Update: A lot can happen in a week. On Monday, my mother's pulmonary specialist said he believed her condition was worsening and that she would likely need skilled nursing permanently. Given her advance directives, this was not good news to hear. I ended up having to argue with the specialist in order to get his "consent" for a second opinion. The second pulmonary specialist agreed that a tracheotomy should be a last resort, not a first option. For the last several days, my mother has b...
