Packing

Thought I would jot just a quick note. Dad got their move date changed to the 2nd weekend of September. This will allow for people to help them move and also gives them a bit longer to get packed up. Dad said that it is sometimes hard to pack because he is trying to pack from a chair.

Dad's chemo went well. Dad's said that his doctor is so sick of seeing him that he is taking off for 6 weeks. Dad was excited because he thought he also got 6 weeks off but not the case. They want him to still come in at his regular 3 week appointment to check his blood count. That will determine if he gets chemo that day or if he can wait another 3 weeks for when the doctor returns.

He has good days and bad days but the good days seem to be more than in the past. I just hung up from mom and dad this morning and dad sounds really good. He said he actually almost feels normal. Well, we all know that dad has never been "normal" but I'm glad that he is feeling good. He keeps telling me that if he could just come to the acceptance that he will never be the same that he could maybe move forward. But you know what Dad? God doesn't want us to be the same. I know that your circumstances have changed because of this horrible diseases and that is the unfortunate part. But you have also changed in appreciating God and your family and other people and that is good.

So.... go out and enjoy your breakfast at Miller's this morning and whatever else you have planned today. It's a good day!

Great Weekend

Mom and Dad had a great weekend. Saturday was mom's company picnic. The company is very family oriented and open these special events up to family members (as I have mentioned in past blogs my mom works for an AMAZING company), Aunt Charlene and Chuck went with them. Mom said dad ate like a horse, 3 corn on the cobs, 3 sish-ka-bobs and a beer amongst other goodies. They were there for 3 hours and enjoyed visiting with people and just being out amongst the living. When they got home dad was pretty tired. Today they went and picked up some prescriptions and some groceries and stayed close to home.

The big news is that mom and dad are moving at the end of the month. They are staying in the same apartment complex but will be down-sizing. They are going to go to a 1 bedroom because it will save them $225 a month. For them right now, that is a huge amount that can help pay for utilities. We're still working out details because they are suppose to move on Sept 1st but that is a Tuesday and most people can't help then because they are working. They obviously can't move on their own so dad is going to talk to the managers and see what can happen to change that date.

This week is a chemo week. Dad has had 3 weeks off so I am sure it will be a bit difficult to make himself do it. The last couple of treatements have been difficult on him so I pray that this one will be a bit easier.

Just a note to say that dad would welcome phone calls, visits, cards, emails, etc. He has mentioned a time or two that people must have forgotten about him. It has been a difficult transition for him to be a self-employed plumber to a cancer patient with limited people contact. A couple days this week he was very depressed. A friendly voice or a cheery card or a plate of cookies can work wonders for the blues.

With appreciation....

A Word from Dad

Well I wish I would have stayed home after church yesterday. We decided to go picture taking. First picture, I fell and either cracked or broke a rib. But we decided to go on because it really didn't hurt that bad. Well, I fell again taking another picture. That did it; we went home. Of coarse unloading Sherry's scooter I fell again. That did it. I have only been seen in the house since.

God bless and take care, Larry

What dad didn't say above is that his first fall was on his chest and he came very close to hitting the chemo port that is about 2 or 3 inches from his heart. If he would have hit the upper part of his chest any harder, the port could have punctured his heart. The story would have been a lot different than a few sore ribs. Thankfully, he chose to stay inside today but he is very, very sore. Mom says he looks like a piece of raw meat because his hands and elbows and legs are all skinned up.

We appreciate all of your prayers and support.

Quick Update

Just a quick update. He has been good and bad since coming home. He has fallen a couple of times. Yesterday, he was cold in the apartment so he went out on their covered deck to get warm. Portland has been having record breaking heat like 105 degrees. Dad fell asleep out on the deck for 3 hours and so we think he may have gotten a touch of heat stroke. His speech was very slurred again and he had no energy again. He wasn't hungry but mom made him drink. They called me this morning and he was sounding much better. I made him promise to stay in the house and if he got cold to put on a sweatshirt.

That's the latest.

A word from Larry....

Once again the tide is turning. Some day my camera will be cleaned off and put to work. It will never be like same but I will not give up. I hope I continue to recover and once again thanks for your prayers an support.

Larry

...and back home again!

Larry was released from the hospital this morning. The doctors were able to get him stableized and get his oxygen levels back to a preferred level. Let's hope that Larry will be a "good boy" and use his oxygen more at home.

Please continue to pray for both Larry and Sherry. These are very trying days on so many levels and they could both use some large doses of TLC.

We will give another update as soon as we know more about his recent hospital stay.

Back to the hospital...

Today, Larry had to make a trip back to Portland Adventist Medical Center. He has been in allot of pain lately, very lethargic and has had much trouble breathing. He has been incoherent at times, forgetful and speaking in mumbles and slurs. He has had other situations more personal than we need to go into here. He has been dropping and spilling things, so much so that Sherry called the doctor this morning and was told to bring him in.

We are grateful for Sherry's sister Charlene and her husband Chuck (pictured to the left) who were able to make the trip to PAMC with Larry and Sherry. On the way, Larry was very confused as to where they were and where they were headed.

Upon arrival, the admitting nurse asked him what day it was and he said "April......or it might be July". He is really out of sorts. Doctors ran several tests. They did say that the breathing challenges were "normal" but that the slurred speech was not. They did a cat-scan to check his brain but the test came back negative for that (well, he has a brain...but no cancer in it!!). They also did an EKG and determined that his heart was good. So, while doctors scratch their heads trying to figure out what is causing the speech challenges and his confused state, they did decide to keep him overnight as a precaution. They will likely run more tests. They did discover that he has a severe urinary tract infection. You may recall he had that same infection the last time he was admitted to the hospital.

Larry is not too happy with Sherry right now because he did not want to stay in the hospital. In fact, we are to understand he was downright angry about it. But, Sherry knows what is best for Larry right now - far more so than he even realizes or understands. So she heads home to an empty house to try and get some rest and maybe pick up a few things. Sherry is hopeful that they will keep him for a couple days so he can get his oxygen back in check and have some energy.

Please continue to pray for Larry and Sherry. This road just seems to get a little more rough each day.