Dad will be in the hospital one more night. Mom and Aunt Charlene went to visit for a few hours. The nurses had just got done walking with him and he crawled into bed and fell asleep. Mom and Charlene stayed for about 3 hours and dad never woke up, even when mom tried to say goodbye. The doctor asked mom if she thought dad should go home or stay and she felt one more night of good rest for both of them would be the best. That didn't make dad to happy. The doctor is trying to get in contact with the urologist to discuss the urinary tract infections. Apparently each one has been caused by a different bacteria but the end result is the same, a hospital stay. Mom said a social worker also visited with her and suggested that they look into the Life Alert program. It isn't covered by Medicare or Social Security so it would be an added expense that they really can't afford right now. I know that it could give mom piece of mind while she is at work so we will see what it will take to make that happen.
That's the latest. Thanks for the words of encouragement for all of us.
Melody
Monday, September 21, 2009
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Bad Week
This last week has been very tough. I will start with the urgent and then recap. Mom called me this morning (Sunday) at 12:45, yes 12:45 (which means something is not right), and she had called an ambulance to take dad to the hospital. She called Aunt Charlene and Chuck to come take her to the hospital. Dad had fallen trying to get up in the middle of the night and he couldn't get back up. Mom couldn't help him up either so he crawled to the bathroom. He was very weak and so mom called for help.
Mom called me every couple of hours with the final phone call at about 6:30 am that they were going to admit him to the hospital. He still has an infection (I believe the same one he has had every time he lands in the hospital.) and they were giving him fluids. He couldn't walk on his own at first but after some rest and fluids they did finally get him to walk a few times.
RECAP: So, last weekend was moving day. Dad worked very hard trying to get things ready. Due to a volleyball tournament that Kaity had, we were not able to be there like we had originally planned. The tournament went from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm (we won the championship game). Many people showed up to help move and clean the old apartment but it still took a toll on mom and dad. Emily and I headed to Portland from the tournament while Steve and Kaity went back home because Kaity had to work Sunday. Emily and I got there about 8:00 pm and worked until about 1:00 am trying to put things away and rearranging furniture to make the house more livable. Cable guy showed up an hour early than dad said he would so we were all in our pjs. I'm sure he went home to his family and said "You would not believe this house I was at today...." Anyway, dad was so exhausted he slept all day. He had planned on getting the computers hooked up and going but he couldn't even get off the couch. Emily and I had to leave at 12:30pm so she could be at work by 5:00pm. We tried to have them as settled as possible. The rest of the week was about the same. He got some things done but over did it.
Friday, September 18th was their 45th Anniversary but dad was too weak to really do anything. They made plans to go to Red Lobster on Sunday instead. By Saturday mom said he was not doing well. He kept thinking it was Sunday. While at Costco he thought they were somewhere else and he kept almost running into people with his cart. One lady had to jump out of his way or he would have run her over. When they went to bed, we was very cold and so mom had him all wrapped. That lead up to the ambulance ride to the hospital today. He is still there (at the hospital not in the ambulance).
When mom talked to him late this morning he wanted to know if she was coming to see him and then he just mumbled for minutes. After several attempts to talk to him, mom finally told him that she needed to rest and would call him later and hung up. Mom has spent all day in bed today just trying to recoup from the move as well. She has taken vicadin and it hasn't even touched the pain in her legs. She didn't get up to see dad but told him she would be there tomorrow. She is hoping to get off a bit early from work to do that. We don't know if he will be there for another night or if they will send him home. When mom talked to him later this evening he wasn't mumbling but was still a bit confused about the day. Mom is going to talk to the doctors about this infection that has been lingering for months. Obviously what they are doing isn't working. Every time he has been in the hospital he has an urinary tract infection. They need to change that course of treatment.
Sorry for the length of this update. If you are still with me at this point, you are a good friend or a relative, LOL!!! I will try and update tomorrow but this is another crazy week for my family. Please pray for mom and dad. There are so many needs: healing, physical, mental, emotional, financial.... The list seems endless and at times overwhelming to all of us.
Melody
PS. GOOD NEWS!! My uncle Rick, one of dad's brother's, is coming to see dad on October 1st from Michigan. That will be really good for my dad's spirit.
Mom called me every couple of hours with the final phone call at about 6:30 am that they were going to admit him to the hospital. He still has an infection (I believe the same one he has had every time he lands in the hospital.) and they were giving him fluids. He couldn't walk on his own at first but after some rest and fluids they did finally get him to walk a few times.
RECAP: So, last weekend was moving day. Dad worked very hard trying to get things ready. Due to a volleyball tournament that Kaity had, we were not able to be there like we had originally planned. The tournament went from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm (we won the championship game). Many people showed up to help move and clean the old apartment but it still took a toll on mom and dad. Emily and I headed to Portland from the tournament while Steve and Kaity went back home because Kaity had to work Sunday. Emily and I got there about 8:00 pm and worked until about 1:00 am trying to put things away and rearranging furniture to make the house more livable. Cable guy showed up an hour early than dad said he would so we were all in our pjs. I'm sure he went home to his family and said "You would not believe this house I was at today...." Anyway, dad was so exhausted he slept all day. He had planned on getting the computers hooked up and going but he couldn't even get off the couch. Emily and I had to leave at 12:30pm so she could be at work by 5:00pm. We tried to have them as settled as possible. The rest of the week was about the same. He got some things done but over did it.
Friday, September 18th was their 45th Anniversary but dad was too weak to really do anything. They made plans to go to Red Lobster on Sunday instead. By Saturday mom said he was not doing well. He kept thinking it was Sunday. While at Costco he thought they were somewhere else and he kept almost running into people with his cart. One lady had to jump out of his way or he would have run her over. When they went to bed, we was very cold and so mom had him all wrapped. That lead up to the ambulance ride to the hospital today. He is still there (at the hospital not in the ambulance).
When mom talked to him late this morning he wanted to know if she was coming to see him and then he just mumbled for minutes. After several attempts to talk to him, mom finally told him that she needed to rest and would call him later and hung up. Mom has spent all day in bed today just trying to recoup from the move as well. She has taken vicadin and it hasn't even touched the pain in her legs. She didn't get up to see dad but told him she would be there tomorrow. She is hoping to get off a bit early from work to do that. We don't know if he will be there for another night or if they will send him home. When mom talked to him later this evening he wasn't mumbling but was still a bit confused about the day. Mom is going to talk to the doctors about this infection that has been lingering for months. Obviously what they are doing isn't working. Every time he has been in the hospital he has an urinary tract infection. They need to change that course of treatment.
Sorry for the length of this update. If you are still with me at this point, you are a good friend or a relative, LOL!!! I will try and update tomorrow but this is another crazy week for my family. Please pray for mom and dad. There are so many needs: healing, physical, mental, emotional, financial.... The list seems endless and at times overwhelming to all of us.
Melody
PS. GOOD NEWS!! My uncle Rick, one of dad's brother's, is coming to see dad on October 1st from Michigan. That will be really good for my dad's spirit.
Friday, September 11, 2009
D DAY HAS COME...MOVING DAY!
We get the keys to or new place today. I never realized that I had so much stuff. I'm going to list some stuff on EBAY and Craigs list. Charlene is coming over to help me to day. Most everyone else I know is working. Thank God he weater is going to be nice. I had sort of a tuff week One day good and one day bad. Monday I thought I was going to die and wanted to but I didn't give.
The chemo was so bad this time because they couldn't give the medicine that normally they do. That is because of a infection med that another doctor gave me. This they discovered at the last momement. The dr came back later and said if I would have taken it I could have died. So I'm thankful for my good doctors that are so carefull. Please forgive my typing etc as both hands are numb and I'm not used to having to look at the keys.
Once again thanks for all your support, may God bless you all.
Love,
Larry
The chemo was so bad this time because they couldn't give the medicine that normally they do. That is because of a infection med that another doctor gave me. This they discovered at the last momement. The dr came back later and said if I would have taken it I could have died. So I'm thankful for my good doctors that are so carefull. Please forgive my typing etc as both hands are numb and I'm not used to having to look at the keys.
Once again thanks for all your support, may God bless you all.
Love,
Larry
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Sick, Sick, Sick
Just a real quick note to let you all know that dad did have to have chemo yesterday. He is on some medication for an infection and because of that medication they could not give him his anti nausea medication. Dad has been very sick. He said that he could feel it immediately when the chemo started and that even his eye balls hurt. When mom got home from work he said she couldn't even talk to him because it hurt to listen. So mom left him asleep, all bundled up in blankets despite the warm weather and a bowl just in case... and went to a wine tasting across the street. While she was out he decided to go to the office and fell and hit his head. I didn't talk to them today so I don't know how he is doing now. I will talk to them tomorrow and update then.
Thanks for your prayers and words of encouragement for dad.
Thanks for your prayers and words of encouragement for dad.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
TO THE RHEUMER MONGER'S ROOM THANK YOU FROM LARRY CAMERON
Thanks to everyone in this room for their support. At times I was really down and
out until I joined this group. Some I have known for 10-15 years and helped me most when it was determined that I had Rheumatoid Arthritis. Most definitely some of the sleetiest people in the world. Some live in Australia, but they make me feel like a next door neighbor. Thank you all and my deepest love goes to you all.
out until I joined this group. Some I have known for 10-15 years and helped me most when it was determined that I had Rheumatoid Arthritis. Most definitely some of the sleetiest people in the world. Some live in Australia, but they make me feel like a next door neighbor. Thank you all and my deepest love goes to you all.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
THANK YOU from Larry Cameron
I would like to thank all those that have helped, supported and prayed for me. THANKS!!! To the Douglass family who started this blog a great big thanks. And to
my precious daughter I can't thank enough.
It is so good to have days that I almost feel normal. I really miss my work but
I am becoming a pretty good housemaid. Even cooking. I never would have believed I would be in this position.
Thank you Sherry for putting up with my extremely bad attitude that I have had at times, it seems to come natural. I'll try to do better. I do love you.
With out you I'm sure I would have been passed away several months ago.
my precious daughter I can't thank enough.
It is so good to have days that I almost feel normal. I really miss my work but
I am becoming a pretty good housemaid. Even cooking. I never would have believed I would be in this position.
Thank you Sherry for putting up with my extremely bad attitude that I have had at times, it seems to come natural. I'll try to do better. I do love you.
With out you I'm sure I would have been passed away several months ago.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
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!
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!
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