My mom, Helen Jennings, died early yesterday (1:35 am.) She had been in the
hospital for a week following a respiratory arrest. During one week's time
she so rapidly lost her ability to swallow that she went from feeding
herself a regular diet to aspirating pureed foods. She developed an
aspiration pneumonia following insertion of a PEG tube, arrested before the
antibiotics kicked in and remained nonresponsive for the week prior to her
hospice admission. She had been admitted to the hospital for the PEG (from
the nursing home) but we all were two steps behind her medical changes.
She was 85 y/o and had dementia as well as SDS. Unfortunately the dementia
thwarted all our attempts at therapy and we never had a chance to try
speech/swallowing therapy. Until she fell at Thanksgiving, breaking her
arm, she was doing well at home w/ Dad (88y/o) as her primary caregiver and
a hired aide 3 days/week. Once that happened, she lost the ability to walk
and her decline was rapid - speeded perhaps a bit by moving to a nursing
home. Dad and I were camped out there daily but did need to leave to go
home to sleep, work, take care of kids etc. The staff there, while very
caring and attentive, wasn't as on top of things as our one on one care at
home. Too bad 24 hr. care is so difficult to arrange at home.
On the positive side, she is spared the final stages of SDS; never knew she
had the PEG tube and would not be eating orally any more. That would have
been a horrible loss for her, but she was just too alert and interactive to
have declined it. One of those situations where all the choices stunk.
My blessings to you all. This egroup was a very wonderful help to me for
the past few months. Especially knowing what was ahead for Mom helps ease
the pain of losing her. God bless you all, Mary in Michigan
PS - I had suggested forming a Michigan support group - still a good idea
but another one of you will have to carry it out.