A Good Week

Its Kevin again with another update,

This was a good week. 

It's been one full week since we started hospice and Patti is feeling much better.

She is not taking any chemo drugs, and they took her off some other medicines too so that the overall effect has been that she is feeling stronger and sleeping better.  She is getting around the house and spent some time outside getting some exercise during the week.

This is a nice turnaround from last week when she was feeling very sick.  She has been trying to answer some phone calls and while her fingers are not working very well right now - chemo side effect - she is slowly getting better and hopefully will be able to get the e-mail and IPAD back up and running.


The hospice people are all great,  We have a Nurse Case Manager (Jeanne) who stops by a couple of times a week and a Nursing Assistant (Addie) who comes by three times a week.  We also have some really nice people who come by each morning to visit and help out.  I think they are all part of how well she is feeling, and she really likes them (Deborah, Imelda, Rose, and Eileen) a lot.

The goal for today and every day is to stay focused on the positive and taking it one day at a time.

Thanks again to everyone.  Happy Spring.
 
Talk to you soon

Here is the latest update

Hi everyone - Kev here again.  I apologize that this is a little late but things have been a little hectic around here lately. 

Patti’s phone has been filling up with texts and voice mails, but she hasn’t been able to get to them, and I don’t have a lot of her contacts from the phone or e-mail, so please forward this as needed, and ask people to reply to me (Kevin.Murphy@cgmllc.net) so I can get an e-mail list going.  I’ll update the blog too but I don’t know how well it is being read.

Unfortunately, the news is not great.

In the last couple of weeks her condition has not improved.  She started the latest round of chemo a week ago.  The doctor examined her on Monday and decided to stop the chemo – it was just too much for her. At the moment, she can’t get around without assistance, and someone needs to be with her at all times so she doesn’t fall.

The doctor and I agreed that a hospice approach was the best way to go for now, and we will see how she does.  Hospice care is when a team of people, nurses and caregivers, come to the house and help her with comfort and pain issues so she feels better.  We started hospice on Tuesday.

Ideally, she would regain her strength and begin another round of chemo, but if that doesn’t happen, the hospice group will help us care for her.  We are working with a hospice group that is associated with Georgia Cancer Specialists called Long Leaf hospice.   We are still working out the details but we will probably have someone come in in the morning and also at night and to assist her in getting ready in the morning.  She will be able to stay in the house, which is good.   In the last few days she is a little better – her appetite is coming along – and the longer she is off the chemo the better she should feel.

The girls came over and we all talked with Patti and introduced her to the hospice nurse.  I talked with Krissy and she has some time off and will be coming home for Easter for a few extra days which we are all looking forward to. 

Sorry it’s not great, but that’s it for now.  I will fill you in on further details and let you know when she is up and around.

Thanks for continuing to keep us all in your prayers.