Evaluating, analyzing, and questioning continued throughout the day as we visited three nursing home facilities. Unfortunately, we do not have unlimited time since Medicare will stop paying for her care on Friday. The original date of Wednesday was extended but only by a few days. What will we do? Where will she go?
At times, the process seemed too overwhelming. The staggering cost of care, the importance of physical versus mental care, and my dad’s declining mobility and emotional state made me want to wring my hands in despair. Their insurance policy, an excellent one, lasts for three years. But then what? The ” what if” questions increased. What if my dad outlives the policy? How will he pay for that cost? Since he does not require the same amount of care, would it be better to only apply the policy to my mother? What should we do with the condo they own? Is a nursing home the only way? What about in-home care?
The final answer lies with the insurance provider, so we wait.
In the meantime, my father is dealing with more grief. He constantly cries for my mother. Today, he shared, ” I could just cry all day when I see her in such pain. ” How can I possibly encourage? I remind him of God’s faithfulness even in the pain, but the words seem shallow and thin. We know this truth and he will agree, but yet, his eyes well up with tears. His grief is in the fear that she will not recover, a fact that I am struggling with as well.
Even though the questions continue and we wonder how this will end, we know that God’s faithfulness never ends. For that, I am always grateful.
A Journey Worth Remembering 