Hospice

So. We had a meeting with a Hospice coordinator today. What a wonderful woman. It truly takes someone special to be involved in the process of dying. She went through everything that Hospice can do for my MIL. She took her time explaining everything to us. My FIL had a hard time hearing (what else is new) but once he put a new battery in his hearing aid, he could follow along with the conversation.
When we reached the part of the conversation that had to do with end of life wishes, the dreaded DNR came up. My MIL said she didn't want to be hooked up to any machines. My FIL agreed! That is the first time I have ever heard him talk about such things!

I think the feeling that I came away with was one of relief. Someone was here to help. It has been a strange thing to see. We put the word out to family and friends after we got the diagnosis and there have been no visitors since! I know people are busy and have lives of their own. But here is this poor, little woman. Sitting at home, day after day. And none of her friends or family have come to see her. Now to be fair, they both have outlived a lot of their friends. But still it is sad. I hope that with the help of Hospice and the visiting Angel woman, they will have some company.

Again, we are faced with the ending of a persons life and yet the dull, dreary daily routine of life keeps chugging along. Groceries have to be purchased and laundry needs to be done. Pills have to be refilled and sheets changed. Maybe it is the repetition of these seemingly meaningless tasks that actually keep us on track. The familiarity of daily life and its routine keeps us moving forward. Every day, moving forward. And little by little we move past the hardship or the hurt or loss that is in the now. Here's hoping that there is some happiness and peace in the future.