Updates from Labor Day


Good news is that Dad is feeling much better. He had a rough week of pain from radiation side effects, but he's on the mend. The tumor has shrunk enough that a surgery is scheduled for the 18th of September.

Not so great news, but expected, is that Mom has declined steeply. Her pain has increased, so her pain medication has also increased. We do not want her to suffer, so the best we can do is keep her out of pain. She has some hallucinations, but she also recognizes them as such. I can make her laugh or smile, but sometimes those smiles yield tears because she understands what is happening.

I have spent pretty much every night here since I got back from Europe, sleeping with Mom, holding her hand, and keeping her safe and comfortable. Dad needs his rest (Mom is restless), so he stays upstairs in order to get a good night's sleep.

The boys have been coming over often, making noise, playing Lego, playing with everyone's phones, going to the pool, and trouncing through the living room dripping wet. They climb on Mom's bed and snuggle and kiss her, which is sweet and makes Mom smile. It also makes her sad, and this is when we feel the most sorry for her.

She doesn't have focus to read or even to scroll Facebook (shocking!), but she does enjoy staring at the TV screensaver, which is just a random feed of photos from Dad's iPhone. So it's photos of the family, babies, music, Lakeside, vacations -- just general goodness.

Thank you to all for the happy thoughts, good wishes, cards, flowers, meals, donations etc. After several rough nights with Mom, I hired an overnight caregiver to stay with her last night, administer meds, etc, and it was money well-spent. I slept in my own bed, snuggled my babies and husband, and feel refreshed this morning. 

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