Dad called this afternoon to let us know that mom was doing much worse. Breathing was much more difficult and pain was worse. Part of the plan to control pain is that when the meds she is currently using – Lorazipam and Oxycodone – aren’t effective, then a mom would be permenantly sedated with phenobarbital. We thought that it was close to the time that sedation would be used. Brett’s family and my family all headed out to visit with mom. Larry & Jan Schoen joined us as did Pastor John and his wife Donalda. We each had a chance to sit and visit with mom – basically a last good-bye. It was good, though very difficult, to have a chance to do this. Mom was incredible. Even through the pain she’d look us each in the eyes and tell she loved us. She even tried to chear the kids up. She is still giving out to others even in her difficult condition.
Once the visits were over, the hospice nurse stopped in to evaluate the situation. Long story short, the current meds were not being given at their maximum dosage yet. Prior to the a permenant sedation step, the current meds are required to have been given at there maximum dosage. The nurse, after consulting with the hospice Dr, set us to the max dosage level. The result may be much like the permenat sedation, only with drugs we are using, it is reversable if needed, and the Hospice nurse said this is the prefered method. After giving mom the initial dosage she fell into into a heavy, peaceful sleep (she was also quite tired after the visits this afternoon). That is where she is right now. Her condition will be re-evaluated tomorrow to see of the max dosage is giving her the comfort level she needs.
