Together at Christmas

Merry day after Christmas. We hope you all had a great time with family and friends. We got up early and drove to Portland to surprise both of our families for Christmas. We arrived at mom and dad's about 11:30. They had made plans with my aunt Cathy and her husband Billie to come over for Christmas day lunch. I so appreciate how mom's sisters have jumped in and helped take care of mom and dad when I am so far away. Aunt Cathy had fixed a ham and other items. Even though no one was expecting us, there was plenty of food. I am thankful for Cathy doing all of this work despite the fact that she had just had a major surgery 3 weeks ago. We visited and enjoyed time together; listened to mom play her new digital piano. Dad was pretty tired and in pain but stayed awake the whole time we were there. He didn't eat much dinner but he did have some light snacks throughout the day. We left around 3:00 to go spend some time with Steve's family that also lives in the Portland area.

Not much change in regard to his infection and health issues. He still doesn't have an appetite and is losing weight. He did have the week off from chemo but has not gotten in to see his urologist yet. I have posted a few pictures from yesterday for you all to see.

Quick Update

Dad called his doctor's office on Monday and told them he felt he was getting dehydrated. They had him coming in and they gave him IV fluids to re-hydrate him. When he went in, he had lost 8 lbs in less than a week. He doesn't really have 8 lbs to lose but somehow he did. He was going to call his urologist today and see if he could get in sooner. I haven't talked to him to find out if that happened. Please pray that he can get in to see the urologist before the 8th of January and that the IV fluids will kick in and he will start eating again.
Thank you.

Long Time

Sorry for the long stretch of no posts. Dad had a few good weeks after Thanksgiving but then last weekend got hit pretty hard and hasn't felt good since. He called his urologist but can't get in until January 8th. His body is just too tired to fight both the cancer and this infection. I keep asking him to call and see if they know just how bad it is and could they see him sooner. Mom and I both think he is getting dehydrated again because he doesn't have the energy to even eat. Usually he ends up in the hospital when he gets dehydrated.

He does have this week off from chemo but it seems that the infection is worse than the side effects of the chemo. He say he takes all of his pain meds (vicodin, Tylenol with codeine and something else) and it doesn't even touch the pain of this infection. If he doesn't get seen for a change in medication for the infection, he really doesn't have the week off.

Their plans for Christmas is to just stay home. Dad just hasn't felt good enough to really do anything. He was very disappointed to miss the church Christmas program yesterday. I told him maybe next year and his response implied there might not be a next year. It has been almost a year since he was diagnosed and it has been a very hard one for both he and mom. I pray the next one will be better.

I posted a picture of mom and dad taken at mom's work Christmas party last weekend. Don't they look good!!! This was the night before dad started not feeling too good.

On behave of Larry and Sherry Cameron and their extended family, we want to wish each of you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS. Remember: "He became one of us . . . so we could become one of His."

Blessings,

The Camerons and The Douglass'