My mom passed away on Tuesday. I have taken my mom to her doctor's appointments for the last 10 years except when my father who died 3 years ago took her. My mom was diagnosed with schizophrenia, but I think she was really bipolar or depressed and just became diagnosedwith schizophrenia when she finally had a psychotic break from the stress. Twice before I had to hospitalize my mom for her mental health issues. When she wouldn't go to the doctor in September for a check up I told her that if she didn't go, I would have to hospitalize her. She refused and I had to have her involuntarily committed. She was throwing up her food on the senior mental health ward, so they moved her to the medical part of hospital. They did tests and she had liver metastases, from an unidentified source. She couldn't do the mri or catscan--the liver metastases were diagnosed after a biopsy. We agreed to move her to hospice. They moved her at night and disconnected her intravenous line. I told them the next day, my mom had always refused to sign advance directives and I specifically asked my mom if she wanted an I.V. and to come home with me. She said yes to both questions. I tried to get her out of bed and put her in a wheelchair. The social worker and hospice director told me my mom could go home that day. My brother who had power of attorney in the event my mom was out of it, told them to keep my mom and refused to let her go home. He also refused to use my mom's money for home nurses. I had an attorney call the doctor. After I begged and begged they put the i.v. back in that night. I didn't dare ask for a feeding tube. My mom got worse and I told them again she did not want to be deprived of treatment and the power of attorney could not be used because she was rendered helpless by the hospital and hospices prior failure to treat. I left on a monday morning and told them to put my mom back in hospital and stabilize her to go to a nursing home. I told every nurse and social worker I talked to that my mother had not wanted to be refused treatment. I said stabilize her now or face a lawsuit later. I went in on Tuesday night to see my mom and told her I loved her. Ten minutes after I left she died. The hospice had killed her by refusing to give her medical treatment because she was 80 years old and mentally ill. This was in a Catholic hospital no less--my mom was a devout Catholic and had 6 children to prove it.

I am mourning my mom but I feel the need to warn other people about discrimination against the elderly and those with a mental health diagnosis.

Please say a prayer or a good thought for my mom. If there's any justice she's in a better place.