Monday, March 23, 2020

Starting Hospice care for my Mom while in the midst of the Covid-19 crisis

Today - Sunday, March 22nd - started as most mornings. I went to visit my Mom at the hospital. Then it all went quickly to hell in an hand basket.

But I need to back up.

Nearly a week ago, Mom was not eating, refusing to take medicine or let anyone take her blood pressure or touch her. The hospital physician said it was decision time - we needed to decide if we should continue with the approach of "lets try to make her better" to "lets just make her comfortable".

That was Saturday March 13th. A very tough phone call to with my two brothers. We all agreed - it was Hospice time. Mom made it clear - signed a DNR - she wanted no artificial means of support.

After that - it became a week of the Hospital saying, "we need her bed"  - and thus began my marathon of texts and phone cards, agreements and contracts - mind you, I was just having lunch with Mom at a local restaurant just a few weeks ago - this happened way faster than we would have ever expected.

Normally, this process of finding a hospice facility would be straight forward - we contacted a reputable Bed and Care facility, I took the tour, was happy with the facility and pricing - but - there are others that already live there - they asked - can we test for Covid-19 ?

Well, no. Not an 88 year old hospice patient.

You have no idea what chaos was involved from that day forward - we quickly discovered that no one wanted anyone new. Even the $500 a day places said "no new patients at this time".

But the hospital needed beds - and while I walked through my moms hall and counted 4 rooms with no one in it, I realized, they were most likely getting ready for an potential onslaught on new Covid-19 patients.

So, the ONLY option was to bring back to her apartment. So then a different set of chaotic maneuvers. We needed 24/7 care - in home. We needed a hospital bed, oxygen, new sheets for this twin sized hospital bed - and needed Hospice RN who could administer the medicines that keep her comfortable. These are not drugs available at you corner Walgreens.

And Moms apartment is in a senior living facility - independent living - but still - on LOCK DOWN due to Covid-19.

Older people live there - they are sequestered to their rooms. So, here I am at 2:30pm on a Sunday...and all this needs to happen like NOW;

Someone needs to deliver a Hospital bed ( mind you I need to go there and move the full sized bed out of the way )

The home care people that will be there 24/7 needs to check in

Two people are going to bring Mom in on a transport bed

A RN needs to asses and give her the meds

A delivery driver need to deliver the meds

So, this is 7 new people that need to be screened BEFORE entry - temp taken, masked up, hands sanitized - all at the front door of a senior facility. This is of course a VERY NEW FIRST DAY protocol that they implemented but has actually not tried as they have a "no visitors" lock down in place ! 

AND -  this all had to happen within a 4 to 7:30 window - as this facility is closed after that ( it is not an assisted living, it is independent living )

But, it happened, Mom is moved, the comfort staff person and the Hospice care RN are in place, and Mom is sound asleep.
And I am searching desperately for my shit stapler, trying to keep my shit together.

I am good. Thankfully, I have my wife and brothers - they are like the rock of Gibraltar holding me up. 

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