Hospice

Norma continues to make the best of each day, but nausea and fatigue make most days difficult. The past month has been especially challenging for her. She’s always been a ‘foodie’ so it’s frustrating that most food doesn’t taste good or stay down. A pharmacy of medicines and doses assist in varying degrees of success.

While the chemotherapy has helped my mom in many ways, it also contributes to these grueling side effects. And, the treatments have reached their peak in terms of keeping the cancer at bay. Given that reality, and the way my mom feels, she has decided to suspend chemo treatments and initiate hospice care. This provides access to a team of health care providers dedicated to making her comfortable.

Initially, an RN visits her at home every other day and helps in managing her meds. Care is adjusted as needed and for now, they are determined to keep her out of pain and eliminate the nausea.

This doesn’t stop her from enjoying life with her family and friends. In fact, she and Ralph, accompanied by Lisa and Emily, drove to Indianapolis this past Saturday and met Ray and me for lunch, a 3-hour one at that. She napped in the car as needed, and was thrilled to be sitting next to Emily in the back seat. Emily is so dear to her.

Keep sending those prayers her way. They mean a lot.