My mother-in-law is near death! I have a question!

Indeed.

I've had two family members stricken with dementia. It is very disturbing to watch the gradual erosion of personality, leaving a scared, confused stranger in a loved-one's body.

This was my first up close encounter with the disease, DrewDad. It is almost incomprehensible how appalling it is. This truly is worse than death. A total destruction of personality...yet the being still walks and talks.

The personality change is the most disturbing. She was a gregarious, social woman with not a bad word to say about anyone...and became an angry, constantly bickering shrew.

She is still on her death bed...three days since the doctors called the family in for what appeared to be “the end.” Her body will simply not shut down. Respiration when I left her yesterday was about 3 times per minute.

She should go today.

But the requirement that she remain in that bed dying naturally...rather than being aided by a competently administered final dose of drugs really frosts me.

(((Frank))) - so sorry hun. I hope peace comes quickly. x

We are all here.

Joe( big hugs)Nation

Frankie.. love to you, and Nancy especially, and Nancy's mother.


I've been through it, my mother died a shell of herself, mind long gone. She had what is now known as Alzheimer's from at least 1967 from the day my father warned me about her burning pans, to 1979, when she died, hard. And hard to even type about it.

Love/Jo/osso

That's the pits. We argue about different laws all the time, but ignore the "right to die with dignity" law. What's the matter with us?

Take care, buddy.

Thanks to everyone for you kind thoughts over the last several days.

Priscilla, Nancy's mother, passed away yesterday afternoon after four days of breathing at a rate of fewer than 6 respirations per minute...and two days of respirations of fewer than 3 per minute.

It was an agonizing ordeal for her daughters...who were put in the uncomfortable position of hoping feverishly that their mother would die.

Amazing that we are still so primative on this issue.

Agreed, Frank.

My condolences on the loss of your mother and mother-in-law!
May Nancy's mother finally have found her peace.

My sympathies to you and Nancy, Frank. "Primitive" is right. Sorry you all including your mother-in-law) had to go through tht.

Thoughts to all of you, Frank.

May she rest in peace.

I'm glad Priscilla's agony is over. All the best to you, Nancy, and her sister(s).

I wish you and your family comfort.

Wishes for comfort and peace for you and yours in a sad time, Frank.

My sympathies for you, your wife and family, Frank. Priscilla is at peace now!

I'm glad Priscilla is at peace now, Frank. Love and comfort to you, Nancy and the family. x

my condolences , frank !

i know , it's one of those difficult moments that seems to go on and on ...
we always wish the person would be healthy and live a long life , yet we also know that we want the person to die in peace and with dignity .
in the end there is only one thing left : acceptance ...
hbg

Hey Frank

Just checking in to say hope you, Nancy and family are doing alright and just... you know... take care and all. x

All is well, thanks.

Life goes on...as always it does.

Yep... it surely does.

Glad you're all doing OK.