I think my dad is dying and I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing
This is my very first post on Reddit, but I promise I’m very much human (and a currently overwhelmed one at that). Please be kind.
My dad had a massive stroke in late 2020 which accelerated his early dementia and left him disabled. He has noone else in the world, so my sister and I have been tag teaming since then to care for him.
As his condition worsened we had to place him in assisted living and then eventually move him into a rehab facility. You know the drill. Needless to say, it has been an exhausting 6 years.
As of last Saturday he has been in the ICU due to non-stop seizures. He is intubated, his sodium levels are too high and he’s not regaining consciousness. My sister and I have signed the DNR paperwork stuff. As the doctor puts it, we are in a “wait and see” situation.
Idk what to do in this “wait and see” situation. So, I have been trying to get my affairs in order in preparation for his potential passing.
I let my job know of the situation and have cancelled next week’s work trip. And I have a call scheduled with our insurance benefits person today to go over any resources/support I should be tapping into.
I have also reached out to my dad’s 2 closest friends so they can go see him at the hospital.
Last night, I made myself an Epsom salt bath before bed to ease the tension in my body. I also already struggle with eating enough on a regular basis, so I’m worried that this will completely suppress whatever little appetite I have.
Idk what else I should be doing to prepare for the inevitable. Or if I should wait to see if he pulls through (although a part of me feels like he has suffered enough already and passing might be the most peaceful scenario for him).
Anyways, idk what this post is supposed to be, but I guess, if anyone has any useful tips on things I should be expecting whether practical stuff (like when I need to shut down his bank account, what paperwork I should be thinking about, etc) or emotional processing tips, I’ll take them. I assume after all this is done I’ll be taking some time off from work to process.
I’ve never posted on Reddit before, so I’m not sure if I’ll be able to keep up with the comments, but I’ll try if anyone responds. But, thank you in advance to anyone who might share anything below ❤️
Posted Sep 17, 2026, 11:29 AM UTC