A number of regular readers have e-mailed to ask why the blog is not being updated as frequently as it usually is.
The answer is simple, but sad: my mother is dying.
Updates will continue to be sporadic for a while as I am at the hospice every day to spend time with her as she slowly fades from this life.
Thank you all for your support and understanding during this difficult time for my family.
I’m so sorry for your family crisis, it is a hard time and I know how hard it is to lose someone slowly like that. She’s very fortunate to have someone with her.
Thanks, Jerry. And this might be a good time to remind everyone that if you have an elderly parent, make sure that they have set up a proxy and left an advanced directive with their wishes. The main reason I have been able to be of so much help to my mother these past six months is because the doctors and nurses all knew they could and should talk with me and that I could and would make decisions when decisions needed to be made if Mom was in no condition to make a decision.
Talking with parents about end-of-life issues may be difficult in some families or feel awkward at first, but I think the best thing we can do for our parents is to reassure them that we know and understand what they want for themselves and we will ensure their wishes are respected. Proxies and written directives can also help prevent squabbles among siblings about what to do. My brother and I are very much in sync about care and our families have drawn even closer as a result of our shared experience. So yes, it is a very sad and tiring time, but we will come out stronger for it and with the knowledge that we did everything we could to give our mom what she wanted.
Oh, dear. I’ll hug my loved ones a bit tighter… do take care.