He was better a couple days ago but now it's clear that he's still in the dark passage, in and out of the fog, various potential "issues" constipation/impacted bowel, pneumonia, mystery pain in his gut? pelvic bone? rib? hanging in the wings threatening to burn the house down if ignored. So we're hyper vigilant at all times. I feel I've been accepted as a sort of NA though told repeatedly that they can handle his care without me, and I believe them, so my care giving is because I want to. It's a good balance.
I'm going to go out to the farm for the night, bring dog food, get clean clothes, gather the presents he wants to give various favorite staff. Whenever he feels good, he chats up everyone! like the latina women who brought his food or cleaned the room (the later one caught me in the hall and went on and on about how nice my husband was and how even though she was working on the other side today she was going to come by to say hello to him) His desire/need to be in relationship with every good soul he comes in contact with here (and there are many on this unit) amazes me. It would exhaust my introvert soul, but it seems to enliven his. So I've been told to make sweets, bring music and music DVDs. Everyone here loves him. I gather they ask to have him and truly hover when they can.
His numbers are lousy (no surprise) for those of you who know numbers, get this platelets 7,000, hemoglobin 8, white blood 1.2. He's not out of the woods yet. Yet it does seem the Cytoxin has slowed the myeloma, perhaps dramatically. He's too drowsy/weak to want to eat (excuse me, is this Gil Miller?!?!) but it's likely fallout from the low blood counts or maybe the chemo. Anyway, we're moving through the passage; it's just a matter of time.
1 comment:
Kathleen the change of scene will do you good.
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