Mom's Getting The Feeding Tube Today

Well, after much debate and family deliberation, we have decided to give Mom the feeding tube surgery today.  It seems that when she was getting some nutrition (through her port from the cancer chemo) via glucose, she was better and more 'herself' up and until the dropping incident of 4 days ago.  Since they dropped her, she's gone downhill.  Can't talk, only just some whispering, and tough to understand.  She can still write notes although they aren't always legible.  Yesterday she agreed, while seemingly 'herself' to allow the feeding tube surgery.  Then she 'changed' again and denied it. But because she's not getting ANY sustenance at this point, we have all collectively decided to try this as the final option on helping her to get back some function.  

She has repeatedly asked to 'go home'.  She wants to go back to her home and stay there, not die in a hospital surrounded by incompetents who have been dropping her, not feeding her, etc.  She is tired, and frustrated, and not 'herself' most of the time.

Dad has agreed to take her home provided he's able to get her proper care now that she's unable to walk, shower, or dress herself.  If he can get good home or hospice care, that would be best at this point.  The problem with glucose feedings is that sugar fuels the growth of the brain tumor (cancer loves sugar) and leads to her earlier demise.  

Without the ability to take the radiation treatments, we are really at a loss for something else to do on her behalf.  The Doctors say she needs a Divine Healing, they are unable to operate to remove this tumor because of its location in the brain.  She could be operated upon but the surgery would result in loss of function and she might live but not ever again be 'herself'.  And that's not an option we can live with.

Please pray for her, for my Dad, and the family as we struggle with these times.  God Bless You All.

Mom's Back In The Hospital Again

Mom's been back in the hospital again now for a couple of days.  She had an episode and was hitting Murry and her health care aides.  Yesterday I got a call from one of her care coordinators in the hospital asking me who she was to be released to when she got well enough to come home?  Duh...Dad.  She's having a few lucid moments, and the rest of the time she's nuts.  When she's lucid, the doctors and nurses think they are dealing with a person in her 'right' mind - but they aren't.  Then they believe some of what she is saying.  Very sad.  Dad is her primary care person - she belongs at home with him - but when she gets delusional she says he and the health aides are 'trying to kill her'.  Yesterday Dad told me that Blaine is arriving later today for a visit for a couple of days.  It will be good to know she is finally there and can help to assess what we are all dealing with, and perhaps have more understanding of the situation.  Please keep us in your prayers.

Mom's at home with Dad now

Mom's at home with Dad now, the health care aides are coming in for two hours morning and night and yesterday when I called Dad, he was getting her to eat something.  That's a good thing, she's losing body mass and a lot of weight from not eating or drinking properly.
We are hoping for him to get her to and from her radiation treatments over the next two weeks.
It's challenging, she's not very cooperative.
If you are getting any emails from her, PLEASE DO NOT CALL HER, call MURRY ONLY at (702)334-3044, as she's still psychotic and 'in and out' of being 'here'.  Some of the things she's writing online are delusional.  Dad is trying to keep her away from the computer and the phone, as she is so disturbed.
And NO, this is not some grand conspiracy to control her - we just don't want you spending your life savings flying out to see her when she's so out of control, and probably wouldn't know you anyhow.
Watch for updates here, I post every couple of days or so on her condition.  Thanks!

Mom's worsened

Mom has worsened.  She called the police in a bad mental state a week ago, said she was having issues with my Dad trying to 'hurt' her.  They took her to the only available Emergency Room, halfway across town and she was admitted in a psychotic state.  These doctors and this hospital are not her normal care providers, so we had to spend all week coordinating her care.  Finally they got her evaluated and a doctor called me Thursday evening and basically said they haven't seen this sort of thing manifest in this type of situation before;  they don't know if her trouble is from the steroids, the tumor, the painkillers, or the former history of strokes and brain damage from that.  It's very frustrating, she thinks the doctors are killing her, the nurses are killing her, my Dad is killing her, and now I am killing her for leaving her in the hospital.  I swear, she's totally LOST IT.
The worst part is, her radiation treatments to shrink the tumor can't take place as long as she's hospitalized - so unless she can stay in the home, she has no hope of survival from this.  Dad took her home late Thursday night.  Please, everyone pray for him - he's handling this with the home of 2 daily visits from home health aides, and Mom's already pissed them off bigtime.
He's determined to get her the radiation treatments, even if it means he has to keep her at home for 2 or 3 weeks.  If she freaks out again, and gets crazy, I'm afraid she will end up in either a convalescent home or the hospice. 
Please pray for my family at this time; that's really all we can do.  Thank you and God Bless.

Mom's got a brain tumor - HELP

Just returned from spending 4 days in Las Vegas dealing with MOM.  Her breast cancer has migrated into her brain and she's losing function, a little bit at a time.  When I got to the hospital, it was a shocking sight - just two weeks ago she was in great shape, moving a little slowly, but functioning fine, she was still 'herself'.  When I got to the door of her hospital room, my first thought was, this must be the wrong room - because she had gone so far downhill, she looked like a refugee from the convalescent home!  Little tiny grey-haired lady with no makeup and no hair gel - that's NOT MOM!! 
Never mind the fact that she's raving and losing her mind - she can't swallow, can't walk, can't drink or eat too well, and can't get her radiation treatments as long as she's in the hospital.  Says the nurses are 'beating her up'. 
The one I really feel bad for is DAD.  He's taken her home now and is dealing with the day-to-day.  I told him to get Home Health Care to come in and assist him - I hope he will.
There is NOTHING I can do for her - with my back this bad, I can't lift or help her, I can't do anything but get in the way and make her even angrier than she already is, and I feel so helpless.  This sucks. 
I hope God will give us all the strength to get through this, no matter His will in the outcome.