they tried to make me go to rehab but I said, 'no, no, no.'...

Just a little tune that comes to mind whenever I say that my mom is in rehab.  Perhaps when she was younger, she might should have gone to a real rehab, but this is just a nursing rehab after surgery.


She is doing very well, better than we all thought.

We've all brought her cookies; no worries!  She's going to be cookied out.

Her biopsy came back last week.  The golf ball sized mass that was in her colon...you guessed it...cancer.  Colon cancer stage IIc.  They give her 5 years.  She gives herself 3.  She will not do any treatment for it.  She's too old and frail, so quality of life was a key factor for the decision to not have treatment as it would not be good now and up until the end.  They didn't see any evidence of further issues in the lymph nodes, so perhaps they got it all...?  Who knows.  We don't want to find out.  Mom doesn't want to find out.

My sisters have gone back to their worlds on the east coast and so now mom is our responsibility.  That is, me and my brothers.  Hopefully the little schedule that was agreed upon will work, so that no one has to be there every day.

Her appetite is back and I haven't heard her yell at someone like she did me the other day since my dad was alive.  Ahhhh, the memories...

I'm in charge of her bills and things.  Not easy taking control of these things when you have no idea how she handles it...and how she wants to keep it handled.  I'm also in charge of calling companies, people and setting up appointments for her and her car and the such.

We had a little dark cloud hanging over us last week.  Among other things, my mom's dog Tootsie died while my brother was taking care of her during my mother's hospital stay.  Last week, I met up with my brother to take Tootsie to the animal hospital to have her cremated.  I pick up the ashes and a little plaque sometime in the next week.

We're thinking mom might be released within a week.  She'll still live on her own.  Maybe we'll be able to put the Long Term Care Insurance to use.  Not sure if now is the time, or if it should wait.


Anyway, she's doing great in rehab and I've walked in on her during her PT while she's pedaling a bike!

Comments

Jan Marie said…
I am so sorry to hear this news. The C word is so scary but I have to say that your mom is being quite brave about this.

A 5 year prognosis without chemo vs unknown suffering and maybe not even 5 years and at her advanced and fragile state. That's a tough call.

I'll keep you and your mother in my thoughts.

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