Hospice care

By

Hi all, I wanted to let you know that Kevin and I have made the decision to move to hospice care.  Over the past few months, we have seen significant progression of his disease.  Kevin's goal is to avoid visits to the hospital and manage symptoms at home.  We have a hospice-provided aide stopping by three days a week to help get Kevin out of bed, and weekly checkups with a nurse.  In addition, there is a 24/7 emergency number if we need advice or a nurse dispatched to our house in the middle of the night.

Unfortunately, increased medication makes it very difficult for Kevin to communicate using his eye-gaze device.  There are good days and bad days (or, rather, good hours and bad hours).  He is sleeping more, and during his waking hours, when not coughing or fighting mucus, he just wants to be present to the people around him.  If you've been in the habit of emailing or texting and he hasn't responded recently, that's why.

Feel free to send any messages my way, and I'd be happy to read them to him.  My email is janer7591@gmail.com.

And as always, your prayers are much appreciated!

Comments

  1. KerryFebruary 25, 2025 at 10:43 PM

    The Sheltons pray for your beautiful family all the time. Sending our love!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Tanner, Emmy, Rob and SarahMarch 17, 2025 at 11:31 PM

    Always keeping you all in our prayers!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

He is free!

By
Image
 Kevin passed peacefully surrounded by family members around 11pm last night.  We had offered Mass remotely together to ring in the Solemnity of Christ the King, and our parochial vicar Fr. Matt came over to anoint him.  It had been my desire to hold his hand all the way up to the gate of heaven, and I am grateful that I was able to do that.  I can't imagine the celebration awaiting him on the other side.  I know he was looking forward to seeing the children we lost so many years ago (Anna, Joseph, and William), along with so many other relatives and friends.  I feel a certain triumph, too, in knowing that there is no place in eternity for the chains of ALS that had so secure a hold him for six years.  They were shed like cobwebs the instant Jesus took his hand! A friend of mine found this picture in an old stash.  It was taken in 2013, long before we heard the words, "You have ALS."  This was one of Kevin's favorite places--on the boat in Mi...
Read more

Funeral details--UPDATED

By
Monday, December 1st 10:00 am Visitation 11:00 am Funeral Mass* 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm Luncheon (Please join us for lunch and share your stories of Kevin) St. Maximilian Kolbe Church 5720 Hamilton Mason Road Liberty Township, OH 45011 Cemetery Committal at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, 2pm 11000 Montgomery Rd. Cincinnati OH 45249 *Please note that the funeral Mass will be livestreamed on the Saint Max website, and will be viewable up to one year afterwards.  Visit https://www.saint-max.org/ and scroll down to "Livestream Masses" Also, I will post the link to the obituary when I have it; the last time I checked it wasn't available yet.  You can also check the Hodapp website at  https://www.hodappfuneralhome.com/obituaries
Read more

Update and thank you

By
 First of all, a big thank you to everyone who has contacted us through text and email.  I wish I could respond to each individual one, but just know that the messages are all gratefully received and shared with Kevin.  I know that everyone is wondering how he is doing, particularly if you are used to seeing us at church or support group and we haven't been around. Our days are very unpredictable.  On some days, Kevin's respiration is relatively "normal," or at least calm, while other days revolve around coughing and suctioning mucus. We have discovered that a medication regimen (even through the night) allows us to keep ahead of the coughing for the most part.  Unfortunately, it also wreaks havoc on Kevin's ability to use his eye-gaze technology, so communication through his Tobii device is definitely hit-or-miss.  Some days he can type whole sentences.  On other days we have to spell out what he needs; I slowly recite the alphabet and watch for him t...
Read more