Stephanie,

I understand what you are going through, I moved my mother into my home in 1991 and I cared for her till her second death in 1998. The hospital flushed her lungs in 1992 and she was legally dead for nearly five minutes. At that time I was working as an Engineer at NASA Johnson Space Center, I used all of my vacation and most of my sick leave taking care of her, and getting her to see the various doctors to take care of her. I was laid off, in 1994, due to the company that I was working for lost its contract, and I worked myself into a breakdown after that. After my breakdown, a friend put me into the VA for treatment, but I was able to drive home to take care of mom. Mom passed in 1998 right before I got my 100% disability for PTSD. We had some lean years eating beans and rice, and chicken legs and thighs which I bought in 10 pound bags when they went on sale.

I was able to get nursing care through a local doctor for my mother. Your father is eligable for "day nursing care" through Medicare you need to check to see if it can be obtained in El Paso. Medicare will have a registered nurse come out to the house as required, and they will also provide, meal prep, personal hygene care, and a little house cleaning if it is requested. I had home care help twice a day for my mother's hygene, and the nurse came in twice to three times each week. You might need to get this help, for you have a family in addition to careing for your father. Check with the VA first but do not eliminate going to a local doctor in order to get the home health care.

Take Care,
huey