Our story thus far...

Okay, so when last we left this soap opera we call "life", I said that the nursing home called me saying My Kid has aspirated.

They gave us a couple options. The first was a feeding tube, which I said "no" to. I consider that a life support device, and that's something The Kid told me, years ago, in no uncertain terms, she did not want. It was out.

Then they said that they recommend her to be a candidate for Hospice care. For those who are unaware, hospice is more for terminally ill candidates to keep them comfortable in their final days. The problem is, medical insurance will only pay for either a nursing home stay or for hospice care, not for both. If we went the hospice route, that would've meant we'd have to fund the nursing home bill, and there's no way we could afford that.

Still, Sunday, we talked to the hospice folks, and even let their nurse check her out. She said that The Kid's lungs sounded clear, sounded good, and she wasn't in any pain or suffering. In essence, she said, she's not a candidate for hospice at this time.

We opted not to take hospice.

Monday, I talked to the speech therapist and she said that since we declined their recommendations, they asked if I would sign a waiver releasing them from any responsibility, and go ahead and feed The Kid. (Remember, this was Monday. She hadn't had any solid food since THURSDAY, existing only on IVs.)

I signed off on it that afternoon. There was a delay in the doctor treating My Kid signing it, so that night was a little rough on her. She still was only on IV.

Tuesday, the doc signed off, and she was given solid food. I should note here that, back on Thursday, the doctor also ordered her anti-depressants "gently lowered", since there was a chance that they were causing her to be lethargic, and that might've caused the problem with her being unable to eat in the first place.

Tuesday, she was given semi-solid food. More like a paste, I'd say, and she ate the whole thing for breakfast. She ate all her lunch.

I spoke to her Tuesday night, and it was amazing. It was the first real conversation we'd had in six months, almost. She was clear, she understood what was going on, she asked what it was like outside, she said she was warm...

She spoke to my brother for almost 25 minutes. They talked about everything, and he didn't have to coax a conversation out of her. He said it was amazing. Everyone who spoke to her said it was amazing as well.

Mind you, for every bit of good, there's always a bit of bad. Seems they might've over-lowered the medication. She's gone a bit more manic today, but she's still eating, she's still moving around. She's also taken to cursing and being bitchy, but she's still moving. ;)

I understand that there's time involved in properly dispensing anti-depressants, that it can take some time to determine the proper level. That's all right. At least she's still alive, unlike three days ago, when they were ready to write her off for dead, almost.

It surely is never a dull moment...