Here it comes ...

I think I can safely say that the MArents lifestyle is no longer catching up with them.  They've been caught and are gasping in the bucket.  I got a call from Dad last night to say that the Stepmonster is in the hospital with pneumonia (again) and this time they think they've seen cancer on the films.   He didn't know if/when they were going to biopsy.  Considering her repetative pneumonia, malnutrition and underweight (not to mention alcohol addiction), I can't imagine she's a good canditate for chemo, but there may be other therapies available.  I don't know.

Dad's alone in the house and reluctant to hire a home health aid because of the expense.  He said he was "shocked", I imagine this is the thing he hoped the most wouldn't happen.  He's in no state to advocate and keep after the hospital staff for information, even if he could conceive of what questions to be asking.  I'm hoping that TH, the Stepmonster's nephew who is her secondary health proxy, will be agressive about getting information and sharing it with the rest of the family.  I'm going to give it a few days and see what information floats to the surface and then give him a call. 

For me, I'm thinking in addition to all my spectacular friends, the Al-Anon is going to be a major life-line, and I'm kicking around the idea of a counselor or therapist that specializes in end-of-life/bereavement issues.  I'm sure someone out there is working this niche.  The worst part is right now there's nothing to do but wait, and coil for the inevitable.