Another Day with MOM

Yesterday we spent the day with some family that came to visit with mom.

As always when Marlin and Cheryl visits there is some form of entertainment.  I will not discluse the full event of entertainment but the story never gets old. 

OH and I got to see the baby bunnies again yesterday several times.  Every time I walked by the sections they are in I always stopped to see if I could find atleast one and I could. 

We were blessed with another night with mom. 

This is truely the hardest thing I have experienced.  I have a wonderful group of family and extended family known as friends. 

Last Night

Last night went better than the night before (according to the report from Auntie).  The night before she was restless and confused but last night she slept good actually all night until about 6am.  She woke up about 6 am - she was agitated and starting to hurt.   She was ready to go to town.  She wanted up and to go to town.  Never told me why but that she was ready and was going.   The nurses came in and gave her some more meds for pain and something for the agitation. 

Yesterday Auntie and I looked over some papers I got from moms.  She had written down some information along with a few bible verses.  Below is one she had written down -

Provers 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he wills how you which path to take.


Right now we all in the family have great faith in GOD that he is preparing for moms entry into the wonderful kingdom to have eternal life.

Another day

Today is another day I get to spend with mom. 

Last night was a tuff one,  I went to mom's to get some stuff for Auntie and I to review.  Funeral arrangements.  We want to have as much done in advance, so we can make sure we have what we want.  I am so thankful for my wonderful husband.  He may not always know what to say or even to say anything but as I cried last night in moms house looking for the paperwork, He HELD ME.  He just didnt hug me, he held me tight.  Not just then but everytime I need his arms around me they are.

This morning, Auntie called mom wanted her UK blankie.  I went back out there (had to be strong for a minute since I didnt have Jason) and got her blankie.  This seems so unreal that I will never see my mother back in that house again. 

Ok so I'm here with mom now, she has her UK blanket on her and her cat JIGS beside her (to remind her of Jigs at home Haley got her a stuff fuzzy cat at the gift shop a couple weeks ago).  She is resting right now after eating some of her peach milkshake from Chick-Fil-A.  She says anybody coming over is to bring her a small peach milk shake.  She is allowed to eat what she wants as tolerated. 

She is resting now. 

I received this yesterday as a text from Michelle,  it is very fitting right now.

"Feat not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God;  I will strengthen you, I will uphold you with my right hand"  Isaiah 41:15

Markey Center

We are in the markey center now as part of their hospice unit.

Hospice

We are being admitte under hospice care.  We will have to move rooms, still at UK but different area

Morning All

Early stop by the doctor. He is evaluating here to determine the mental state. He mentioned hospice would be by (probably)   I may have a crick in my neck but would not trade laying my head on the bed beside mom holding her hand.  
Late night visits by the millers along with Bill and Nancy Morrow were wonderful

Tonight

Yes. I'm in the bed as close as I can holding onto my mom

Tonight

As I sit here tonight I am filled with a lot of emotion  I look and mom and realize how precious each minute I have with her now is.  She seems so peaceful laying in the bed sleeping.  She is at peace with family and friends but even more at peace with GOD.  

All we can do now is hold her hand so she feels all our love as she makes her journey.

Dinner

Well mom just ate friend corn for the first time in year. Do not remember the last time she are it

Well........

Up until now I honestly thought I could say she would pretty good - stable  

Well I just had the "talk" with mom. I told her I didn't want her to suffer and I'm ok with her going to be with granny and papaw.

Music

Isn't it crazy how a song will make  you into an emotional blubber. 

Sitting in mom's room this morning waiting on the social worker to stop by to discuss when she is medically ready, what rehab facility we would use and what that involves, etc. 

2 guys stopped by to do music therapy.  They were really good.  They sang Amazing Grace and Swing Low Sweet Charity- WOW they were good but man that was a tear jerker. 

About the same

No real change in mom today. She did have dialysis again and they get a liter of fluid off again.

Daiy improvement

Mom was able to have the complete dialysis, as a result they were able to get a liter of fluid off again.  YEAH!!  Nurse seems to think she will be on the Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday schedule for Dialysis. 

She at lunch, well not all of it but definately more than she had been eating. 

She is out of bed sitting in the chair, well sleeping in the chair but atleast she is out of the bed and has been for almost 45 minutes.  They will let her sit in the chair as long as she will tolerate. 

She definatley looks and seems better than she did over the weekend. 

Keep those prayers going for continious improvement. 

No dialysis today

Mom did not have dialysis today.  Spent most of the day sleeping.  The docs are trying really hard to get the nausea under control. Should get dialysis tomorrow.

Good Morning

Morning to all, well almost afternoon I guess by now. 

Mom did get to complete 2 hours of dialysis last night.  They got 1 1/2 liters of fluid off.  When she got back to her room last night she seemed better.

This morning is another story.  Kidney's are still not producing anything, honestly it looks like coke in the cath bag.  She is having trouble breathing again today.  The nausea (dry heaves) are bad today.  She is now coughing up some fleem. 

All the doctors have made their rounds.  The nephrologist said it would be a team decision to determine if she would receive dialysis today or not. 

They have called in Pallative care to help with find a way to control the pain and nausea. 

Trying it again

Sitting in mom's room waiting on her to get back from Dialysis.  She's been down almost 2 hours.  Praying her BP cooperates and does not get to low so she can receive more time tonight. 
Mom sat up on the bedside for about 20 minutes or so today. While sitting there she was getting sleepy, to allow her extra time sitting up I sat down beside her and laid her head on my shoulder.  After all the times she had sat with me, held me and took care of me I truely enjoyed every minute of her laying her head on my shoulder. 

BP is still running low, Creatine is still really really high, WBC is still elevated along with some other labs (cant remember which one) are out of wack.

For lunch mom at her desert- some thing white with peaches on it. 

Keep the prayers going up.  Love to all.

Last Several Days

So yesterday I mentioned mom is to start Dialysis-  let me back up a few days to give you the background of what's happening.
All along her labs have been all out of wack, including WBC elevated (still with all the antibiotics she's getting) and her Creatine is unbelievably high. 
On Thursday, her potasium was critcally high and they gave her something to bring it down.  Talked and seemed to be doing pretty good, other than sleeping the afternoon away. 
On Friday,  she was doing pretty good in the AM.  Her labs showed her potassium was too low now (wow to high yesterday now to low) so they gave her some potassium.  This started the events for the day.  She got sick, stayed sick which caused her pain level to go up.  She was very aggitated, hurting, and nausea all evening until about midnight or so. 
Saturday,  before I got over to the hosptial- Auntie called and said mom had passed out a few seconds.  She was up sitting on the bed talking to her and dad when she said I feel dizzy and went back. From there she was experiencing chest discomfort.  EKG and labs shows not heart related but instead appears to be related to the fluid on her (due to no kidney output).  After the doctor gave options we had a brief family meeting.  Discuss and decided to have a cath placed to start dialysis.  This was an all day event.  Finally about 9pm (after several x-rays and replacing outside part of cath) mom went down for a partial dialysis treatment.  Auntie stayed with dad until she came back up.  When she did they told them she did not do well during the dialysis.  BP got to low so they had to stop it.

Sitting here in the room with mom is really hard to sit and watch her lay in the bed. 

I will update this evening on how today goes and if we can get dialysis in today (partial or full if any).

Dialysis

I just wanted to let y'all know mom started getting dialysis tonight. Been a long few days. I will update tomorrow with more info.

Small steps

Yesterday was an up and down day for me on getting information and emotions. 
In the morning Auntie called to tell me there is a concern regarding her Creatine level (which was 2.13) but they finally got a nurse that was open and talkative about mom, test, etc.
Around lunch time a doctor finally appeared in moms room, not only saw one but one that actually seem to have a plan of action to treat her.  He wanted to make sure they understood everything so far so he asked "Do you know what is going on and what the test results mean".  WOW  a doctor with good besdie manners.   Dont remember all the details but basically has a plan to get the creatine level down to keep from damaging kidneys more and find the infection.  Finding the infection point seems to be the key to everything here, I think.  ANYWAYS.....
Talk to Mom this morning and she had some nutrional drink she said was good. 
Love my job but can not wait to get home today to go by the hospital and see MOM.  So very thankful for technology to be able to talk and text when I want to but just can not wait to see her in person this afternoon. 

On a side note-  I talk to a friend today that recently lost her dad (which is who raised her, basically was just her and him all her life).  My heart breaks for her everytime I talk to her or think about her.  She is seems so lost and not sure what to do.  To all of you reading this please say an extra prayer for her to find peace and comfort.

Happy Hump Day Morning

I just talk to Auntie and mom. 
Auntie is under the blanket, apparently the AC is cranking at UK room 653.

Talk to MOM,  I definately feel better now than I did last night.  She sounds better,  laughed a little. 

They drew more blood.  I believe the nurse from the ER may have been onto something when said mentioned the vampires in the basement-  LOL. 

Here's to hoping for a better day today and days ahead. 

Update

Talked to mom today, she just didn't sound well when I talk to her.  I called the nurses station to hope to obtain some information, but since mom just got moved to this floor she really couldn't tell me much.  I did ask about her WBC count and they have gone back up.  They are still giving her antibiotics in her IV to treat that. 

Auntie just called.  She is home from the hospital.  Said her and Gerald went downstairs to eat tonight.  When they got back up to the room mom got really short of breath.  They now have mom on oxygen.  Her feet, legs are now swollen along with her left arm.  Auntie and I both have the concern over her abdomen area being so swollen/bloated. 

This is so hard to go and watch.

CANCER----- YOU SUCK!!!!!! 

Out of ER and in a Room

Mom got moved late last night from the ER to the clinical care area (a room).  WBC count has dropped but still elevated.  She is still receiving antibiotics and fluids both in her IV.  The Oncologist along with surgeons are still discussing the abscess- what to do, drain it, etc.  It has shrunk in size but still there. 
Mom seems to be feeling better but still weak. 

Saturday night (well I guess you say Sunday Morning) the took extra amounts of blood (no there are no vampires in the basement at UK hospital) to culture to see what the infection in the body is from and what kind it is.... so with that said the culture results are not back yet.

As we find out more I will keep updating, just keep mom in your prayers.

Visiting the ER

It's been a few weeks since we have been in the ER so....... Here we are. Mom got so weak today this evening she couldn't get up.  Right now we are waiting on lab results and they have taken her to have a CT scan. Hopefully it's just dehydration. Pulse is up and BP is down.

No chemo

At the appointment yesterday the doctor would not let mom have chemo. This was kinda frustration but ok. What the radiologist thought was an abscess on the last scan turned out to be an abscess. Dr Anthony did not want mom to get chemo due to the abscess along with her white blood cells were really high   Go back in 2 week for a follow up scan and appt with Dr Anthony along with seeing Dr Beck (rectal surgeon).  At this time they will evaluate how effective the antibiotics they put her on is working or will they need to surgically go in a drain the abscess.  If they are pleased with the scan she will have chemo that day.

Happy 4th of July

Mom is canning beets today. She said she would work on them for a while then rest go back do more and then rest some more. Got, I believe 4 or 5 pints done. Still sounding pretty good.
As I sit by my camp fire tonight I am thankful for the beautiful days we have been having and the ability that mom still is able in some way to do what she likes- canning.
She has a follow-up CT scan yesterday and we get the results on Tuesday. Kinds nervous about the results but keeping the faith it will be positive/good results.