Palliative Care Family Meeting
On the afternoon of Australia Day, Tuesday 26 January we had a
family meeting to discuss palliative care for me in the last stage of my life. In my Planning
My Future blog entry late last year I included information on what I am
including in my Advanced Care Directive.
Barbara and I had opposite views on palliative care. I want to go to an institution so there would
be no death at Club 55 and I would not be a burden on Barbara and the
family. Barbara wants me at home. So, we decided to have a family meeting to
discuss this. No one wanted the
discussion around Christmas or New Year.
We agreed on Australia Day.
Barbara and I and our four children and one of their spouses were
there. The other three partners had separate
discussions with our children.
My family made very clear to me that they want me to be at home
at Club 55. Their reasons included our
home being nicer than in a hospital, evidence shows palliative care at home is
more meaningful and wanting to bring the grandchildren to visit. Obviously mine is the minority view. I am glad that we had a family discussion and
I am very happy to agree to palliative care being at home. I think the end time of my life involves all
of us. Hence, it should be what we all
want.
We understand that in providing palliative care at home, the
palliative care nurses make sure I am well cared for and will send me to an
institution if sufficient care cannot be given at home. Once I am stabilised they will return me to our
home. Thus the Australian health system
will assist our family during this difficult time.
Our children showed their love and concern for us. It was a very special time of receiving my
family’s love. Barbara and I are so
thankful for the love and support of our children and their partners. It is hard to imagine it being better!
40th Anniversary Family Celebration
That is enough of the serious stuff.
A very enjoyable family time was our family
dinner at
Taronga Park Zoo on
our wedding anniversary day, 31 January.
It was too noisy in the
View
Restaurant to have speeches; so I am hoping we will have a speech time at
our next family dinner.
Nearly everyone
went to the zoo early in the morning.
I
arrived at midday because I had a breakfast engagement with three friends from
my professional life.
Our two older granddaughters enjoyed seeing some of the animals
but they are a bit young to get that excited about the animals such as the
seals, gorillas, elephants and giraffes.
I think the adults were more excited.
After our lunch, a passing stranger took two good photos of all
of us. This is the second one plus some other zoo photos:
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| 40th and 1st anniversaries celebrated on the same day - 31 January! |
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| With three of my grandchildren |
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| Enjoying our meal |
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| The giraffes enjoying their lunch with the Harbour Bridge in background |
Our Private Celebrating
On Monday Barbara and I headed for
Port
Stephens for our personal celebration of our wedding anniversary.
We enjoyed lunch in Newcastle with my cousin
Louise and her daughter Lesley.
Here in
Port Stephens we are having a relaxing time.
Monday night, we had a mini celebratory dinner at an Italian restaurant in
Shoal
Bay where we are staying at the
Ramada
complex.
Tuesday we rested and slept –
we needed this downtime and felt more normal on Wednesday.
Wednesday we enjoyed our celebratory lunch at
the
Point Restaurant at
Soldiers Point – delicious hot and cold seafood platters.
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| At our table ready to begin our lunch |
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| The mixed seafood grill in front and cold seafood platter behind |
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| My after seafood lunch cappuccino |
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Last night we did a short walk including wandering through the local
caravan park where there are many rabbits that behave like pets! |
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| Morning view from our accommodation balcony |
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| My Tuesday morning walk view of Zenith Beach |
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| View of ocean rocks and north head at end of Ocean Rocks Track |
Today, Thursday, I walked the trail up the 161 metre
Tomaree
Head summit, which is the south head of the entrance to Port Stephens (the
trail begins about 500 metres from our accommodation). I have not done much hill walking for a
while. I needed six rests on the way up
and none on the way down. It felt good
to make it to the top on this 2.5 kilometre return walk. Barbara and I will head home tomorrow feeling
refreshed.
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| View south on way to summit of Zenith Beach (left) and Shoal Bay (right) |
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| Padlocks at the summit to celebrate loving relationships |
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View south from the summit of Zenith and other beaches in
Tomaree National Park |
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| Proof I made it to the top (photo overlooking Shoal Bay taken by a walker) |
