It's been very busy these past weeks Lots of appointments, I think we had something every day, plus traveling in this yucky weather but we are now done most of them. Just weekly blood work and chemo appts for now.
Yesterday was a long hard day for Randy. He woke up and discovered his feeding tube was plugged again and so we had to rush to the Foothills Fluoroscope department to get it fixed, desperately trying to unplug it before our chemo appt. They ended up having to insert a new feeding tube. For a while Randy had two tubes as we were running late for chemo and the Radiologist still hadn't had permission from a doctor to remove the old tube. Crazy. So we ended up in the chemotherapy ward still not sure if Randy would be going home with 2 tubes. After I made a call to the Home Enteral Program nurse she spoke with our chemo nurse who then was able to pull out the old tube, thank goodness. Took me a while to find the phone number as I had not brought it with me to the hospital. I have now put all phone numbers into my phone. Randy feels much better with the new feeding tube as it is made of softer material. Doesn't rub the back of his throat so bad. Only issue is that it is shorter on the outside so it hangs down in front of his mouth to the chin, not long enough to tape it on his cheek out of the way. :(
The first Chemo treatment went good. It's a 3 hour process. 1 hour of saline 1 hour of Chemo drugs and 1 hour of saline. They use lots of saline as the chemo drugs are hard on the kidneys so Randy requires lots of hydration. We will be going for these long treatments every three weeks. In between we have weekly appts for the bottle change and flush of the port. These shouldn't be too long. Randy now has another tube and bottle he has to wear all day and night. This is a slow release drug and because Randy cannot swallow pills this is how it is administered.
So far today Randy is not feeling very well. Just an overall sense of un-wellness through out his whole body. Has slept for most of the day recovering from yesterday and loss of sleep for the last couple nights. Hoping it will improve.
“No matter how intense your struggle may be, someone is being inspired by your fight. Your story and your courage is equipping them to see life through a completely different lens.”
Christa here. I’ve been following and reading your Blog regularly as well as talking with Glenn. My heart goes out to all of you. What a very difficult journey you have. I read your heart-felt prayers repeatedly. May they provide you with some comfort. I’m not sure if you realize, but I believe your prayers are providing some comfort for others who are reading them as well. All of you are seeing life through a completely different lens. All that you took, as a given in life, is no longer there. Everything, everything to the core, has changed for all of you. And at each moment you are faced with the unknown.
ReplyDeleteThe quote you chose today says so very much. It speaks of Randy’s determination, his courage, your strength and all of your love for each other as a family.
“No matter how intense your struggle may be, someone is being inspired by your fight. Your story and your courage is equipping them to see life through a completely different lens.”
Your Blog is teaching us all; making us aware of how fragile our every day ‘living-in-the-world’ actually is. This gives us the opportunity, a gift actually, to open up our hearts and be more ‘present’ with you and your family. And, we can take it to heart with our own families and loved ones as well and act on that love. We don’t need to wait.
So Kim…
WHAT DOES EACH ONE OF YOU, WITHIN YOUR FAMILY, NEED? TODAY? TOMORROW? NEXT WEEK?
I am on Vancouver Island, quite far away. I do know you have extended family and many other people who love and want to help. Many people are reading your Blog.
WHAT DOES EACH ONE OF YOU, WITHIN YOUR FAMILY, NEED? TODAY? TOMORROW? NEXT WEEK?
Make a list on the Blog. Nothing is too small or too big that can’t be done with people working together. Let everyone know. People who love all of you will come forward and assist in whatever capacity that they can. Someone can set up a schedule so you and your family have more time for what is really important – and that’s being there for each other.
• Driving the boys
• Running errands for you
• Cooking some meals
• Grocery shopping
• Taking the boys to do what they need to do (normalize things for them a little bit)
• Cleaning your house
• Decorating the house for Christmas?
• Doing laundry
• Suggestions for how Randy wants to communicate with people. What would work for him to stay connected in a meaningful way with people.
No one walks in this life alone. Life can be a communion of living. Break open and make a list. Christmas is coming… I’m sure you have not had time or the energy to think of that.
I hope that you do not feel I’m imposing and receive this message with the intent it is written – with sincere compassion for all of you.
Andrew and I have just returned from a 12-day Tibetan Buddhist Retreat. During the retreat I submitted your name, Randy. Prayers for your well-being are recited for you on a daily basis in Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in France (Lerab Ling), India and Nepal.
Blessings to all of you. christa
Christa,
DeleteThank you for your comment, it is comforting and offers us ideas and ways to ask for help. It is a difficult task to reach out and say you need help in our society today as we are all so independent and think that it is a sign of failure if you need help. Right now I am unable to put a list together because it is so hard to say what we need and reach out. Time is the biggest need and want right now. So if the house is messy who cares, if we don't eat proper meals, oh well, the best part is that were together now and living each moment as it comes.
I truly appreciate that you took the time during your retreat to think of our family and to offer Randy's name. It amazing the people you can touch throughout your lifespan.
Love,
Kim and Family