Snowballing

I was reminded of this term yesterday and this morning.

In dementia caregiving the term defines what happens toward the end as everything seems to happen at once.  You hit the point where you spend a lot of time in hosptials and nursing facilities and if it isn't one thing, it's another.

I always say it took Rick eight months to die and the process started when he was told that they could not fix what was wrong with him.  It went from learning about that to quitting taking meds to a stroke to a nursing home to home care to psychotic rages to a shutdown process.  From the stroke in March to the end it was one thing after another bam bam bam.

I'm also reminded of the theory that if people want to do on last thing while they are alive, they hold out until it is accomplished and then dodder off to Valhalla.  I saw it happen with Rick and holding out until after an aunt and uncle came to visit.  I also had an uncle who managed to live to see his grandson born and died three days later.

The father of a friend of mine passed away.  It seems he wanted to see his kids together one last time and arrangements were made for a visit.  The day two of the kids were to head home, he died after an extended illness.  According to my friend, it all happened very quickly.

He is in shock dealing with it all and, honestly, I wish I could be there with him in Manila if only to serve as a teddy bear to comfort him.

The funeral's Thursday, I'll know more about things later.

More later.