A Little Closer To Home...

What a day. There is much to update tonight so I will try to do it as clearly as possible while I struggle in my own heart the ramifications of it all.

Today Larry went to see his doctor...for the last time. I am to understand that he said "goodbye" to his doctors and nurses since the plan, at this time, is to stop the chemo and any other treatments as they have become ineffective. The doctors have called Hospice and Larry and Sherry should get a call from Hospice in the next day or so to get all of that set up. For now, hospice will come to Larry. At some point he may be taken to Hopewell House which is a fantastic Hospice House in Portland. Sherry's mother was at Hopewell in her final days several years ago. A wonderful facility. Larry is in pain and is having trouble breathing so the doctor prescribed some morphine drops that Sherry is to put on his tongue. This gives him some comfort from the pain and allows him to rest and breath a little easier. He is using oxygen. Larry did take a fall today in the house when they got back from the doctor. Fortunately, Chuck and Charlene were there to assist in getting him up and into his comfy chair.

Sherry had a doctors appointment this afternoon as well. At this point her doctor believes her recent symptoms are due to "stress and trauma in her life". Really?? Ya think??!! Her issues could be related to other things but with all that Sherry is dealing with right now, her doctor felt she will be okay in time as this situation with Larry runs its course. They will touch base later this year.

The doctors have recommended that Larry and Sherry should immediately seek out assisted living. They are at a point where they can't take care of each other let alone themselves. It would relieve a huge burden from Sherry by being in a place that she could get a little help if needed - if she fell, or needed help getting in and out of her power chair. etc. Until real recently Larry helped with all that - but those days are gone. The thought of moving them right now seems crazy, but as I stated in an earlier post - we will do whatever is best for the two of them to enjoy their remaining time together. Sherry is looking into a place in Canby, OR, which is close to where Chuck and Charlene live.

Larry and Sherry's daughter Melody is very hopeful to get over to see Larry this weekend. This is a point of prayer since Melody is recuperating very slowly from surgery and some complications from it. She so much wants and needs to see her dad. There is also some family looking into getting Larry and Sherry's son Greg out to Oregon from Tennessee. That's a little trickier given limited resources, but Sherry's sister Cathy and her husband Bill have donated toward this cost. We are grateful for this. We'd like to get Greg out here in the next week or two. We just don't know how much time we have.

We are a family of faith. One that believes that there is "another time and another place" where we will spend eternity with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ when He chooses to call us home. There is no question the deep love that Larry and Sherry have for each other, and it is that love that will sustain them in these next days, weeks or months.

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support for our family...

Steve and Melody