A celebration of life

[Nikomania]

Yesterday morning at 6:05 a.m., my beautiful mother made her transition from this world. She fought a courageous 22 year battle against dementia, finally succombing to aspiration pneumonia.

In honor of my beautiful mother, I have finally come up with a name for my gorgeous new baby Milligold Macaw: Shailer. This was my mother's middle name, a family name.

My beautiful mother earned her wings yesterday. I will miss her deeply, but know that she's in a much better place now, and at peace.

 

[Newbie GCC]

Wonderful name! So sorry for your loss.

 

[Begone]

So so sorry for your loss, but this is a great way to honour her.

 

[Laurul Feather Cat]

My father and my uncle always told me pneumonia was the old persons' friend; it allowed them to leave life with an excuse when the body and/or mind was worn out. My Mom died of aspiration pneumonia in 2012, four months after I had to put her in a nursing home. She could not walk any more and I could not lift her. Mom had told me for three years she was ready to die; ready to join my Dad in the afterlife. I told her I would not prolong her life if she could not recover quickly from an illness. Mom got really confused in the nursing home, which I expected. I also knew she would die quickly once she was in one. I was right. When the doctor admitted to me there was no chance Mom would recover, I had her put on a protocol called "Comfort Measures Only" which provides an easement for the terminally ill. She was put on a morphine drip to relieve her of feeling constantly short of breath; that morphine also induced a light coma and removed the higher brain functions. It is also true the morphine more than likely hastened her death with its side effects; but Comfort Measures was the closest I could get to euthanasia in this country for Mom. Less than 12 hours after I made my decision, she was gone. I miss her terribly, just as sure you miss your Mom.

I am so sorry for your loss. I understand your acceptance of her passing and your celebration of her freedom. It is wonderful you can use her family name for your new Macaw. I hope he has a long and wonderful life with you, so you can look at him and smile, remembering your Mom.

 

[SandraK]

My heart goes out to you and I will keep you in my thoughts. Our mothers are very precious to us, even if we haven't always agreed with them or they with us. The love is still and will always be there. And your mother will live on (in a way) through you baby macaw who now carries a part of her in her honour.

 

[ncGreyBirdLady]

 

[Birdiemarie]

I am deeply sorry for your loss.

 

[CeciliaZ]

I am so sorry for your loss. And love the name you have chosen for your new baby.

 

[Birdbabe]

 

[rocky'smom]

so sorry for your loss

 

[Wasabisaurus]

I am very sorry for your loss. What a lovely name for your baby girl, Shailer.

 

[KimKim]

That's a great name, I love names that have meanings to them.

 

[Nikomania]

Thank you, everyone, for your kind wishes and hugs. They mean the world to me.

Lois, your journey was very similar to mine in so many ways. While my mother has not been unable to speak for a number of years, it was her fighting spirit that drove me to make certain decisions for her.

18 months ago, when she came down with aspiration pneumonia, all the healthcare workers encouraged me to put her on comfort measures; that there was little hope of her making it through. We'd even called in the family to say their good byes. But her fighting spirit told me she wasn't ready just yet. So I went in to bat for her, requesting IV antibiotic therapy and a nasal feeding tube to help her get stronger due to the fact that she hadn't eaten in 12 days.

She remained healthy until last month when she came down with aspiration pneumonia again. I asked for her to be given the 'tools', IV's and antiobiotics, needed to support her while I watched for signs from her as to whether or not she was ready to leave. Again her fighting spirit helped her rally back from that bout.

Unfortunately on Monday she again aspirated. By Thursday morning I could see that she was done fighting, so I called in hospice. 24 hours later she was gone.

I've been so blessed to have had this wonderful woman as my mom. She was a very loving, giving human being.

 

[Lo_]

I am so very sorry for your loss, and I just can't even begin to imagine what you are going through. But it is a wonderful thing that you will be able to see beauty every day with your new macaw and be constantly reminded of everything that you loved about your mother

 

[Nikomania]

This is a picture of my mom as a young woman. She had this taken when she was a Metropolitan opera singer. She was once offered the job as director of the Met, but my father wanted her to stay at home to raise my brother and me. Beverly Sills was then appointed for that role.

 

[firdy num num]

Oh I'm sorry for your loss, Shailer is a beautiful name for rememeberence, May you RIP sweet lady.

 

[zoo mom]

So sorry for the loss of your mother.

It is wonderful that you could give your baby macaw a name that honors your mother.

 

[expressmailtome]

I am very sorry for your loss.

Matt

 

[bubblelady]

I am sorry for your loss. I understand...my mom's story was similar to your mom's and Lois's mom. It is still hard, even when it is for the best.

 

[Lady Jane]

Very sorry for your loss. She was very pretty. I too lost my Mon to Alzheimers disease. 22 years is a long decline. I went on to become a hospice nurse after that experience.