PDML'rs, Definitely a great deal of sadness here with the Taylor family as we prepare to bid farewell to my Mom. She would be 88 years old on April 20th, but we are all but certain that she will not be able to celebrate this years birthday. Unable to recover from a colonectomy surgery performed in February coupled with Aortic Stenosis, her condition has continued to deteriorate over the past several weeks. She had not been eating and drinking enough to sustain herself and was back in the hospital within a couple weeks after surgery for dehydration. With her fluids stabilized the hospital had informed us that they pretty much had done all they could do for her short of inserting a feeding tube which she would not want nor allow. The best thing that we could do for her is bring her home to be comfortable with hospice care. Fortunately, we had just bought a new house last summer with a "Mother-in-Law" unit in the downstairs portion where my mom and brother were able to move in with us. So, the three of us have been caring for her (my wife works from home) since her discharge about six weeks ago. At first we were hopeful that being back at home would give her the motivation and comfort to have better chance of recovery. She had been eating a little more and drinking Ensure protein drinks regularly. But she was still not taking in enough nutrients to sustain herself. It seemed that she had just lost all interest in food altogether except for maybe chocolates and a few select fruits. At first she was walking around OK even by herself with the help of the walker. But the last couple weeks she's gotten progressively worse to the point where we could no longer even take her to the bathroom via wheelchair because she started passing out from just sitting on the commode. These past few days have been very difficult for all of us knowing that she does not have much time left here with us. Though we do have comfort in knowing that as a true disciple and saint of our Lord Jesus and that a very special place in heaven awaits her. She is truly a very special person. Loved by many who know her and even those who've only had a chance to meet. You see, she is a very loving and humble human being. I can never remember her saying a negative or cruel thing about any single person in her life. She is one of the most self-less persons I have ever known. Always willing to forsake her needs for those of her children and grandchildren and even people she didn't know very well at all. She has taught me so much about life by the example that she lived each and every day; the most important of which is Love. But if it hadn't been for her taking me to church as a young boy and teaching me about Jesus I don't think I'd be here to this day. I could have easily ended up like many of my peers in jails, institutions or dead. It' really hard at the moment to really reflect on just how much she really means to me. I remain hopeful of better days ahead. Here is a photo I took of us shortly after her surgery: http://i.pbase.com/o6/87/63987/1/76532119.31qAeDgY.IMGP0707.jpg If you are so inclined, please pray that her passing will be comforted by the Creator and those who love her.
Thank you, John James Taylor, Jr. (aka JayT) -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
