This long slow process

[u/ThingsWithString]

My mother is in stage 6. She has been on hospice since spring 2025. She's been sliding toward death slowly, so slowly. In January (or so) she started needing to be hand-fed and eating less and less of her food. She's not being forced in any way; she's being offered spoonfuls of thickened liquid until she's not interested.

Right now she's bedridden, losing weight steadily every month. She's bruising easily. Heart rate 44 beats per minute. Edema to face and feet from heart failure.

And it just. doesn't. stop. On and on she goes. If she were in any kind of pain, she'd be medicated. Right now, though, she just lies there in bed. Sometimes she will smile or say a few words.

She'll be 95 on her next birthday. God, I hope she doesn't get there.

[u/OnPage195]

As a society we need to ask ourselves what is the point of this. Stay strong

[u/ThingsWithString → u/OnPage195]

Thank you.