[Granville-Hough] 6 Feb 2010 - Re: O Lord, My God, How Long, How Long?

[Trustees for Granville W. Hough]

Date: Sat, 06 Feb 2010 09:50:53 -0800
From: Granville W Hough <gwhough at oakapple.net>
Subject: Re: O Lord, My God, How Long, How Long?  4 Feb 2010

Granville W Hough wrote, with the assistance of his amanuensis, Bonny 
Hough Miller:

On Thursday, February 4, our family members made the decision to begin 
hospice care at home for Granville.
The hospice team of nurses, bath aide, chaplain, and social worker 
sprang into action to examine Granville, take a medical history, give 
care instructions, and write out his medications. All the costs of 
hospice are covered by Medicare.
We also hired a 24-hour live-in personal home caregiver for Granville. 
Mr. Orlando Manlapaz, from Salus Homecare, moved in on Friday, February 
5th.
Bonny had been staying with Granville since Friday, January 29, and saw 
his rapid weakening over just a few days. On Monday, February 1st, we 
saw the oncologist and discussed hospice. By Thursday morning, it was 
clear that the blood transfusions and chemotherapy were of no further 
benefit to Granville, just an ordeal to face each day. Granville agreed 
that it was time to discontinue further treatment and initiate hospice 
at home. Granville's pastor, Leland Lantz, from the Lutheran Church of 
the Cross, came to Granville's house to meet with us on Thursday evening.
Granville is unsteady on his feet and needs to use a walker in the 
house. It was only two weeks ago that his doctors ordered him not to 
drive any more. Orlando will be driving us to church for the 5 pm 
Saturday service in Granville's 1992 Buick, which has only recently 
reached 60,000 miles.
Bonny was unable to depart as planned because of the giant East coast 
snowstorm, so she is helping in the transition to home care with 
Orlando. David is arriving on Saturday, February 6, to assist with the 
transition. Bonny and David expect to leave on Monday, February 8. 
Granville will have hospice help on most days, and emergency contact is 
always available.
Granville would prefer to receive your emails rather than telephone 
calls. He has trouble hearing because of distortion on the phone line.
Granville sends his love and prayers to you all, and knows that you do 
the same.
Bonny and Granville