Phoenix like...

 Okaasan bounced back!

Supplementary oxygen is down to 1 lt, blood pressure meds are reduced again...she was probably well enough to be moved to the bathroom for her first bath in 3 weeks.

Amazing.

She looked good. Skin tone and condition. Just little nose tubes for the oxygen, rather than a mask. Regular breathing, combined with the involuntary eye opening that started last month.

Really...that's surprising. Two weeks ago we kind of thought it was the end.

A couple of readers have asked me about the supplementary feeding in Japan - I don't know exactly, but it appears that if the family chose nasal or arm tube feeding, that's only good for a few weeks. One of my students - she and her sisters chose "only arm drip" feeding for their mother and the doctor told them life expectancy was 3 weeks, at most.

Three? years ago we chose shoulder-entry point only feeding (rather than stomach, which we'd heard involved a small operation) - so that's what Okaasan is on. And once chosen,  you can't ask it to be stopped.

Non-resuscitation request means "no" to heart pumping, in the event of heart failure. It doesn't mean "no" to meds that keep the heart active.

I think. 

There is an NPO that offers guidance and a document to fill in to lay out End of Life treatment requests/preferences. I think I even GOT the initial documents a few years back. I should look into it all again. A major translation would be needed. Maybe I should pay for that and offer the results as an aide for other English-speaking residents in Japan?

Things to think about...when I'm not brain-dead in front of a Netflix drama, or holding down the cat for his SubQ shots to stave off kidney failure. Life gets in the way of death planning...

So. Onwards....not sure if Okaasan will stay in the room near the nurse station, where they closely monitor patients. Or be moved back to a regular room.

But. Really. Amazing.

On....and on...

 Visited twice this week.

The nurse said the amount of supplied oxygen has been reduced, but the meds to keep the blood pressure up haven't been reduced yet.

2nd week no bath time.

We felt Okaasan's breathing was slightly easier this time. More regular. Lots of eye opening. We stayed for 30 mins, playing bossa nova versions of classic movie theme songs on the smart phone.

Just before we left Okaasan seemed to scrunch up her eyes and whole face, turning bright red in the process - and breath very hard for a short time.

Then back to normal.

Thankyou for your well wishing comments. Yes, it feels we are entering a different stage of all of this now. ASK the hospital to reduce the blood pressure meds? I don't think that happens here in Japan. If this was MY mum, I'd be having that conversation (and be blowed if the doc thought I'm a heartless minx), but it isn't something I can push him into. We asked for non-resuscitation in the event of heart failure, but I guess medication to prolong life is common in Japan.

And so, Okaasan's life goes on. And on.

No change.

Not really.

Fever comes and goes. Blood pressure falls, unless medicine is administered.

Okaasan is kind of sleeping, but sometime breathing is hard. Her eyes open for a while. And then close again.

Oh god...we have a no- resuscitation request, but the Japanese health system still forces life...by using the drugs to keep the heart working. It really is terrible. Okaasan wouldn't want this, at all.

So. Day by day. 

I was thinking yesterday I should get out one of her favorite blouses from the closet and iron it. So that she can "wear" that for her final journey.

Onwards.

Came a phone call...

 A different stage begins?

During a Zoom lesson the other evening, the house phone rang, the mobile phones rang...

Okaasan's hospital ringing with a change in status report.

She'd had a high fever earlier in the day. They'd administered medicine. Now her blood pressure was very low. Not sure whether it was the medicine...or "something else".

Reconfirming the "no-resuscitation" status we'd agreed on when she entered this hospital.

She'd been moved to a room nearer the nurse station. It could be the beginning of the end. We'll call you if there are any changes overnight.

There weren't any calls. But we went in the next day.

Something WAS different. Her fever was still fairly high and her breathing was more labored, kind of ragged. Sometimes tougher. But she was still on oxygen only from the little nose tube outlets, not a full mask.

We stayed a while. Played film music on the smartphone, hand massage.

Nurses came and went. Everyone professional and friendly.

And so. We come away. Keep our mobile phones more to hand. I've told friends I have plans with in the coming days that I may have to cancel suddenly. We'll see.

I so hope Okaasan finally gets escape from this.