Friday, September 3, 2021

Hospice - Rollercoaster - Plans - Friends on Zoom

Shiloh, IL  (Hi   78  Lo  68)  New chatroom any time of day someone is usually there. It's on MEWE.COM.  https://mewe.com/chat/thread/609de3b9514d3600f565be3c

Room name Over 50 Chatroom 

In case you haven't been following  our blog, my hubby, Jim, has Glioblastoma stage 4 cancer. I'm writing in detail for those that have the same cancer what we're going thru. It all started May 23, 2021 if you want to look back to previous blogs.

I'd like to say thank you to everyone that's sent emails and texts. This was a week of watching and learning hospice work their wonders. I've had a hard time turning Jim over to the side many times and he fights it. I think he thinks he's going to fall out of the bed. I watch the CNA from hospice do it with ease and after several weeks I'm getting the hang of it. I also didn't raise the bed high enough, so now there's less pressure on the back. All kinds of tricks of the trade. The nurse comes twice weekly and keeps the meds up dated and the supplies I need. They bring everything to the door. 

I started looking up online everything possible about Glioblastoma. I'm also on three Facebook groups that are wives as caretakers. It's amazing how much of a rollercoaster ride this has been. A lot depends on if there's surgery, but most of us have really good days and you think the loved one will be around awhile then there's the dive that even throws the nurse off guard and they say it looks like it's going to be the last  few days. I'm getting used to it now. Just take a breath and hope there's an upswing. With this cancer it seems to be every 14 days that are good and even eating is better. Then the tumor takes over and it's downhill with stares and no intake of food and water. Be prepared for it. 

The kids have decided on a funeral so we met with the funeral people today. We had paid and arranged everything in Florida. Now that we're in Illinois things have changed a lot. We didn't expect to be in the kids area and friends that we knew when we lived here in the 80's. Our son Frank made arrangements so we went through them today. It's going to be a really nice funeral with burial at Jefferson Barracks. Now we're set, if we did the plans early we got a discount. 

The weekly zoom with our North Carolina friends was today (Friday). Our friend's funeral with the same cancer as Jim's was this past weekend. He had 50 people there. There would have been more but covid kept a lot of people away. 

I did get something for winter around here that would be out of place in Florida. I bought fur moccasins. I'm hoping to have warm feet this winter. 

This is a holiday weekend. My sis will be here so we'll see what I can get into. 

6 comments:

Shane said...

Good Morning Dee, I am an army retiree and my wife and I have chosen Jefferson Barracks as well. It is a very sacred place for us vets. We also RV, snowbirds now, and I have followed your blog for years. How did your visit to the drivers license agency go? Thanks for keeping us readers in the loop on this journey it will help us all. You are both in my prayers. Shane

Phyllis said...

Absolutely love those moccasins.

Being as caring and a planner as you are I admire you making final arrangements for Jim. As this is a 2nd marriage for both my husband and me and each having children from previous marriages I am surprised we easily came to agreement.

Len had a family plot in Louisiana. However he decided he wanted to be with me in NJ at the place where my great-grandparents, grandparents, parents and brother are buried. At the church I attended as a child. We purchased plots a few years ago. As with you, we wanted to make it as easy for the rest of the family as possible.

You are a heck of a strong woman. Jim is fortunate to have such a wife and life partner.

heyduke50 said...

Stay strong Dee...

Nancy and Bill said...

You are amazing...always learning, planning and sharing the journey!!! Those moccasins look warm:o) You two are in our thoughts and prayers.

Cheryl Catoe said...

Dee I'm so glad you are with family. Stay strong and take care of you also. You and Jim are in our prayers everyday. Love your new moccasins.

Unknown said...

Dee...I'm continuing to keep you and Jim in my prayers. You have done a phenomenal job of helping Jim on his journey. Make sure to take time for yourself.

Dave Tomlinson

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