cadee2c
Well-known member
Some of you know my DH has had some serious heart issues for years. Well they have gotten a lot worse over the last 6 months and the docs have said he is now coming to the end. A couple of months ago, they said he might have up to a year, but he has steadily gone downhill to the point where the days he cant do anything are outnumbering the days he can.
This week, he signed up for Hospice services. Its taken some finagling, but they are going to give him a new portable oxygen concentrator. The full size ones they normally give out doesnt work well if we are hooked to 30 amp power and have other devices plugged in and running. He got a scooter and a lift for our Jeep from the VA, but they wont give us a ramp because they only put them on permanent structures.
The next thing I am working on is getting them to ok a chair lift so he can get in and out of the coach. He has a really hard time getting up the steps some days. They dont have one in their warehouse, but they may be willing to get one. We just have to jump through the right hoops. I think they are creating new hoops because its a coach and not a S&B house.
At this point, it doesnt look like we will be able to do anymore traveling. They are constantly having to change his medications around because his body isnt metabolizing them the way they should resulting in his blood getting too thin and his blood pressure suddenly dropping too low. He has asked for no lifesaving measures, so even if his fluid level builds up again, he will not be hospitalized. Hospice nurses will come a couple times a week to monitor him. I got him a Tshirt that says "Im not dead yet". That way he can just show them his shirt if hes ok when they come.
Hes ok with dying. He is 77 years old and is actually surprised he has lived this long. He doesnt want to live if he cant do anything. I have known since I met him that he had heart issues and I feel lucky for the 13 years we have had together. There were a lot of times when he got so bad, we all thought he was a goner but he pulled through.
Bob really wants to go back to Minnesota to visit friends and family and say goodbye. We will stay here in San Antonio until May or June and see how he is doing. If he is up to it and his medication remains stable, we will head back home. If not, we will just stay here, and hopefully be able to make weekend trips to Padre Island or some of the campgrounds around here.
This week, he signed up for Hospice services. Its taken some finagling, but they are going to give him a new portable oxygen concentrator. The full size ones they normally give out doesnt work well if we are hooked to 30 amp power and have other devices plugged in and running. He got a scooter and a lift for our Jeep from the VA, but they wont give us a ramp because they only put them on permanent structures.
The next thing I am working on is getting them to ok a chair lift so he can get in and out of the coach. He has a really hard time getting up the steps some days. They dont have one in their warehouse, but they may be willing to get one. We just have to jump through the right hoops. I think they are creating new hoops because its a coach and not a S&B house.
At this point, it doesnt look like we will be able to do anymore traveling. They are constantly having to change his medications around because his body isnt metabolizing them the way they should resulting in his blood getting too thin and his blood pressure suddenly dropping too low. He has asked for no lifesaving measures, so even if his fluid level builds up again, he will not be hospitalized. Hospice nurses will come a couple times a week to monitor him. I got him a Tshirt that says "Im not dead yet". That way he can just show them his shirt if hes ok when they come.
Hes ok with dying. He is 77 years old and is actually surprised he has lived this long. He doesnt want to live if he cant do anything. I have known since I met him that he had heart issues and I feel lucky for the 13 years we have had together. There were a lot of times when he got so bad, we all thought he was a goner but he pulled through.
Bob really wants to go back to Minnesota to visit friends and family and say goodbye. We will stay here in San Antonio until May or June and see how he is doing. If he is up to it and his medication remains stable, we will head back home. If not, we will just stay here, and hopefully be able to make weekend trips to Padre Island or some of the campgrounds around here.