Hi Pam,

The day the hospital bed was due to be delivered to our house, my husband took a turn for the worse and was sent by ambulance to the hospital AND a massive snow "bomb" storm hit.

A few days later, when he was to be released from the hospital--the doctors wanted him to go to rehab, not home. He was furious, but wasn't strong enough to walk (he weighed 190 lbs and was 6'2").

Therapy was required to build up his muscles to be able to walk again. While at rehab he had another massive seizure that put him back in the hospital.

In the condition my husband was in, he could not have been adequately cared for by me at home.

I slept with him every night at the hospital in a chair next to the bed. I think my left side still hurts from holding on to him.

After that, it was hospice. He died on his 57th birthday in the same hospital he was born in.

If my husband had been able to come home and the hospital bed had been delivered, I would probably have joined him for affection but would have had to go to our regular bed for sleep. The other consideration was if he could get up without my knowing and harm himself because there was some confusion from the tumor.

Your plan to have a bed that gives you both your individual comfort--not knowing what's in store in the future, but being practical, makes sense.

I hope I've helped with your deliberations.

Thank you for reading my articles -- I'm so grateful,

J.