Hello Everyone,
Sadly, Susan's mother passed away yesterday (12/11/07) morning. Let's
light a candle for Helene Werner and send Susan our prayers, good
thoughts and support. She's really been through the wringer, this
year.
In Susan's Own Words:
Hi All,
It's all over. Mom passed away at around 11:00 this morning.
I contemplated moving her to another hospital but it was too late.
The infections had gone too far and dialysis wasn't going to save
her. Even if it did, the doctors all said that even if by some
miracle she survived she still wouldn't live long and she'd get
another infection that would kill her and she'd never be out of bed or
off the vent. She wouldn't want to live that way.
The choice was giving her pain meds last night or dialysis
(pain meds lower your blood pressure and hers was already too low even
with two meds to raise it). I couldn't leave her in pain so I said
forget dialysis and give her the pain meds. Actually, by that point
I was ready to turn off the machines but evidently different hospitals
have different procedures for that. At Rush UIC where my dad was,
all I had to do was said I agreed to turning them off and they gave
him the morphine drip and turned everything off. At Kindred, they
said they had to get forms from social services (who are only there
during the day) and two doctors had to sign that they agreed to it
besides my signing them before it could be done. So we just gave her
the pain meds and I reinstated the DNR so that if she went on her own,
no one came and brought her back. That's what she wanted...she had
said that if it was her time to let her go. So this morning, before
I had a chance to get the two doctors signatures and the forms
completed she went on her own. I guess that's the miracle -- she
spared me having to turn off the machines the way I did for Pop.
Anyway it's over and she's at peace.
For those of you who are local and want this info, here's the
info on the arrangements:
Visitation:
Thursday 12/13 4-9 p.m.
Barr Funeral Home
6222 N. Broadway
Chicago
Funeral
Friday 12/14 10:30 a.m.
Granville Avenue Methodist Church
1307 W. Granville Ave.
Chicago
Luncheon at Calo Italian Restuarant after the service.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the American Cancer
Society or the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
Pretty much the same as my dad's, just different hymns.
I'm okay. I'm kind of numb, actually. I feel exhausted and
wiped out and like I've through the wars and been beaten. I
alternate between that and tears. But I'm glad she's not suffering
any more.
Thanks for all the prayers and support!
Love,
Susan
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