duty,whowouldprovideinstructionsaboutwhichrescue
medications to use and, if necessary, come out to help.
DaveandSharonwerefinallyabletosleepthroughthe
nightathome.Creedoranothernursecametoseehim
everyday,sometimestwiceaday.Threetimesthatweek,
Sharonusedtheemergencyhospicelinetohelpherdeal
with Dave’s pain crises or hallucinations. After a few
days, they were even able to go out to a favorite
restaurant;hewasn’thungry,buttheyenjoyedjustbeing
there and the memories it stirred.
The hardestpart so far, Sharon said, wasdeciding to
forgo thetwo-liter intravenous feedingsthat Dave had
beenreceiving eachday. Although theywere his only
source of calories, the hospice staff encouraged
discontinuingthembecausehisbodydidnotseemtobe
absorbingthenutrition.Theinfusionofsugars,proteins,
and fatsmade thepainfulswellingof hisskinand his
shortness of breath worse—and for what?The mantra
was:livefornow.Sharonhadbalked,forfearthatshe’d
bestarvinghim.Thenightbeforeourvisit,however,she
andDavedecidedtotrygoingwithouttheinfusion.By
morning,theswellingwasmarkedly reduced.Hecould
movemore,andwithlessdiscomfort.Healsobeganto
eatafewmorselsoffood,justforthetasteofit,andthat
made Sharon feel better about the decision.
Whenwearrived,Davewasmakinghiswaybacktobed
afterashower,hisarmaroundhiswife’sshouldersand
his slippered feet taking one shuffling step at a time.
“There’snothinghelikesbetterthanalong,hotshower,”
Sharon said. “He’d live in the shower if he could.”