Thanks everyone. The reason I may sound a little rough around the edges at this point is because three of her doctors have contacted me and basically said that she really needs to be more responsible for herself. I realize there are many factors to recovery that are challenging -- both physically and emotionally.
For the longest time I coddled her and that clearly didn't help the situation. I let up on the reigns some time last year in an effort to get her to start living again. Shortly after treatment she was honestly doing quite well -- driving and working a bit. Then she stopped everything: driving, walking, working, keeping herself clean, taking care of her pets, etc. She was medicating herself and calling different doctors complaining of different ailments in order to get all sorts of meds -- including morphine. This wasn't a pretty picture. I finally got that under control with the help of some docs and by adapting my caregiving technique. I've toughened up, I've had to. I honestly belive that had I allowed her behavior to continue, and if I continued babying her, she would be in a much darker place. Perhaps I was overprotective and, as a result, I am partially responsible for some of her behavior. I don't know. Wo. Way off topic, but I felt the need to explain.


Mom's caregvr. DDS failed to dx 01/03. Dx Stg IV SCC 05/03. Induct. chemo, IMRT, 5FU, H, Iressa, Neck disect, radiation. Dad's caregvr. Dx 01/04 Ext. Stg SCLC. Mets to liver/bone 08/04. Died 11/12/04. Mom tongue CA dx 06/13, hemiglossectomy (80% removed) 08/13. Clean margins and nodes, but PNI. 6/15/15: Tongue CA at base of remnant tongue. Declined further tx; hospice.
Died 10/13/15. What a long and difficult journey.