Im happy today we have some encouraging news for Frank

[Dianejt]

 According to our local hospice you may not be on TPN or dialysis if you go on Hospice. All treatments must be stopped.

 Last night Franks nephew came to visit. He is a ER/Critical care Doctor in NYC. All through the past few months I have been ...in close contact with him about all the surgery's & complications.

He was very much thinking that Frank is not at the point to go on Hospice. He thinks he still is strong but the pain is taking over him. He feels that they (Hospice) are just going to pump him up with Morphine so he will not be suffering. He said he feels that if we get a "Pain Specialist" Doctor they would be able to control his pain and make the next few months Quality time. He is not going forward with Chemo treatment but if he can have pain free time before the cancer progresses more it would be wonderful.

We  met with the Hospice nurse today to see what they say. There is a "Bridge " program pre Hospice that might be what we need at this time. Sue one of the 5 Bridge/Hospice nurses came over & we talked about the program and what Danny , Franks nephew recommended. She said they can get any of his doctors who can prescribe pain meds to get him on a 3 day pain patch. Danny had spoken about theses patches last night to us. She also wants to get a patch for him for the nausea. So Monday we will get the prescriptions he needs.

I am hopeful that this new plan will work to give us more time. I know he will be gone soon enough but to have a few extra months, that are pain free (or as close to) would be heaven. I will keep you posted

[jbeany]

When my Gram went on this spring, they didn't even do IVs for fluid when she couldn't swallow anymore.  (Not that she wanted one, but one of her young home care aides asked for it because she was panicking about not being able to get her to drink water at all.)  When you sign up, you end up in a separate section of Medicare billing that doesn't pay for anything life sustaining at all.

Hopefully, the pain management will give Frank some good days for a while yet!

[Dianejt]

We are covered by Blue Cross Blue Sheild Federal as Frank was a Postal employee, medicare is still 6 weeks away as there is a 4 month period before we will be covered. The insurance does cover but the Gardner VNA who is our local chapter of Hospice has a "Bridge" program. They have the same nurses who also do Hospice so the caregivers will not change as he progesses into hospice.

[Jean]

I thought I had read that if you are considered terminal, Medicare is instant. You might want to check on that. I hope and pray they can give Frank some good pain relief without drugging him out of his mind. Be aware, just in case, that pain meds of a lot of types may completely change your husbands personality. They did with mine and he said and did a lot of things that about broke my heart in two.

[Sluff]

Good Luck, I hope you get more pain free time together. Morphine does keep you pain free but the negative side to morphine is it keeps slowing down the heart rate until the heart quits. It is a humane way to treat someone before their final transition if there is no other treatment options.

[aharris2]

Thank God for Frank's nephew, Diane. I am glad for his interpretation. Pain can certainly make one want to die. I am glad that his interpretation got you turned on to this bridge program that will allow dialysis and ease his pain. Hospice is quite good at easing physical pain, more so than pain specialists who are unduly concerned about addiction.

I hope you two are blessed with a very special time together.

Alene