Several days ago my mother elected to decline all further medical intervention after a botched procedure to drain an abscess left her facing another surgery and little optimism for a positive outcome. She was disconnected from all machines and tubes (except oxygen which helps her breathe more comfortably), all medications and IVs were discontinued, and her vital signs are no longer being monitored. The opinion of medical staff at the hospital was that she would die as a result of this decision, one she took with a full understanding of the consequences. She has been phoning friends and relatives bidding them farewell and has been helping to plan her memorial service. There is just one glitch. I don’t think she is dying. Her color is good. She does not have a fever and she is remarkably lucid. Her pain is limited to the surgical incisions. She is rejecting all hospital food but scarfs down the special meals lovingly prepared by my brother (pureed kale, yams and potatoes). To be sure, she has lost a great deal of weight and is extremely weak and still thinks she is dying. Perhaps she is just rallying for the benefit of visiting family but I think there may be more chapters to be written in this story. I would not go so far as to say that her condition is improving but I don’t believe it is declining either. We will know a lot more in the days to come. In between hospital visits, Mark and I checked out the hospice facility we are trying to line up for her. The hospital is likely to discharge her soon and we need to have a care plan in place.