Originally Posted by Atl_John
No it was not pretty, not pretty at all, I guess it just made me extreamly sad to see her in this sort of situation just being strung along in the state that she was in. It seemed completely cruel and I just couldn't handle it. Lets say that me and my folks had a VERY long and indepth conversation about what they want during their time. I couldn't go through something like that with my folks
Congratulations on having that talk with your folks. Some people never do that -- and that failure complicates the dying process when the time comes.
As someone in her 50's, I have so many good friends who are struggling with these issues with their parents. They've never had the discussions and their parents have made no arrangements for themselves -- not just for dying, but also for those years beforehand in which they need more help than the average family can provide alone. Their family situations are becoming a real burden and a real mess as siblings try to arrange things, but can't agree on what to arrange.
I was lucky. My father was a small town doctor and had dealt with these issues on a routine basis. My parents had the good sense to arrange everything for their retirement and any care they would need ahead of time. While I am very sorry that they have both died in the last few years, I take comfort (and pride) in the fact that they had "good deaths" and received great care in a setting of their own choosing.
It sounds like you'll make a great nurse, John, regardless of the specialty you choose. It also sounds like you and your family will be able to cope successfully with whatever comes your way. I wish you well.
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