Generations

Barbs children and grandchildren were over last night...we took a picture of Bob with his newest great-granddaughter. His face is looking much better...the swelling has gone down but the black eye (his left) has started moving over to his other eye...I've heard of that happening before....he sleeps so soundly these days he wasn't even aware that we were taking pictures or that Mia was in bed with him.

"How does it feel to be a great-grandmother? A little odd? It seems quite crazy that your baby should be sitting there with a grand-baby of her own on her lap. But good. A sort of bonus."

Childhood is the most beautiful of all life's seasons. ~Author Unknown

Barb and her grand children

"Grandmothers don't just say "that's nice" - they reel back and roll their eyes and throw up their hands and smile. You get your money's worth out of grandmas."

Those gasps of astonishment, those shrieks of pleasure, those sighs of delight, lost long ago when your children grew wise and worldly - are suddenly given back to you by your grandchildren. What seems to be the same small hands clutch yours, dragging you from one excitement to another -

missing ya'll

Whenever my mind has a moment to "unfocus" on the things that are happening here (which isn't often... what with Bobs fall, black eye, bloody nose, abrasions, trip to ER, CAT scans, mini seizures, trip to Drs...dealing with his almost constant headaches),...I miss my other children.

 Eddie and the boys will be here during spring break...just a bit over two weeks away!

'not sure when Herk will be able to be back..he was hospitalized for a week with a bad staff infection..(he's diabetic)..so he's not sure if he can get another week off so soon.

hard to believe that Brian is 15!!!! He's been a Peete since he was 2 yr. old and I've adored him ever since I first looked into those incredibly large, brown eyes, 'took care of him and Bobby after school and summers for several years,..dentist, doctors, haircuts, VBS, stitches over his left eye, first day of school, getting off the school bus, 8th grade graduation,  band recitals, going to movies.... I miss him...

Bobby and his  fake tatoo...he's 9 yrs. old now...'was there the day he was born, lost his first tooth, broke his arm, brought home his straight A report cards,  had lunches with him at his school, helped  with his class parties, first trip to the dentist, ...I miss that sweet, little imp too.

Laura will be here Sat...for the weekend...hooray!...

Nicki will be here soon to help us move...

God is good...first to give me these five children...then to have them "turn out" so great...love and support each other...use their time, effort and  resources to spend time together...to stay close...He is good indeed!

A friend is one who strengthens you with prayers, blesses you with love and encourages you with hope."

There is a miracle called Friendship
that dwells within the heart
and you don't know how it happens
or when it even starts.

But the happiness it brings you
always gives a special lift
and you realize that Friendship
is one of God's most precious gifts.
 
- Jean Kyler McManus -
 
Last week we recieved a wonderful gift from our friends at Plano Bible Chapel...a beautiful quilt, hand made by  the "quilter" of the group...(Liz Bushong)...others had  contributed a "square" with a  hand written (or hand-sewen) message for us !!!   The timing for recieving this gift could not have been better....God's timing.

These pictures do not do it justice...
 

   

 

A Wonderful Day

Bob slept most of the morning...headache prompted Tylanol which sometimes puts him to sleep...this afternoon he felt well enough to go outside and sit on the front porch and let me trim his beard...then he used his walker and walked around to the back yard...we didn't try to go into the cabin...too muddy and he was tiring....doesn't he look great...

Living With Cancer...Week 41

What a roller-coaster ride we've been on:
...
While showing some inprovement for a while, Bob still continued to sleep ALL THE TIME...just didn't want to stay awake.  On Monday, Feb 8th. this condition, along with choking episodes and a sudden, high  heart rate prompted another 911 call and our fifth hospital stay in the last 9 months. Three days in ICU, two days "on the floor", another three days in ICU and then another two days "on the floor"..released today..

A trip down his throat (via his nose.UGH)  by Dr. # 2  (ENT)  revealed that his airway had become seriously constricted. This led to the conclusion that his present condition was being caused by high levels of CO2.

 "CO2 retention is a pathophysiological process in which too little carbon dioxide is removed from the blood by the lungs. The end result is hypercapnia, an elevated level of carbon dioxide dissolved in the bloodstream.
As CO2 levels increase, patients exhibit a reduction in overall level of consciousness as well as respiratory effort".

Radiation damage to the blood vessels and lymph nodes in his neck caused inflamation and swelling in his throat..thus his breathing  became impaired.  Dr. # 3 was called in (Pulmanary)..

"You're damned if you do and damned if you don't"...Without treatment the cancer which he was diagnosed with last May would have already taken his life...now the treatment results seemed to be trying to do the same.

Day two a tracheotomy was done..   Prayer request #1..that this will not be a permanent condition.

Next, he developed a blood clot in his arm...the side his medport is on...Dr. #1 (Oncologist) is reluctant to remove the port as he is needing so many injections and infusions. He started blood thinner, a steroid, another  rx. for treating blood clots...and lasix for fluid retention.

Next came arrhythmia....his heart would speed up and slow down...irregular heartbeat..EKG's,  a move back to ICU and Dr. #4(Coronary)... more rx. for that..

Sometime during the week he recieved blood transfusions.

Believe it or not...he got well enough to come home ... his heart rhythm is  back to normal and, with the trach, his breathing is normal....'will most likely take another few weeks for the blood clot to dissolve.

We'll start "home health" again  tomorrow...being flat on his back for 10 days will put him back to square one.  HOWEVER, as his last PET cleared him of cancer he is eligable to receive VitalStem Therapy.
 
"VitalStim® Therapy is a non-invasive, external electrical stimulation therapy cleared to market by the FDA in December 2002. The therapy uses specifically designed electrodes applied to the muscles of the throat to promote proper swallowing."

This procedure has been very successful in correcting damage in the throat that prevents swallowing.  I'm very excited about the possibility that he may be able to swallow again ...Prayer request #2 :  He would have to be able to have the trach removed to accomplish this.

We're so glad to be home.

feeling better

Good...Good...Good..
Today Bob felt well enough to go outside and into the cottage for the first time ..

The time in between

Yesterday was a special day...I attended church for the first time since we received the news that Bob had cancer...April 2009...Our absence wasn't that we had given up on our faith...Bob just felt uneasy ...did not want to be the center of attention...a distraction....as his illness worsened it became more and more difficult to try and go about "business as usual"....nothing was "usual" for us anymore. I'm sure we missed out on many blessings but some of our church friends came to visit us at home and/or the hospital...to pray with us, play their guitars and sing, offer encouragement.

After being blessed by our church for so many years, the sermons, the friends, the fellowship, the sharing...the worship, the awarness of the Holy Spirit among us...I was anticipating it a bit...would it be the same? could it be?...well, not exactly...the sadness in my heart did not lessen but the gratitude I felt for Him and His love for us overwhealmed, as usual...and it was comforting to be among fellow believers..to hear familiar hymns.
Barbara's best friend, Lori and her granddaughter sang a duet..."The Time In Between"...it speaks of the writers gratitude for Jesus' life..the time  between birth and death...between Bethleham and the cross...to leave heaven for life here on earth..

however,this is the verse that I related to the most:


Don't take much for this crazy world



To rob me of my peace


And the enemy of my soul


Says You’re holding out on me


So I stand here lifting empty hands


For you to fill me up again