If you have been following my friend's posts describing the journey his wife accompanying his dying mother-in-law who has dementia, the story is nearing it's end. You can read more at:
Love in the TrenchesThe Silent Saints
End Stages of Dementia
Please pray for all of them as they approach the goal line. May Jesus, Mary, Joseph, all their guardian angels and patron saints escort "Mom" across the finish line.
Nearing the End:
Mom amazes me that she can live this long.
She had only eaten about 2 oz of oatmeal with apple sauce from Dec, Jan. Thereafter Mom was only eating 1 maybe 2 chocolate snack packs daily.
Feb to now Mom has not eaten or drunk much at all now over 3 weeks + no food or water.
We give Mom her pain meds as liquid small dropper in her mouth until it's absorbed by her dry mouth; like sublingual.
Mom's bones are barely covered by skin. Mom is a skeleton of herself.
Mom is not moaning or crying out as we bathe or change her; she has no strength left to even speak. She has not opened her eyes now since end of January beginning of February.
We hold her hands, fix her hair and she moves a little. Last night mom grabbed my hands as I prayer for her. I have a Google speaker near her bed I play Chaplet of Divine Mercy and Rosaries often. I've got a Class "A" Icon of Mother Theresa in her room that I hold to Moms body at times. I ask Mothrr Teresa and Padre Pio with The Blessed Virgin Mary to take Mom to Jesus, straight into Heaven no side streets, no layovers.
I'd guess in order for Mom to go directly to Heaven, Mom must suffer as she is but either way I ask God to let Mom's suffering be for the Salvation of Mankind, peace in the world and Love for everyone; all according to the Will of God.
I expect Mom to die between now Saturday March 4th Monday, March 6th.
I pray every day for everyone, friends or foes, all the Popes throughout time, all the clergy of every denomination, and all the wonderful nuns whose Souls are so very beautiful. I pray for politicians; I pray for over 50 people by name every night. Many times I'm up all hours of the night trying to sleep, so I pray until about 8 am. I usually wake up at 2:30-3:30 am and pray. I also pray before I fall asleep at night.
I am a Sinner, I need to pray more, and be better.
Maybe Mom is suffering for me. Jesus did.
Nothing happens by accident.
I hope there are at least a few family members nearby. Please don't be surprised to find yourself elated afterwards. A loved one doing this needs to smile and laugh, is is a purely human need, we can't live in sorrow too long, we aren't made that way. When you have watched a loved one suffer and die, your own spirit rejoices when their suffering is over. It is a frank relief when it comes. We ask, as they are in their last moments, please Jesus, take her now please. We watched a beloved endure cancer for two years. The night of the funeral we had a family party. No one outside the family may understand, but we did.
ReplyDeleteNow their suffering is over. If she got the sacraments, if she made a confession, we can feel peace, or at least, she loved Jesus during her life and acknowledged Him. Knowing we loved them to the last and did our best for them, we can be comforted by it.
It's a rough road alright. God bless anyone doing it, God be with anyone going through it.
Everyone's journey, eventually. Be with us, Lord.
Dear Friend,
ReplyDeleteGod bless your dear mother. I am just fixing to begin a rosary for her holy happy death. Thank you for your excellent example and please pray that I will be able to do this for my parents if the need arises. You and your wife are in my prayers.
I need to thank my dear friend Mary Ann for permitting me to share my thoughts with you all. I hope others might benefit from my cell phone writings about my dear mother in law.
ReplyDeleteI thank everyone for their kind thoughts and prayers for Mom.
I truly appreciate the nutrition recommendations.
There is an old saying about Leading a Horse to Water... Mom was quickly shutting down, no eating no drinking, no loud cries of rebellion as we gently changed her. I'd spend hours talking to Mom trying to get her to eat and drink but she was no longer capable of these basic functions. I understood that this is typical of End Stage Dementia, the brain is so affected it no longer functions causing a total system shut down to be eminent.
We monitored Moms water and food put-out (kinder words Im not aware of) and nothing was happening that way for over 2 days.
In the end Mom looked very very thin.