Hospice

Sorry for the radio silence. It has been a couple of days of a lot of changes.

While we were in the ER, the oncologist told us that the cancer has spread so rapidly that further treatments aren’t going to help. As soon as we could get discharged (many hours later) we came home.

The goal now is to keep James comfortable and pain free.

The hospital’s social workers quickly filed the forms to allow us to start hospice. We met with the intake nurse yesterday, and I spoke to one of the doctors on the phone. The first set of medications arrived last night, but we aren’t planning to make changes to his current pain regimen yet.

Rather than only overnight, we will now have a home health aide here 24 hours per day. I will take 4 weeks of family leave starting next week.

James is in good spirits and relieved that we won’t be chasing pain treatment constantly as we have done over the last 4 months. He also won’t have to suffer through regular car rides to attend appointments.

We continue to have regular visitors and welcome as many as possible. Our friend Paddy is now coordinating visitors for me. Let me know if I need to make a text or email introduction.