My mom smoked from age 20 (1948) until age 40 (1968) when both of my parents quit. Mom's heart began failing in 2010 with congestive heart failure episodes of increasing severity. The week before she passed, she had pain in her back. The doctor X-rayed her lungs to check for pneumonia vs the common "wet" lungs that come with edema from congestive heart failure. The doctor discovered cancer in both lungs. Her kidneys were down to 10% function from the diuretics used to treat the congestive heart failure. She was far too fragile to deal with the lung cancer. She declared in a perfectly clear fashion that she wanted a DNR on her medical chart and wanted to return to her assisted living arrangements. It was a very uncomfortable final few days for her.
As a postscript, Mom handed over the entire $3900/month of her social security plus another $1,000/month from her savings to stay in the assisted living facility from April 2011 to Nov 2011. The long term medical coverage that she and my dad paid $300/month over 30 years was declared "not eligible" because the facility didn't have an MD on site 24/7. The facilities that did have an MD 24/7 were full of shrieking wretches and odors that prompted an urge to vomit on many occasions. Check the terms and conditions of your coverage carefully.
God rest her soul in glory. It is a hard thing to lose your mother. My mother never smoked tobacco in her life and she too died of lung cancer that metastasized to her skeleton. She was 80 when she passed and she refused chemo- and radiation therapy. She died at home. That was 15 years ago. Worst time of my life.
So sorry to hear about your Mother’s last days Myrddin. Nothing I can say can change anything. But if I had that diagnosis, I would have rode the wave of least resistance. I almost died 18 months ago. Glad I chose to fight because I’m in my 50’s. Later? Forget it!
BUT I STILL DON’T WANT SOME “Figlio di Puttana” CHOOSING MY DESTINY FOR ME!