My 81-year-old father is now slipping away from me.  Mama died in May 2010 after I cared for her at home for two years.  Now my father is home-ridden and I'm taking care of him.&nb… Read More

Mama's Celebration of Life Memorial LuncheonSomehow, I thought things would be much easier after Mama's passing.  I was very upset about the immediate family's lack of sympathy for my f… Read More

A Dying Parent or Child's Request for Quickened DeathMy mother, laid in her bed gasping her last breaths, totally unaware that we were there unless we try to turn her or keep her body f… Read More

Immediate or Simple Cremation Cost in So. NevadaI am sharing the pricing given to me for Immediate Cremation (or Simple Cremation) here in Las Vegas, Nevada, as of March 2010, from one of th… Read More

Preneed vs. Last Minute Shopping-ComparingMy Experience with MamaI’ve read a lot of discussions regarding Preneed versus At-time Purchase. My mother passed away last week. Approximatel… Read More

Mama's Gone Mama passed away last week.  It was hard to write anything for a while.  I went in to check on her several times during her last night.  She never woke up.&nb… Read More

March 4, 2010 The Hospice Home Nurses came and evaluated Mama.  They say she has about one to three weeks left.  I spent quite a bit of time with her yesterday.  We neede… Read More

I just sent out the following to my brothers and out of town family.  Mama is going downhill fast.  I don't expect her to make it more than a couple days.To Family Near and Far:&nb… Read More

I've noticed things that cause Mama to be worse on certain days.  For two days, she was doing very good.  She was coherent, talkative, seemed to have a little strength for wal… Read More

During the errand running for repair supplies I also had to stop for some medical supplies.  They are so expensive.  But Mama is getting bedsores.  The treatments for bedsores… Read More

The Crying Rag How many people have a "crying rag" by their bed or in their purse or pocket?  I keep mine by the bedside.  My "crying rag" is just a soft washrag that absorbs… Read More

Dementia is the worse disease in the world.  It changes people.  It takes a loving, caring father and makes him place obsessive attention on things like mail, the President, or his… Read More

Whenever I think things are as bad as they can get I get slammed up against the wall again.  Now my marriage is falling apart.  It's just too much stress to try and keep things smo… Read More

I've spent more than two years taking my parents to their doctors appointments, getting their prescriptions filled and going over their medication lists with them.  It's another totally… Read More

We both spent all night up and down, with Mama having diarrhea and me cleaning it up.  I'm still on a 72 hour straight jaunt with no sleep.  Mama slept for a while in her chair, an… Read More

It's 3:45am.  I spent the last hour rocking the baby back to sleep.  He's 16-months-old and cutting four molars all at the same time, so he's cranky and needy and just wants to be… Read More

It's 1:00am and I was awakened by Mama.  This is the fourth time tonight she has asked me to take her to pee.  But this time she says she has to poop real bad, so I get her walker… Read More

It seems like everything is so much harder to accomplish.  It seems like everything goes wrong.  I can't help but think this must be depression or what depression is like.  I'… Read More

Every one left early in the morning to go out for breakfast and play slots.  Every one except me.  I stayed home to get Mama up and dressed and seated in her recliner; and to get t… Read More

Just a Note:  Many of my entries were written previous to the creation of this journal.  I then posted them as the first few entries to catch the history of this up to today. … Read More

I understand their need to see Mama before she dies, but what are their real intentions.  Do they understand the problems?  Do they realize the burden they are adding?  Sadly… Read More

I find that Mama's health is declining, and especially her mental state.  Several family members including her sister's and friends back East have called to chew me out for not keeping… Read More

This letter describes the medical care, responses and results given to me and my mother, regarding her treatment and lack thereof when taken to her primary care doctor, two Urgent Cares… Read More

In October 2009, we had another serious swelling incident.  This time the swelling was double that of the first incident after the heart surgery.  This swelling was being caus… Read More

My mother's health is not good, and has not been for some time.  But she stumbled on with a pack of cigarettes in one hand and a ton of Hydrocodone and Xanax in the other.  She suf… Read More