My uncle is coming into his final chapter in his battle with Parkinson's disease. A disease that over the course of decades robbed him of his ability to control his own body while his mind stayed painfully intact. It has now taken his ability to swallow and he will slowly starve to death as he asked that no measures be taken to prolong his life should the time come he was unable to sustain himself. He has lost 40 lbs in a very short amount of time and is in a nursing home receiving comfort care in his final days. My mom, sister, and I will be going to say goodbye on Sunday.
I remember the last time my mom lost a sibling, how difficult it was for her. She and her 7 siblings lost their parents at a very young age. My mother was only 9 when she lost her father, and 19 when she lost her mother. Her youngest brother was only 2 and 12 when his parents passed away. The older siblings took care of the younger, being forced to become parents to the younger kids simply because no other option existed. My mother, being one of the younger siblings thinks of the older ones in sort of a parental way, so to her, losing them is like losing a parent all over again I would imagine.
Parkinson's sucks.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Parkinson's sucks
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1 comment:
My grandfather had Parkinson's and it is indeed a terrible battle to the end. It was hard to watch, but he, too, did not want artificial measures taken to sustain him. I think it is better that way, since it would have only prolonged the suffering in the end. Just be there and give all your love, that is the best thing you can do for him. We are praying for your family!
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