Closing the circle

The circle of life for Evelyn is quickly closing. Yesterday she had Lee, Kim, Kirsten, Mike, Shannon, Dave and I, plus Laura with palliative care, there with her while we asked questions concerning her comfort over the next couple of days.  It takes about five seconds or more for questions to compute in her brain and longer for a single word response. Some of the questions she didn’t want to answer and would remain mute. That’s ok. Some questions would produce a facial expression one could call a sneer. You could tell that was her “no” face. When she becomes unable to communicate, she wants us as a group to make the final decision in her care. We will honor that request to the end.

Biopsy results were supposed to come back yesterday evening but did not arrive before we all left for dinner. The oxygen level she has been receiving were at 40% and bumped to 80% on Monday night when Mike was there. By Tuesday evening the nurse had bumped up the level to the max. She is on morphine to ease the pain. There is nothing that can change this course of life.

Her youngest grandchild has passed me a message via email that I will go read to her today. Kim and I will be popping in to read James Herriot stories to her. We might have to do some pre-checking to make sure not to read any of the sad ones.  If I can find an Oliver Sak’s book before heading down, I think she might enjoy his Oaxaca one. He talked about mosses and plants while traveling in Mexico.

Waiting to hear Lee’s morning report….

Thank you all for your kind thoughts & love.. .