AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Carolina flipped open the notebook she kept on her mother’s condition and the doctor’s instructions.
“Your seizures may have stopped, but the tumors are affecting your balance. We don’t want you falling, so you’ll need support when you return home. Rosa…” Dr. Laster took Mamá’s hands. “It’s time to call in hospice. I would like to set up a meeting before you leave the hospital.”
“But that means…” Tears rolled down Mamá’s cheek. “I’m not ready.”
“It’s to make sure you have what you need at home. Stairs will become more and more difficult. It not worth the risk.” Dr. Laster hadn’t let go of Mamá’s hands.
“My bedroom’s on the second floor,” Mama said.
“That will need to change.”
Carolina wrote things down as fast as she could. “We can do something with Poppy’s office. There’s a bathroom on the first level.” But climbing the steps to the house was another challenge.
“Keeping you on the main floor will be best.” Dr. Laster smiled at Carolina. “She shouldn’t be left alone.”
Hospice. Carolina tried to think back to the guidelines she’d read when she’d first arrived from Nashville. She choked out, “Does that mean she only has six months?”
It couldn’t be. What had all the weeks in the hospital bought her mother? Only pain and more seizures?
She’d foolishly thought they were adding months with each treatment, not just nausea and burned skin.
“It means she needs more help now that she’s returning home,” Dr. Laster said. “Don’t panic. The six months is only the Medicare guidelines. Your insurance company has more leniency on the timelines.”
Not six months. But her mother wasn’t safe on her own.
“The hospice teams are excellent. I want you to give them a chance.” The doctor reached for Carolina’s hand so they were all connected. “This is a good thing. Going home is all your mother has talked about since she arrived.”
“I know.” Carolina needed to air the house. Clean and move furniture. And be here for the hospice meeting. “Do you know when this meeting will take place?”
“I wanted the go-ahead before I had my staff working on authorization.” The doctor squeezed their hands. “Are you ready?”
Rosa nodded. “Oh, fine. We can have the meeting.”
Dr. Laster smiled. “We’ll get moving on the insurance company approvals.”
“Will there be any additional costs?” Carolina shouldn’t care, but she had to ask. She was just starting to see the light at the end of her mother’s debt.
“I don’t know what kind of plan your mother has,” Dr. Laster admitted. “But my staff will help in any way they can.”
“Thank you.” She added talk to insurance company to her list of to-dos.
“Is there any chance a clinical trial would be available for Mamá?” she asked. One that could offer a cure.
“I’ve looked and I’ve asked my partners,” the doctor said. “Rosa, you don’t qualify for any, but I’m keeping my eye out.”
The idea of taking her mother home should make her happy. But with the talk of hospice care and no possible clinical trial, her hope was dimming. She hated that her bright, vivacious mother was going through this. Hated that she might not be around much longer.
“I’ll get the ball rolling.” Dr. Laster slapped her legs and pushed out of the chair. Pointing at Mamá, she said, “You keep doing what you’ve been doing and no more seizures.”
“Aye, aye, Doc.” Her mother gave her a sharp salute.
The doctor tipped her head to the door and Carolina walked her into the hallway. “Let me know if you need help with anything. Insurance, hospice, interpreting the bills. If I can’t help, someone on my staff can.”
“Thank you.” Carolina swallowed. Her sense of isolation evaporating a little. “Thank you for what you’ve done for Mamá.”
“I’ll make sure she’s as comfortable as possible.”
Comfortable. The word sent a chill through Carolina’s heart.
* * *
SAGE PUT HIS back into scraping Rosa’s railing. He wanted to get everything painted before his next doctor’s appointment. He expected to get the all clear to return to work.
But the weather wasn’t cooperating. He glanced at the storm wall in the distance. He wanted to finish the railings before the skies broke open. The forecasters predicted this tropical storm was going to head north, but he’d probably lose a day or two of work to the rains.
