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<TITLE>Pat Update - Monday Night</TITLE>
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<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">Another REALLY long day. Started out at 6:30 AM with Pat</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">’</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">s girls and the puppies morning routine, hospital at 8:20 ho</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">ping to catch the doctors (didn</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">’</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">t happen), court at 10:30 where I was</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">“</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">awarded</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">”</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> guardianship of Pat, back to the hospital where I demanded a staffing with the three doc</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">s and a consult with Hospice. Fortunately, two of the three docs were on the floor and met with me within 30 minutes. Both concurred that between the ARDS and encephalopathy (br</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">ain damage, disease or dysfunction), Pat</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">’</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">s prognosis is extremely poor and Hospice is an appropriate path to take. At 1:00 PM</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">I was back at Pat</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">’</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">s for</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">“</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">moving day</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">”</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> for Kassie, Chrissie, Ouija, Lena, Quincey and Quizmo</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">…</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> had to bring additional crates and the puppy xpens to my house</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">, as well as dishes, toys, crate pads etc. The twins helped tremendously with the</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">“</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">grunt work</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">”</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> and all six additions to my household now have crates set up in my dining room (so much for formal dinners</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> <FONT FACE="Wingdings" SIZE=3>J</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">). At 4:00 I took poor Opie back to the vet for his neck pain</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">…</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> he is now on Tramadol, Robaxin and prednisone, as well as continued crate rest. I can tell already this evening that th</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">e prednisone is making him feel a bit better. Got home at 5:15</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">…</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> fed the bassets, ran to Wendy</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">’</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">s to g</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">et something for DH and I (first time I have eaten all day), a quick shower (phewwww!) and then back to the hospital for a 7:00 PM Hospice meeting. </FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">Got out of that meeting at 8:45 and made a quick run to Pat</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">’</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">s house to install and set timers for lights inside. Got home at 9:30 PM</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">…</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> just in time for some puppy snuggle time and a couple of quick phone calls. Just finished with</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">“</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">last call</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">”</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> for the dirty dozen (they all need groomed and bathed)</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> and I think we are about done for the night. Anyone want to keep up with me????</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">Pat is showing increased neurological movements and posturing today. </FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">She had about 5 hours on the CPAP and then another 3 on 50% oxygen through the tracheotomy breathing on her own. She will be moved to a Hospice facility</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">tomorrow and they are reducing support incrementally overnight to prepare her for that move. While I was at the hospital this evening, she had a brief (maybe 5 minutes) where she made and maintained eye contact with me</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">. I reassured her that the dogs are all fine and that they are at my house and that I was now making the decisions about her medical care. I told her that I know she doesn</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">’</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">t want to</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">“</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">live</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">”</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> like this (on life support) and that I would see that her wishes are honored. She seemed to relax a bit and fell asleep within a couple of minutes. I am at peace with this decision because I KNOW</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> it is what Pat wants. </FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">I</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> have worked with Hospice before with my mom and dad and I know the quality of care and respect they offer. </FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> </SPAN></P>
<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">Again, PLEASE</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR LOVED ONES,</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">make sure your Advance Directives, Living Will, Durable Power of Attorney (medical), financial Power of Attorney and Will are in place and kept up to date. </FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> <FONT FACE="Calibri"> This process is difficult enough without having to navigate through the problems involved when</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> these things are not in place. None of us think that it is a particularly pressing matter and tend to procrastinate</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">…</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> but DON</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">’</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">T</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">…</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> you never know what tomorrow will bring, whether it is illness or accident, your life can change in a heartbeat.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">Thanks for the support, many kind emails (which I will never be able to individually acknowledge) and of c</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">ourse, the basset drool that thousands of bassets are slinging to us. </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">Sandi and the Red Bay Gang</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN></P>
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