Month: March 2014

I got home from volunteer job and discovered that the patient had eaten crackers, potato chips and trail mix plus an Ensure. Never mind that the fridge had yogurt, cottage cheese and deviled eggs right in plain sight. Next to the Ensure even.

So, I got some veggies and some chicken into him for lunch. And some ice cream. He might not be better, but he will feel better if he eats something. Something better than potato chips.

This just has to be good, doesn’t it?

Took The Airness to The Apple Store today. Unfortunately, It is down there waiting for parts to arrive. I should have brought it home and made a redundant backup. (They said they would do a clean install.)But, no, I just left it. Oh please, Mother Hopper, make sure my time machine backup is good. My brain is all caught up in this Carlton thing.

Thank goodness the taxes are done. What was wrong with Airness? Battery was at 50% goodness and one of the USB ports is wonky. Why they have to clean install, I don’t know.

When I got out of the shower, I couldn’t see across the street because of  snow squall. Earlier I walked to Trader Joe’s in a howling rainstorm. What’s next?

On the Carlton front. He is the same. I am worried that he blood pressure is getting way too low. So, I told him to stop the BP drugs for now. He got really dizzy and collapsed last night when he got up to go to his bathroom. He recovered with no apparent ill effects. Nevertheless, I have ordered him to use my bathroom and will try to wakeup every time he does to ensure safe passage. We usually take our BP meds at bedtime. I am hoping that if he doesn’t take his – he will do better.

One of his many doctors may call with the results of the PET Scan tomorrow. The primary care doc might have more information about his blood cultures.

We talked a little. About the most likely outcome of this.

It was another good day – using our new scale of goodness.

 

It rained all day. So, I finished up and eFiled our taxes. And then I took a two hour nap while the patient watched a movie… Bernie It is a fun movie. But a slightly dark selection.

Mr C has no pain, no fever, and no energy or appetite. And some ominous lesions and bumps.

All things considered a good day. (And Amazon delivered the Super Strength Ensure.)

 

Mr C went to his PET Scan today. Will not know anything until Monday soonest. Maybe not until Thursday.

I went to the see Lenore the Dental Hygienist. Highlight of my day was when she declared me “stable”. Can I get a notarized affidavit as to my stability please?

The blood work came back today. No sign of infection in the blood stream. Normally, that would be a good thing. But, we want him to have an infection. So, this good news is maybe not so good.

Last night I was mostly awake. But the moon and Venus made a nice image.

I started doing Mr C’s taxes today. That is one of the things I was worried about last night when I wasn’t asleep. And he said that he checked over his will and is happy with it and his Advanced Directive if it comes to that. And, he still wants to go to Georgetown Medical School – if they still want him. A little gallows humor is starting to sneak into our world.

He is the same. Well, I guess he weighs one pound less than he did yesterday – we don’t have a scale. He says he feels the same. He still isn’t eating. But, he is drinking his Ensure.

The Kindle has been a blessing. It is light. He is too weak to manage much of a book. And, I can get him new reading material any time. Amazon, the caregiver’s assistant. (And, Amazon has black ballet flats too.)

In the last 24 hours, we have seen 3 doctors. And none of them has had anything really positive to say. I have never seen Mr C as sick as he is right now. He has lost 10 pounds in as many days. I ordered a case of industrial strength Ensure from Amazon today.

The PET scan on Friday will tell us if the cancer has gotten into some place important like the brain. Lab work was started today to check out the infection.

Everyone is hoping/pretending that this all a massive infection.  Next week will be reality check time.

Nothing medical tomorrow. I hope.

We went off to see the Big Cancer Doc this afternoon. He said, in his own way, “Nobody is promised tomorrow.” So, for now we are supposed to hope that all of Mr C’s problems are caused by an infection, not a progression of the cancer.

Another PET scan was ordered. And, Mr C is supposed to see Doctor Nukem again too. And, he is supposed to see the Little Cancer Doc. And, we are going to see my primary care doctor tomorrow.

We know nothing. I don’t suppose we will know anything for a couple of weeks. Or not. Stay tuned.

Nothing has happened. Which is about as good as it can get. Off to the see the Big Cancer Doc tomorrow afternoon. And it is supposed to snow tomorrow.

I hate my snail internet. Since we signed a lease for two more years, maybe I should do “something”. I had to take the Airness to the library to download software updates. (Our building has wifi in the lobby. But, it is snail internet too.) When I go shopping for our old folks home – I think I’ll look for Free Fast WiFi in my unit. That will be a good test of how well I’ll fit in. I might have to move to San Jose!

Tech Review. I listen to lots of audiobooks. For years I have used iTunes to listen. But, I have listened to my last 2 books – which I got from Audible – using the Audible app. It is has lots to offer. What I like best is it will shut off at the end of a chapter. And, you can delete the book after you finish listening to it.

In holding pattern until we see the doctor on Tuesday. The Tuesday doctor will not be very forthcoming. On Wednesday, we will see my doctor. She will not be very forthcoming either. But, I want her on the team. Last year I felt totally lost trying to coordinate Carlton’s care.

Carlton just can not get a break , this afternoon he decided that eating some trail mix was a good idea. The poor man broke a tooth eating trail mix. I am glad I had nothing to do with the decision to eat trail mix. Nor did I buy the trail mix. Carlton was total responsible for the offending trail mix.

I did my taxes today. And moved my photos from the iPad to the Airness. When in Hawaii, I transferred photos from the camera to the iPad. Had 600+ images.

Also went for a 3mile walk and did 45 minutes of yoga. Trying my damnedest to exercise everyday. No matter what. Have I mentioned that I hate exercise. Yep, figured I had.

Got more blog space now we can have pictures again. Gotta making pictures again. No matter what.

The Paperless Dilemma. Is it better to sort my paperless stuff in Dropbox or Evernote. I had stuff in both spaces right now.

I am trying to get my taxes done before we start seeing the doctors on Tuesday.

Also, trying to do all the little niggling jobs. Like getting more blog space. And, renewing my Library Card. Fortunately, we already renewed our apartment lease. For two years – just like my Library Card.

I think this would be called clearing the decks before going into the next storm.

Carlton is the same as he was yesterday. Yesterday all he would eat was lentil soup. Today he was willing to eat scrambled eggs for lunch. And says he wants mac and cheese for dinner. So, maybe he is better than he was yesterday.

And, I just went and got another 4 gigs of space for the blog. That should give me lots of room. I wonder if everything still works? Let me go see. It worked. Or maybe nothing has changed yet.

Well… According to Mr C we have been home for 33 hours. He keeps up with stuff like that.

No doctor visits scheduled until late Tuesday afternoon. I have given up trying to speed that up. Don’t think it will make any difference. And, if the fever comes back – I will get him over to the Emergency Room.

Totally Frivolous: Yesterday I spent entirely too much time trying on all my skirts and pants. Noting the ones that at TOO BIG and are schedule for the thrift shop, the ones that need a little alteration, and the jeans. The jeans that – just out of the dryer – I can now zip. I hadn’t washed those jeans in a long time, knowing that they would not zip. But, those beloved jeans fit again.

Made some red lentil soup today. Red lentil soup is our family version if chicken soup. My new thinner self calculated the number of calories in the soup. I also went for a walk. Only 2 miles – but a walk. Someday soon, I may check out our building gym. I have never been in the gym. But, I know where it is! I am so not a fan of exercise.

Planning on working on my taxes tomorrow.

Made it home. Flight out of Chicago was cancelled but made it back home only two hours late.

Carlton is trying to get in to see a doctor. Sooner not later. But, he isn’t having much luck.

At least I can worry in my own home. I do not have a single molecule of optimism left.