Re: pneumonia; you can, of course, refuse treatment if you choose (ie; the old man's friend); but if it isn't a natural progression of the terminal condition for which the pt is being treated; then the pt is eligble to have the pneumonia treated; antibiotics, etc.. . Pneumonia is not a natural progression of CHF. Yes, in CHF the lungs do fill with fluid, but it is not the same thing. Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs caused by bacteria, virus or chemical irritants. CHF is caused by failure of the heart to adequately pump the blood throughout the body, causing a buildup of fluids in the lung and tissues. Unless it is an emergency that can not be taken care of at home (fall with a fracture, etc.) you do have to wait for the hospice nurse to evaluate the pt; you don't simply take them in to the doc. If you are medicare eligible, medicare will pay for hospice treatment, but once you go on hospice, you cannot use medicare to pay for treatment from your personal physician. You CAN seek treatment, anywhere you want; you simply have to be willing to pay for it yourself. And you can take yourself off of hospice and at that point, you would be eligible for Medicare payment of your primary physician again. There may be a short time period in which you would not be elgible, but you would become eligible again. In my father's case, his cardiologist actually wrote the order for hospice care for him, along with the medication orders. His primary physician was willing to work with hospice and continue the cardiologist's orders, so we did not have to change physicians. Chickaroonie, I'm sorry that you are having a difficult time with Hospice. (But trust me - that nurse NEEDED her vacation! It's not an easy job, and it's very emotionally draining.) We have been on hospice for 12 weeks now; and have had only one thing happen that was frustrating and that was easily remedied. It is very important to read through all of the information that they give you; that way you will know what they can and can not do. You should have been asked to designate one primary caregiver who can make decisions, that is the person who can make requests for durable medical equipment, medication changes, and other needs. Other people can ask, but hospice will wait for the primary to tell them what they want before bringing anything out, because the primary is the one who has signed on the line to be responsible for the equipment, etc.. We do not always see the same nurse, bath aide, phyical therapist, etc...; but for the most part, they have all been wonderful folks. Pop is so fond of his primary bath aide that he made me go out to the garden and pick some tomaotes and sweet corn to have ready for her when she comes today! I am an RN, so I did have a little bit of difficulty switching from nurse mode (where I'm in charge) to daughter/caregive mode (where I have to listen :) ). Luckily, the nurses have been willing to work with me on both levels. Lisa - if your lady is aspirating, has she had a speech therapy consult? If not, ask for one. They can teach her exercises to help strengthen the muscles in her throat. This is often done with stroke victims.

Oh, this sounds wonderful!! Thanks. JoanMN/FL

Here is another option. Roasted Parmesan Creamed Onions. Roasted Parmesan-Creamed Onions Rick Tramonto - Osteria Cookbook Talk about succulent! The yellow onions are pretty pungent when you slice them, but surrender their kick when they are roasted and become sweet and tender. When they reach this point, the cream sauce is poured over them, they are topped with shaved cheese, and then the whole thing is returned to the oven for a slow melt. I like to cook these in a wood oven to get some smoke on them, which makes them even better-if that's possible. Great with chicken, lamb, beef-you name it! I also like it served as a first course. Serves 4 4 medium yellow onions 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 cup heavy cream 1/4 cup dry white wine Minced Garlic (my addition) 2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shaved (about 2 tablespoons) 1 Preheat the oven to 350�F. 2 slices the onions into 1/4-inch-thick rings and lay them in a shallow baking pan, such as a sheet pan or jelly roll pan. Drizzle with the olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 to 18 minutes, or until lightly browned. 3 Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring the cream and wine (and Garlic)to a simmer over medium-high heat. As soon as the liquid starts to bubble around the edges, remove from the heat. 4 Spoon about a tablespoon of the cream mixture over each onion slice. Cover with aluminum foil, return to the oven, and cook for about 25 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 450�F. 5 Remove the foil and top the onions with the shaved cheese. Return the pan to the oven and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the edges caramelize. Serve hot. Here is a link that might be useful: Roasted parmesan Creamed Onions

Here's my mother's recipe and of course you have to put a dollop of mayo on top :o) Gonna skip the veggies and add the seafood with finely chopped onion or maybe grated. Sharing my mom's aspic 4 cups V-8 juice 3 envelopes unflavored gelatin 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon cider vinegar 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon grated onion 1 teaspoon salt dash of Tabasco sauce 1 cup finely chopped celery 1 cup sliced stuffed green olives 8 romaine or leaf lettuce leaves mayonnaise for garnish In a large bowl combine cup of the V-8 juice and the gelatin and let soak to soften. In a saucepan, heat the remaining V-8 juice, add it to the gelatin and stir till the gelatin has dissolved. Add the Worcestershire, vinegar, lemon juice, onion, salt and Tabasco. Stir well. Place the bowl in the refrigerator and chill until the mixture is slightly thickened. Add the celery and olives and stir until well blended. Transfer the mixture to a shallow baking dish or eight individual molds, cover with plastic wrap and chill until firm. Serve the aspic on lettuce leaves and top each portion with a dollop of mayonnaise.