O. J. was very weak after we returned from the rehab for his hip. It was hard for him to swallow and when he did He choked and coughed. He was admitted to Northport Hospital. The doctors said he must be put on a feeding tube or he would starve or drown if we gave him liquids.
O. J. kept saying "No, let me die. I don't want a stomach tube. I'm not hurting now, I'm not hungry. Just let me die."
I was so frightened. It was an impossible choice. Did O. J. understand at that time what he was saying? Could we just watch him starve or was there a possibility that he might regain the ability to swallow? Even though he sounded lucid, the family over ruled his living will and gave permission for the feeding tube.
Voncile and Albert Styres came to visit while we were struggling with the decision. I knew the excellent care Voncile, Albert, and David had given Voncile's mother during the years she was bedridden. They assured me that it could be handled at home and gave me tips about handling it.
The next day after the insertion of the tube we were told his time was up and he would have to leave the hospital. The same hour warnings of a winter storm were on radio and television. The storm arrival would be before time for him to leave. How could I take him home with the possibility of no heat and no electricity? My pleas for him to stay until the storm was over was denied by the doctor and hospital.
I rented a vacant room to stay as a visitor, had him moved into the room and we rented equipment from JM drugstore to use in the rented hospital room. Some of the staff sympathic to our plight, would come on their breaks to check on him to see if I were handling the equipment properly.
The cafeteria was at the end of our hall, so I went down for my meals. Since the ice storm had staff locked in, too, the was a spirit of cooperation between staff and others. Finally the highays were open and an ambulance moved O. J. and his equipment to Romulus.