Stories from Caregivers: Mary from FLORIDA
FL
Mary
FROM FLORIDA
I took care of my Mom, Patricia. After my dad passed away in 2002, in our kitchen, it was just mom and me. She was in and out of the hospital several times for pneumonia, diabetes, pancreatitis, kidney failure At Christmas in 2007, mom fell, walking across the street to the neighbors house, she broke both shoulders. She had major surgery the day before Christmas Eve, the day after Christmas we put her in a rehabilitation facility. The doctor said he saw a shadow in her lungs. Because she had pneumonia so many times, they thought it was scar tissue. After I got her out of the facility, I made doctors appointments with a pulmonary doctor. He suggested a lung scrape. He told me she had cancer. I took her to get a full body scan, and she lit up everywhere. I was trying to get her on dialysis, took mom to get injections for anemia, I also had to set up chemo. It seemed that everyday we went to a different doctor. They set us up with Hope Hospice. The nurses would come to the house. Mom was told she had cancer on Sept 15, 2008. She passed away Sept 25, 2008. I wish I could have done more. She was my best friend. I miss her everyday.
