2012 conventions 2012 election 2013 session 2013 special election arts arts and culture author ballot measures bomb books budget bullying business charlie hales children clackamas climate change coal courts crime culture culture club democrats drugs economy education environment family film fluoride food gay rights guns handguns health health care health insurance high school history housing immigration international internet kitzhaber law legislature lgbt literary arts living marijuana medicine mental health military minor parties mohamed mohamud movies music native americans news newspaper obama olympics oregon our town parenting pers photography police politcs politics port portland portland business journal portland mayor president prevention public safety religion republicans rnc romney rural salem sam adams sandy hook schools science shooting sports suicide supreme court taxes television terrorism theater third parties timber payments transportation union university of oregon violence washington water wildfire women

People we hire to come into our homes and care for our family members need to be trustworthy, know what to do, and how to do it safely. When people need long-term care, they are incredibly vulnerable. In my personal experience, we hired caregivers through an agency to care for my mother in her home. The agency was highly recommended, but toward the end of her life when her needs became more complicated, they sent us completely unqualified and untrained people. We were sent caregivers who had never worked in homes before. One woman was transferred from housecleaning to care for my mother. I had to train them how to transfer my mother from her wheelchair to her bed, how to give her meds, etc. These were basic skills that all professional caregivers should have. When we voiced our concerns, the agency pulled the caregivers that had developed close relationships with my mother and sent us a parade of inexperienced, unskilled caregivers. We eventually fired the agency and were able to care for her ourselves, with the help of a highly skilled and loving private caregiver.

posted 4 years, 8 months ago
view in context

My mother was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme, the most lethal form of brain cancer, in October 2006. She, my sister and I were given no information on what to expect, other than that her expected survival would be 12-18 months. My sister and I felt incredibly frustrated throughout her treatment. It seemed that her doctors looked at her as an elderly woman (she was only 68 when diagnosed) with a serious form of cancer, and so they weren't interested in treating her aggressively. She received the standard treatment of resection, radiation and Temodar chemotherapy, and was actively discouraged by her medical team from going to a major brain cancer treatment center to receive care. Her oncologists knew very little about GBM, I had to be very aggressive with them for her to receive even basic care, such as regular MRIs. Her main oncologist kept telling her that she was "doing great" even as she became increasingly confused, immobile, and unable to care for herself at all. My sister and I understand that GBM is very serious, but we are quite bitter with the level of treatment she received. She passed away 15 months after diagnosis.

posted 5 years ago
view in context

My mother passed away three weeks ago, from brain cancer. With the help of hospice, we were able to keep her at home. Her death was a beautiful, peaceful, and sacred experience -- much like the birth of children. My sister, a friend, and I were with her as she died. We were able to bathe her body and dress her after she passed away, and kept her body with us as long as we needed. We couldn't have done this in a hospital. While we miss her desperately, her dying at home helped us cope with losing her.

posted 5 years, 3 months ago
view in context