← Return to Hospice for COPD and Alzheimers or take him to treat cancer

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@pb50

I’m going to tell you my plan for myself. On my mother’s side virtually every parent and child died of Alzheimers - back at least two generations before me - other than those who died early. The oldest cousins in my generation have already died of it. My mother suffered for 7 years before she died. .

Recently I completed a series of tests which revealed that I have evidence of Alzheimer’s pathology in my blood and neuropsychology tests have labeled me as mild neuro-cognitive disorder. But I hear footprints. Its coming. What i have communicated to my doctors and my family is that Soon - probably next year - I will enact a directive saying that if i am blessed enough to contract a condition that could conceivably be fatal, i will consider that a gift from God and am refusing any treatment other than that intended to relieve pain.

I am not making a suggestion for your situation. I just think that those who love us could contemplate what the most humane action might be.

You will be in my prayers.

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Replies to "I’m going to tell you my plan for myself. On my mother’s side virtually every parent..."

As an adult child of someone with Alzheimer’s and former caregiver of older cousin, who died from Vascular Dementia, I understand your position and agree. It's a personal decision, so I have told my siblings my wishes and put it in my Advance Medical Directive.

I arranged to have a growth surgically removed frim my cousin’s head once, even though she had severe dementia, because she kept picking at it and it would bleed. There was no way to make her stop, so removing it was comfort care.

A close friend suffering from late stage Dementia was diagnosed with mouth cancer last fall. Her family decided not to proceed with surgery . The staff at her (religiously affiliated) nursing home agreed and gave her comfort care. Her passing in January was sooner than might have been expected but was peaceful. Although sad , it was indeed a blessing.