Mother gave no protest when she had to move in with my sister when she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. When my sister took a few days R&R I was the caregiver.
Mother's routine was in place. When she awoke, she drank a cup of coffee and put in her hearing aids. I helped her get dressed and get to the bathroom. She would brush her teeth and put them in and fix her hair and always put on a little rouge.
Her movement was slow and with a walker now. We had to attach a harness so we could hold on to her so she wouldn't fall. How well I remember the fast pace she walked in days gone by on the country roads in Arkansas! It was hard to see her reduced to almost no mobility at all.
She handled her situation with grace, gradually sleeping more and more and eating less and less. An avid reader all of her life, she read almost nothing the last four months. Unable to stay awake or concentrate for any length of time, she didn't even watch her beloved St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series!
The hospice people were a Godsend. They gave us information to explain what was happening and prepare us for the final moments.
She was able to die with dignity at home, what a blessing.
I miss her every day and loved her dearly!
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