Monday, September 7, 2009

The Fair

Daughter and I went to the county fair today. We ate junk food and watched a man use a chain saw to carve a work of art. We talked to some friends. We heard how much people enjoyed the Big Event last night. We did not go to talk to Dad about hospice.
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I called Brother this morning, and told him I would not raise the possibility of hospice with Dad unless he was on board. He didn't see what it would do for Dad, so I told him what I thought it would do, and he went over and talked to Dad. Dad has gained 4 more pounds so he now has 77 pounds of fluid. He did not jump at the idea of hospice, but he also didn't say no. I thanked Brother for planting the seed. We'll see what Dad does with it now. Brother told him that if he went on hospice, he could eat whatever he wanted and we wouldn't worry about sodium content. He told him if he wanted "death by sliders," he'd make a White Castle run and buy them for him. Dad laughed at the thought. He also told Dad he is not a candidate for kidney dialysis.
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My prediction is that by his doctor's appointment on Wednesday he will be ready for hospice, if he is still alive. My hope is that he will go to sleep one of these times and just not wake up. That's what happened to my last parishioner who was fighting congestive heart failure.
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Daughter enjoyed her time at the fair. She understands that Grandpa is dying, and for now, she's doing okay. She's a little bit clingy, but not unreasonably so. Either that, or it's cool enough she's not driving me up the wall with it.

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