Quick visit to dad this past weekend

Quick update once again regarding my dad.  I was able to see mom and dad this weekend on a quick overnight visit. It really is amazing how cancer treatment can knock a person sideways.  As you may recall from my previous post, dad had to go in for surgery to reinsert his feeding tube.  Then to make matters worse on Monday or Tuesday, he developed a low grade fever and an infection around the surgery area.  He is on antibiotics and mom is cleaning the wound 3 times or so a day. 40 or so pounds less, but still fighting strong.

In general he is doing okay, and there are only 7 more treatments left including today. He acknowledged that the final week is going to be tough. Overall, considering what he has gone through thus far from diagnoses, to treatments, to surgery again, he is doing not to bad.  On top of that, he told me that he doesn’t feel too bad, but the cancer treatments are causing some very thick mucus to build in his mouth and throat and that cannot be washed out – therefore he is using what looks like an electric dentist suction tube machine, thingy-ma-bob, what-cha-ma-call-it. Fun – I would say not.

So in conclusion, we are counting down the days – 7 more radiation treatments, and 2 more chemo treatments.  He is fighting through this, but the cancer treatments have taken their toll.  The one thing that he is looking forward to having once all this is done – a big glass of ice water.  The one thing we are looking forward to – a healthy vibrant dad.

Take care and thank you for your continued prayers.

KU WINS

KU won… KU won… talk about a game!  For those of you who missed it giant killer Davidson College gave KU a run for its money.  They had a chance to win it all with a final 3 point shot, but it hit harmless on the back board…well maybe not harmless since it was a wake up call to the Jayhawks who have rolled thus far in the tournament.  The end result, a win, a realization that they can be beat if they keep playing the way they have, and all four #1 seeds advance to the final four for the first time.  The result, KU will play North Carolina next. This will obviously be one of the hardest games yet. But for today, we are basking in the glory of a win.

As a side note – bike ride on Wednesday… test ride #2.

A family in need your prayers

This is truly a quick note… A neighbor of mine lost his battle with cancer yesterday.  Please pray for his family and close friends as they start to deal with the loss of such a wonderful man, and the roller coasters of emotions that will surely come….

The MJ Ramble of the day

Another quick little story for those stopping by.  On occasion, I get so wrapped up in so many different things that I don’t always pay attention to all of the details happening around me, or maybe it is hear all of the details around me – I am not sure which.  Ugh… I hate that about myself.  I get so busy with “busy stuff” that I don’t always stop and listen (that would be Ugh #2)… Anyway, at least I can laugh at myself or better yet – laugh with others who are laughing at me…

Along that thought of busy stuff and small stuff, (and this is a totally random thought) I remember saying the opening prayer at church one Sunday at First Baptist Church… I basically thanked God for all of the gifts he has given us, all of the grace he extends to us, and all the love he offers us… (at least that is how I remember it today) With that being said, I think that I sometimes forget about these thoughts and only pray for help, but that is where I am right now and I think He knows that.  I am blessed in so many ways, but I am hurting.  My family is blessed in so many ways, but they are also hurting.  My Dad is blessed in so many ways, but he is especially hurting.  The list can go on and on…  in fact you might count yourself as one of these people – blessed but hurting – but the good news is God knows that… He understands…

I realize that I am just rambling right now… and again sorry.  I guess I keep thinking about my upbringing, and can truly thank my parents and friends for the foundation I have in place in my life.  Now it is up to me to continue to build on that foundation.  At the same time, I feel that I need to be there for those who need it. Where all this is going, I really don’t know… Am I looking forward to it… you bet!!

Again rambling… sorry…

My new bike…

Okay, here is the post that you have most likely been waiting for it (well, maybe not, but here it is anyway)… This is my new ride… my new ride for the trails around Shawnee Mission Park, for the single track trails in Lawrence and around the area where a road bike just will not do. The old bike (my road bike) got a quick ride this past weekend – ahhh the joy of it… The new bike = fun… and the old bike = fun. I love them both equally.  In reality though, the road bike will get ridden the most since I love the “porshe like feel” that comes with road bikes, but the mountain bike will be ridden alot because I want to cross train and experience what “the other guys” are talking about when they ride single track – speed with white knuckle turns… to be honest, I really do like single track. Time will tell which is ridden more, but right now that is the plan.

Quick Dad update

I will start by saying something positive… 2 weeks and 2 days…or to put it more simply – 12 more days to go … and better yet – 3 more chemo treatments…can you tell that we are counting down the days?  The end is in sight and the recovery will begin.  But you gotta love those twos… with every set of twos there is two sides – for this message the good and the not so good.  As you probably heard, Dad’s eating ability has deteriorated in what felt like an instant. One moment he was eating fine, and the next he could not eat.  He is still drinking water, but eating is very difficult.  His intact of calories and nutrients these days is via his feeding tube.  And on that note, the second part of the story…

Last Thursday, Dad was in some discomfort during the evening and into the next day.  On Thursday his feeding tube was leaking, and then on Friday nothing went in… it all went on the floor.  They put in another feeding tube on Friday but it went into the stomach lining instead of the stomach, and it had to be pulled out… yanked out is more the word for it.  A person would look at that he say… not very good news (which is true, but it only gets worse the rest of the day)…so they worked on it some more. … then little bit worse …. they tried 5 more times to put it back in place…talk about pain… then a little bit worse news, they ended up doing surgery to re-insert the feeding tube back in place.  All of this happened on Friday afternoon.  The good news regarding all of this is the fact that my sister Linda was already planning on going up to stay with Mom and Dad until Wednesday… talk about perfect timing.  She can give mom a much needed break, cook some meals, and help with Dad. 

With that being said, you gotta love help…and from a previous email I sent, “…we worked as a team, but we knew when to move over and ask for help.”  We have continued to ask for help from God and our friends, and we continue to ask that your prayers join ours.  Mom and Dad continue to look to the four of us for support and each of us give it in our own way.  It is truly interesting to me to see how each of us is handling this.  Four siblings with four different approaches to dealing with stress.  The end result is that we are figure out a way to help our parents through our outpouring of love and actions.

So in conclusion I will say that by Sunday Dad was feeling better.  He got up and took a shower and even Mom made it to Easter services – dad was still to weak.  Life is “back to normal” for another day.

12 more days to go….