Mojo Request Sister has passed on.

Flamencology said:
Yeah, not all dependencies/addictions are equal.
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Very true.

Knowing both my Dad and my Grandfather were alcoholics I have (as an adult) practiced moderation in drinking between bouts of not drinking at all. I have struggled with different addictions at times (and prevailed), but alcoholism is such a nasty beast to tame.
 
No updates today. Haven't heard from anyone. I think the worst part in all of this is that at least for a time yesterday, she was just lucid enough to likely understand that she was dying and there was no way to stop it. I could see it in her eyes as I was leaving. That's an unbearable misery to comprehend. I can't imagine, nor do I want to.

I hope she finds some peace while there's still some fleeting lucidity. I never want to see a look of fear like that again.
 
Denverdave said:
Very true.

Knowing both my Dad and my Grandfather were alcoholics I have (as an adult) practiced moderation in drinking between bouts of not drinking at all. I have struggled with different addictions at times (and prevailed), but alcoholism is such a nasty beast to tame.
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In severe addiction cases, alcohol withdrawal is more dangerous than withdrawing from heroine, cocaine, or meth.
 
Mojo OGG

I had to say good bye to my Mom when she was dying from cancer, was no longer conscious and I knew I would never see her again. I know it is incredible hard to do so. I hope your sister finds peace sooner than later. Honestly I think it's better for everyone.
 
nuke_diver said:
Mojo OGG

I had to say good bye to my Mom when she was dying from cancer, was no longer conscious and I knew I would never see her again. I know it is incredible hard to do so. I hope your sister finds peace sooner than later. Honestly I think it's better for everyone.
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I was the last one in my family to see my mother before she died. It was 91 days after her diagnosis and learning she was already at stage 4. I was new to a private EMS company that happened to have a contract with the hospice she was in. She was unconscious with Cheyne-Stokes breathing, so I knew we were getting very close to the end. The oncologist was there so I asked her, "How long?" She answered, "Today" and stepped out.

I had my last conversation with her and told her that is was okay to let go. I gave he a dose of morphine with the PCA pump button since she couldn't do it herself. I'd like to think that helped push he over the edge. She died not long after. At that point, it was my gift to her. I've never told my family about the PCA morphine dose. I doubt they would understand back then. Now that they are older, they might.
 
Flamencology said:
Lowest on that spectrum, certainly.

But it’s relative. Cold turkey for a severe alcoholic can potentially be fatal, which puts it in a different level.

Also technically true of opiates, I guess, but much rarer.
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The sudden withdrawals starting with her hip surgery a few months ago, and the recent hospitalizations are almost certainly the straw that broke the camel's back in her case. Not that continuing to drink would have been "healthy" by any stretch, but Dr. Flamencology is absolutely correct. The DTs from alcohol throw the entire body into absolute chaos and is often fatal.

In my sister's case, it was a double whammy along with opioid pain meds.

Ironically, they're now pumping her full of even heavier opioids to keep her comfortable until the end.
 
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OGG said:
The sudden withdrawals starting with her hip surgery a few months ago, and the recent hospitalizations are almost certainly the straw that broke the camel's back in her case. Not that continuing to drink would have been "healthy" by any stretch, but Dr. Flamencology is absolutely correct. The DTs from alcohol throw the entire body into absolute chaos and is often fatal.

In my sister's case, it was a double whammy along with opioid pain meds.

Ironically, they're now pumping her full of even heavier opioids to keep her comfortable until the end.
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I should note that my doctorate is a PhD in dramatic lit. I’m just surrounded by MDs.
 
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Flamencology said:
I should note that my doctorate is a PhD in dramatic lit. I’m just surrounded by MDs.
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I was aware, just giving props where due.


I hadn't planned on going back to the hospital, but I decided to go earlier today. Apparently fate had deemed it so. The Palliative Care MD arrived shortly after I did, and I suddenly found myself in a private room with her boys, her husband, and the Doctor to discuss transitioning her from the ICU to Palliative Care/Hospice. Doing so means stopping all treatments and focusing solely on keeping her comfortable with Morphine until she passes. Given the grave diagnosis of systemic organ failure, with no hope for any kind of improvement, this was really the only choice to make, which we did. It certainly wasn't easy, and I never imagined I'd be a part of that conversation. I'm still the "baby", sitting at the kids table. It was a very surreal and rare "adult" moment for me.

By morning she will have been moved upstairs for her remaining time.

My sister loves R.E.M. more than anything, I've had two dreams over the past two nights that involved me playing "Everybody Hurts" at her Memorial. This evening when my wife and I went to see her, guess what song started the second we walked in the room?

Yeah.

It seems fate still has some assignments for me. Not sure how I'll manage, but I guess I'll be learning a new song over the next few days. That will be the easy part. Performing it without coming unglued is going to be rough.

Damn.
 
OGG said:
I was aware, just giving props where due.


I hadn't planned on going back to the hospital, but I decided to go earlier today. Apparently fate had deemed it so. The Palliative Care MD arrived shortly after I did, and I suddenly found myself in a private room with her boys, her husband, and the Doctor to discuss transitioning her from the ICU to Palliative Care/Hospice. Doing so means stopping all treatments and focusing solely on keeping her comfortable with Morphine until she passes. Given the grave diagnosis of systemic organ failure, with no hope for any kind of improvement, this was really the only choice to make, which we did. It certainly wasn't easy, and I never imagined I'd be a part of that conversation. I'm still the "baby", sitting at the kids table. It was a very surreal and rare "adult" moment for me.

By morning she will have been moved upstairs for her remaining time.

My sister loves R.E.M. more than anything, I've had two dreams over the past two nights that involved me playing "Everybody Hurts" at her Memorial. This evening when my wife and I went to see her, guess what song started the second we walked in the room?

Yeah.

It seems fate still has some assignments for me. Not sure how I'll manage, but I guess I'll be learning a new song over the next few days. That will be the easy part. Performing it without coming unglued is going to be rough.

Damn.
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Sorry to hear that.

Hospice can seem like a scary thing to a lot of people, but it’s something that I am really supportive of. It’s so very often the best option for both patient and loved ones, and I wish it was an option for everyone. You all made the right call.

Actually currently working as a consultant on a nationwide hospice information program for teen and young adult cancer patients up here in Canada. Will be launching early next year.
 
OGG said:
I was aware, just giving props where due.


I hadn't planned on going back to the hospital, but I decided to go earlier today. Apparently fate had deemed it so. The Palliative Care MD arrived shortly after I did, and I suddenly found myself in a private room with her boys, her husband, and the Doctor to discuss transitioning her from the ICU to Palliative Care/Hospice. Doing so means stopping all treatments and focusing solely on keeping her comfortable with Morphine until she passes. Given the grave diagnosis of systemic organ failure, with no hope for any kind of improvement, this was really the only choice to make, which we did. It certainly wasn't easy, and I never imagined I'd be a part of that conversation. I'm still the "baby", sitting at the kids table. It was a very surreal and rare "adult" moment for me.

By morning she will have been moved upstairs for her remaining time.

My sister loves R.E.M. more than anything, I've had two dreams over the past two nights that involved me playing "Everybody Hurts" at her Memorial. This evening when my wife and I went to see her, guess what song started the second we walked in the room?

Yeah.

It seems fate still has some assignments for me. Not sure how I'll manage, but I guess I'll be learning a new song over the next few days. That will be the easy part. Performing it without coming unglued is going to be rough.

Damn.
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During his last year of life, my brother took up ukulele, and when I would visit we would jam - with him on his uke and me either on guitar or uke and singing. One of the songs we did together was the Israel Kamikawawole version of “over the rainbow/wonderful world”, which I played and sang at his wake. That was not easy, and I have not wished to hear or play it since...
 
Continued mojo, OGG. I sang one of my songs, Milk and Honey, at my sister's service and cracked a bit. I didn't realize until now that I rarely play that song since then.
 
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