Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Turning a corner...

Hello,
I am here with good news! Stephen King received a great report last week, a date has been set for transplant and Mom is much better. What more could I pray for? Well, let's not go that far. I will gratefully accept this much good news for now.
Dr. K says his report is as good as we can expect at this point. No active bones cancer and the lung cancer is contained. He will continue to receive the 2 support treatments for now, but no chemo therapy. That was a wonderful thing to hear. The chemo probably saved his life, but almost took it too. Other than the nerve damage in his feet, which is extremely painful, Steve is doing well. His weight has returned plus another 10 pounds and his strength is slowly coming back. He gets frustrated over not being able to do all the things he wants to do, but patience has never been his strongest characteristic. Let go and let God, I keep telling him. Be a willow, not an oak. This may get me smacked soon. I will do better and drop the cliches, I promise. It is wonderful to see the positive changes in Steve's health. We have learned that cancer can be a chronic disease, not necessarily a terminal one. Thank You Lord.
Mackenzie was given an all-clear by the ENT and will have the kidney transplant on July 13. Friday the 13th, but we aren't spooked a bit! We know her guardian angels will surround her and guide the hands of the surgeons. But both mother and child are anxious. Shawn has never had any type of hospitalization except her deliveries and is anxious of the unknown. Mack is more accustomed to being a patient, but not surgery. They will be in separate rooms, but in the transplant ward and close. We picture a short, successful stay at IU Med Center and a speedy recovery for our dear girls. They are both small but mighty.
Our mom has enjoyed several good weeks lately, feeling less back/shoulder pain and seeming more herself. She keeps telling us she can stay alone, but then does something to prove herself wrong! She had a slight fall in her bedroom Monday, nothing hurt, just needed a couple of us to help her up.  We have been getting out more; sitting in the shade, going to eat and taking drives thru the country. A big change in routine upsets her but these small changes seem to be good. Mom talks much more during a car ride, pointing out old familiar places, telling stories from her past she enjoys the change in scenery I believe. Last week she told me about a school teacher she had in country school who loved to share Mom's lunches. My grandfather worked in the Tomato Factory at that time and in the fall young Helen always had big beautiful tomatoes in her bucket. Miss Qualkenbush would trade a cookie or piece of bacon for one of those beauties. Mom smiled remembering those pretty young girls sharing lunch. She always loved school and prided herself on being the best speller in the school, regardless of age. But all too often she was made to stay home to help with the younger children and housework.  I always held resentment towards my grandparents for not allowing their older children to benefit from education. The first five of the 13 childen were too often put to work in the home and outside to keep the family going. I realize that times were hard and many, many families followed this path, but I saw how bright my mother and aunt and uncles were and wondered what an education might have meant to them. All the children grew into strong, caring Christian adults and had good lives. I just wonder...
We have endured the heat by staying inside mostly, doing gardening and sheep chores early in the day. Stephen King has even resorted to watering the garden, something I don't think has happened before. All the plants started out with a bang but have dwindled or just maintained for a few weeks not. Tomatoes are not growing or ripening, just appear to be suspended at golfball size. Cucumbers are slow but plentiful, green beans may need to be picked by the weekend, but the poor corn  (Steve's pride and joy) is tassling at 3 feet. Looks like gnarly little nubbins for us with this first round maybe the next  planting will get the needed rain. His lovely yard is burned to a crisp brown and actually hurts if you are walking barefoot. Our potted flowers have fared better, but the wave petunias are suffering a blight or bug and I cut them back to the dirt last week. Hopefully with some babying we will have a couple of nice hanging baskets to finish out the summer. I am hoping to post a picture of my aqua wicker table full of pots of succulents. Do not hold your breath or strain your eyes searching for it. My tech skills haven't improved.
All these health concerns seem to have stolen my creativity. I look at the sewing machine sitting on the table with an unfinished quilt lying beside it and cannot work up the gumption to sit down and do it. My days away from Mom are often spent sitting looking out the window, lost in thought. I spend way too much time on the computer reading blogs and stories of others' lives and far to little living my own. I feel stagnant yet peaceful, guilty yet know I need to rest and abit depressed. I know what is happening and why but do not seem able to do the things I need to push myself out. Somehow I always missed THE SOLUTIONS instruction day in grad school.
Love you and and thanks for the b-day wishes. Mother is old, no argument. But not done. Talk to me. Hedy
  

2 comments:

Hedy King said...

No luck on the snapshot, Ladies. My record as Techno Challenged stands. Sorry.

Milk House door said...

I'm so glad to hear you received good news!

Hope everyone had a good 4th. It's so hot it's difficult to enjoy being outside unless it's in a pool or at the lake or something. We had a nice relaxing day off- yes, a day with no plans, no place to go, no email, phone calls. It caught up with me today, but very nice to have one of those kinds of days every now and again.

Hope all are doing well. Miss you!