The Marguerite Chronicles, February 1, 2018:

Memomma is in a lovely hospice home in the Myrtle Beach area, after being hospitalized in Winston-Salem and Myrtle Beach.  A doctor in Winston-Salem, who was treating her for a UTI, decided to change her seizure medication after noticing that it was not what is normally considered a therapeutic dose.  Had he bothered to check with me, or the prescribing neurologist whose name we provided, we could have explained the reason for the lower dose. But he didn’t. And he changed it to a medication that made her almost comatose for nearly 3 days when it was first prescribed for her a few months ago.  When he mentioned the medication to my sister, he used the brand name, not the generic name that she had seen on the bottles.  So, after five days of taking this medicine, Mama was in terrible shape.  Only after she was discharged in a nearly comatose condition did I realize that she was back on this medication and suffering terrible side effects from it.  On top of the other issues that legitimately landed her in the hospital, this was a crowning blow, and  she’s been through the wringer.

So, in the hospice home today, she cried out with a terrible headache, and even after receiving medication, she seemed to be in a good bit of pain.  Margie and I sang to her — Put On Your Old Grey Bonnet, Let Me Call You Sweetheart, How Great Thou Art, Amazing Grace, Precious Lord, Take My Hand, You Are My Sunshine, I’ll Fly Away…

Tonight, when we left,  she was sleeping deeply.  Though to us, she seems to be deteriorating, she no longer fits  Medicare guidelines for general inpatient status (GIP) in a hospice home, so we are purchasing a few nights of what is termed ‘room and board.’  It costs an arm and a leg.

If she lasts till Tuesday, we will move her here, and she’ll receive in-home hospice care, covered by Medicare, until such time as she can qualify for general inpatient status again and can be moved back to the Hospice Home. As a friend’s uncle said when he was being kicked off GIP status, “I’m not dying fast enough to suit ’em.” If she stays in the Hospice Home but is not considered GIP status, Medicare pays the hospice care part, but room & board is on our dime.

So, I’m thinking of taking in a few boarders myself. Hmmm — we have two extra bedrooms at the beach, and four in Virginia, so at $175 per person per day in a double room, or $250 per day for a single room — I could potentially pull in at least $36,000 per month. Anyone looking for room and board? I guarantee really good food, comfortable mattresses, and great views.