so one of us children could stay at night. She was on a morphine pump so wasn't really aware of where she was - but we had the comfort of knowing she was with people she knew.
This was a Tuesday, and Mum died on the following Saturday surrounded by her family. Although it is terribly sad to lose Mum, her dementia was advancing at a rapid rate, and we lost our 'real' Mum months ago. They were going to move Mum to the dementia wing at the care home, and we were worried how this would affect her. It seems that she made up her mind she wasn't going to be moved
During Mum's time with dementia, I have found a lot of comfort just reading about other people's journey on this website, and would like to wish you all the very best.
We like to think Mum is now dementia free, dancing above the clouds with her beloved husband, my dad Fred xx