Dad went to skilled nursing last week - he is miserable.
*Warning* This is a vent, but I really am looking for advice or words of wisdom.
This is the most gut-wrenching thing I have ever experienced. It’s even worse than getting his terminal diagnosis 18 months ago. Today is day 4 at the facility and he told me he is very depressed and doesn’t want to live anymore. I said “Dad, you’re there to get stronger so you can come home again.” And he said “No, this time is different.”
One day he will seem positive, the next it’s this. I would do anything to keep him home, but he falls ALOT and neither myself or my mother are strong enough to lift him. Some weeks we were having to call the squad 5/7 days. It is for this reason only that I don’t pack up my pets and move home permanently. I’ve been flying back and forth every two weeks for 18 months now.
If anyone has anything encouraging to share, I’m all ears.
//edit//
More details:
He is 100% service connected through the VA, so he is staying at a VA contracted (private) facility.
He has stage 4 metastatic lung cancer from exposure to asbestos. For the past 18 months has been doing chemo and/or radiation. His weakness is due to the condition of his heart and lungs. He has a watchman and now he is on Xarelto, too. He is 83.