MCS

Been completely tied up with managing my mom's care lately. After her seizure a few weeks ago, she has been going downhill, and been moved from the hospital to a rehab center. With her tumor working its way through her brain, we have engaged the local outreach hospice to make her more comfortable. These folks have been amazing, giving us staff insight into managing her through this difficult time. They are experienced with the end of life, and it is a relief to be working with people that know what to do. I can't say enough about them, they are that good. Giving individual attention to her alone is worthwhile.
It's interesting to observe that excepting sudden trauma, much of death now comes down to starvation. Most conditions can be managed for days, weeks, months and years, if not cured, and you can be kept alive with feeding tubes for a long time. My mom has a specific proxy stating she does not want that in case she is incompetent in caring for herself and the end is clear. For those who do not, the second-guessing and conflict between family members must be terrible. It is also interesting to note that the rehab center staff has been thrown into disarray regarding feeding of their clients due to the Schiavo case being so controversial. Now at least it seems clear that the courts will not force a tube upon the young woman. Starvation may not be the worst way to go, but it seems we can improve on our current state of affairs in this country. And sometimes it's too much to be hearing about Schiavo at every rest stop I need to pee at when shuttling back and forth to Jersey.
I am also following the Pope's condition, as he gets progressively weaker like my mom. Easter may be a watershed for both of them.

Working on Kat plotting.