Diane’s mother, Helen Gage, died in her bedroom with her family around her. Helen lived with us for 16 years. For most of those years, Helen was healthy and mobile. But in 2015 there was a relentless decline. Helen fell. Her deafness increased. She suffered from macular degeneration and osteoporosis. Helen weighed 70 pounds at the end. She had trouble keeping any food down. Breathing was labored. Helen woke up one morning and asked Diane and Katie, “Is the horror over?”
Having a daughter who works for hospice made the whole end-of-life process much easier to bear. Katie knew what was going on and helped us deal with the various hospice nurses and assistants who came to help Helen. Hospice services allowed Helen to die pain-free in her own bed–not in a hospital room–and with her family by her side.
Living to 96 is quite a feat. But much credit goes to Diane who provided world-class care-giving for many of those years. At the end, caring for Helen was 24/7 yet somehow Diane managed it. She deserves all the accolades I can shower on her. And Patrick’s calming presence helped all of us cope with the finality of the event.
Helen is at peace now. We have to deal with the heart-ache of her absence.