We met with our clergy last weekend got her Celebration of Life and Home going planned. So grateful to have that mostly done.
We wanted to be in school long enough to get our students back into the groove of the day to day schedule. I found myself anxious to get to school and anxious to hurry and get home. While at school I cherished the time with my students and yet, wanted lots of updates on Libby. My heart was stretched to want to be with both.
Here’s one of Libby’s favorite songs to lighten this update: https://music.apple.com/us/album/piano-man/158815463?i=158815547
This week several things fell into place: teacher volunteers to cover recycling, Care Closet and Snack Shak for our campus and the right people to cover my classes. (Cannot tell you how much I’ve worried about making sure the people who need the food get it while I’m out. It’s going to be okay.)
Every day for the last two weeks she has changed in some small manner. As of Wednesday, the 19th, Libby is refusing food. She is also declining almost all liquids. Thursday she would not even take her crushed pills for me. (I was a bit dumbfounded. She refused anything from me! The nerve…)
For the last three days, she is no longer taking her meds five times a day. She is getting her seizure med and a small
Relaxant. That’s all. My days are completely off. That five time a day schedule has been engrained in me for over 13 years. I’ll need to get retrained.
I believe she has had her final shower as I’ll move to giving her bed baths. So many of the Caregiving activities, like showering and shaving, are more to make me feel comforted and needed, not because it’s vital for Libby. I can let some of that go.
I know this is part is all part of the Hospice process. It is not about our typed out timeline or our expectations. It’s really between God and Libby. I can envision the back and forth arbitration happening. Libby saying, “I’m not ready” and God replying, “you can have a wolf at your side every day…”. Or “I’m ready” and God responds, “not yet. It isn’t time.” Either way, I know there’s some push and pull going on. I mean- it’s Liberty.
Liberty is the epitome of STUBBORN which I say with a smile. It’s partly her stubbornness that has kept her here with us for so long. Now she is in negotiations and whoever “wins” won’t really matter. We will love her out as fiercely as we have fought for her.
Starting Monday we are home with Libby. I have very few days to take, but I’m not going to concentrate on that aspect. Right now I am right where I need to be. Being with her is vitally important right now.
Thank you all for your ongoing love and support.
