Full circle

Today Carol has been placed in palliative care. It's come full circle because Carol's passion for hospital visitation was focused on palliative care. For many years at Addenbrooke's Hospital Cambridge (where she now is) and at Central Du Page Hospital, Illinois where she served for nearly 10 years.  I always marvelled that she went straight into such a demanding care for the dying, with her hallmark compassion at full stretch.  Some of her experiences with the dying were so uplifting. She generally prayed with patients, sometimes gaining responses from them that no one else had achieved. 

Why is Carol suddenly in this need? My last post had her downstairs at the other end of a baby monitor. Well, sadly, she began to deteriorate in mobility last weekend and it meant a return to hospital. After two nights in A & E , she was moved to a ward where she rapidly declined. On Tuesday I was shocked by her appearance - she looked very ill. When the doctor asked me what I thought about Carol's condition I answered 'She looks seriously ill.' To which the doctor said 'She is!' Maybe she was testing how prepared I was for what was to follow.

Neurologists today have spent quality time with her and concluded something else is happening to poor Carol. They have yet to determine exactly what it is, though it certainly apes some dementia symptoms. They mentioned two possibilities which are both rare.  One is CJD. Frowning, I tried to remember what those initials stood for when she said, 'Mad cow's disease is one of its variants.'  That's not encouraging news, is it?  Carol is certainly in fairly constant movement with some loss of limb control. I shall find out more soon and am taking the liberty of posting details on my blog knowing so many caring prayerful friends read this.