Arrangements

We will celebrate the life of my mother with the following plans:

Visitation:  Friday, June 12, 2009, 5:00pm - 8:00pm

Elden A. Good Funeral Home

2620 Erie Avenue

Cincinnati, OH  45208

(513) 871-3433

Click here for a map to the funeral home.

Funeral Service:  Saturday, June 13, 2009, 10:00am

Hyde Park Community United Methodist Church

1345 Grace Avenue

Cincinnati, OH  45208

(513) 871-1345

Click here for directions to the church.

Memorials may be directed to Hyde Park Community UMC Special Music Fund.

blessings,

tim

heavenly blessings...

August 10, 1932  -  June 5, 2009

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want; he makes me lie down in green pastures.  He leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul.  He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies; thou anointest my head with oil, my cup overflows.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

- Psalm 23

i love you, Mother.  until we meet again...

eternal blessings,

tim

hospice

my mother is now in room 306 at hospice of cincinnati in blue ash.

blessings,

tim

"is there any hope?"

my dad was there.  my brothers were there.  i was there.  all of us gathered to meet with my mom and her doctor to share with her the fact that her leukemia had returned.

i guess i knew this was a possibility when i was with my parents on march 4th when the oncologist first told us about AML.  i just hoped for the best.  i knew my mom could beat it.  i've never met a more positive, up-beat, fighter in my life.  why shouldn't she get to be part of the 10% that beat it?  why shouldn't the treatments go exactly how dr. sigmund "hoped"?

i will never forget that look in her eyes when she heard it.   

if you've heard my mother speak in the last few weeks, it's not always that easy to understand.  at this moment, her response hung in the air as clear as a bell,

"is there any hope?"

with the leukemia back and advancing again, there are really no treatment options available to her.  the best option for her is to spend her time being comfortable and visiting with her family and friends. 

the best place for her to do that is in hospice.  our friend, sally fee, gave my father the tour of the hospice facility in blue ash yesterday and he and i met with the hospice admitting nurse today.  my mom will move there friday morning.

many times the "right" thing to do is far from the "easiest" thing to do.  this is one of those times.  on some level, my mom wants to come home (and she still may).  given her various medical needs and immobility, the hospice environment is the right place for her now.

i must thank you all, on behalf of our entire family, for the outpouring of support over the last few months.  it's become harder for me to post entries here because i don't know what to write.  i can't find the right way to say what needs to be said.  i'm uncomfortable talking to people about how my mom is doing because she hasn't been doing well.  i wanna be a "good news" guy.  well, the good news is probably the Good News in this case.  our time here is but a stop on the journey.  there are truly better days ahead.

there's always hope, mom.  i'm choosing hope and prayer.

blessings,

tim

not so good....

i wanted to let folks know that my mom is not doing very well at drake center.  she is not able to do much in the way of physical therapy or rehab.  the last round of chemotherapy has affected her cerebellum and the diminished speech and motor skills don't seem to be returning.

over the last few days, her white blood cell count has started to climb again.  this could be the leukemia coming back or another virus of some kind.  we are talking to various doctors at drake center and her oncologist about the diagnosis.  she is also retaining fluid and having some difficulty breathing.  they have been increasing the oxygen she is getting over the last few days.  definitely not moving in a positive direction.

as tough as it is for my mom, it's increasingly difficult for my dad to be there at her side.  he very much wants her to show some progress and she really hasn't for the last couple weeks.  the last few months are really taking a toll on him.

we're not sure what the next couple days will bring but we ask for your continued prayers and well wishes.  we all appreciate them.

blessings,

tim

the road is long....

not much changing on the rehab front.  my mom continues to get therapy but the progress is slow.  my dad had to go to columbus yesterday so my brothers and i took turns visiting and helping her with things.  i had lunch duty complete with airplane noises as she got bites of food.  priceless.

she spends her days watching tv, listening to books on tape and trying to get her strength back.  she is really appreciating the cards and notes that people are sending.  

more to come as it develops.  keep up the prayers!

blessings,

tim

little by little....

my mother is beginning her second week at Drake Center.  i wish i could tell you that she is making wonderful strides and is up and waltzing around the room.  unfortunately, the going continues to be slow.  her speech is improving and there may be "some" improvement in her motor skills.  regardless, we continue our prayers and positive thoughts.  

she is getting a flock of visitors as the policy at drake is more loose than jewish.  if you'd like to visit, give my dad a call.  he continues to be her gatekeeper.  we took her a CD player so she could listen to books on tape.  she needs a distraction from the endless gunsmoke marathon my dad watches on TV Land....geesh.

thanks for your continued well wishes.

blessings,

tim

the move to Drake Center...

my mother has made the move from jewish hospital to drake center.  she is in room 406N there (for those of you sending cards).

our family was there to see her today and it's much the same as it was at jewish.  it is a hospital-like setting with the facilities to help her rehabilitate her motor skills and get "back on her feet."  we'll take it a week at a time from here.

please continue you prayers for her.  she is battling but always could use the love and support of her friends.

blessings,

tim

rehab facility in the offing....

my dad, brothers and i met with the oncologist today about my mother.  according to him, my mom is fast approaching the day when she will be discharged from the hospital.  she is done with anti-biotics and her blood numbers are all about back to "normal" levels.  her leukemia, he expects, is in remission.  they will do another bone marrow scan in a couple weeks to confirm that.

she still has diminished capacity when it comes to speech and motor skills.  her speech, however, did seem a bit better today when we saw her.  it was one of those (rare) days when my dad and all my brothers were there at the same time.  i can still count those moments on one hand over the last 10 years (excluding holidays).  

the outlook for my mom is still a challenge.  she can't go home until she regains some mobility.  the folks from the drake center will come again to see her tomorrow (we thought they were coming today) to see if she qualifies to be admitted into one of their programs.  keys to her being admitted to drake center around her desire and motivation to rehab and her nutrition (she's gotta eat!).  for the last couple weeks, she has not had the energy to really put into rehab (or eating).  the hope is, with her blood numbers better, that she will regain a bit of energy that will help her through.  the IV nutrition needs to come off and she needs to pick up the eating.

we don't know how long the disease will be in remission.  most leukemia of this type (AML) recurs in patients.  it's impossible to know how it will effect her down the line.  we continue to hope and pray for the best.

please join us in prayer for her continued fight.  she needs every bit of encouragement to continue on the journey.  we can't begin to know what she is battling but we try to support her the best that we can.

keep my dad in your prayers, too.  you can imagine....

blessings,

tim

no real change....

quick update....

not much change in the last few days.  her blood numbers have improved and she is probably not long before being released from the hospital.  there hasn't really been any change in physical condition.  her speech is still troubled and her motor skills are very diminished.  my dad, brothers and i are meeting with her doctor in the morning to understand next steps, expectations, etc.

also, a person from drake center (rehab facility) is coming to the hospital tomorrow to evaluate my mother to see if she is able to be admitted there for her next step of rehab.  we'll see.

more to come.  thanks for the prayers and support.

blessings,

tim

keep on keepin' on...

sorry for the extended absences from the blog.  there is not much changing so it is difficult to talk about "new" things every day.

basically, my mother is still in jewish hospital trying to get her strength back from the latest round of chemotherapy.  she began this round as an out-patient procedure, but had to be admitted to the hospital when her strength, speech and motor skills deteriorated.  that is where she has been for the last week and a half.

today was the first day her blood counts moved up.  they have been hovering low since she has been in the hospital but the doctors believe her numbers are now on the upswing.  she is getting IV nutrition again due to her lack of energy and ability to eat a lot.  she will need to build her eating back up to be released.  

the doctor believes she will be able to be released sometime next week but, most likely, will have to transition to a rehab facility of some sort until her strength comes back.  this was to be her first of two follow-up chemo treatments so the second of those is now very doubtful.  they are having too much negative effect on her.  the doctors are not certain (nor can anyone really be) as to what that means for her leukemia and remission.  we hope to learn more about those things in the coming days.

please keep up the prayers for my mother (and father).  she is being tested as much as ever for motivation and a positive outlook.  so many of you have offered the kindest thoughts during her battle.  she REALLY appreciates it (and i don't use capital letters willy nilly).  we just soldier on day by day.....

"Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to day."

- William Shakespeare

blessings,

tim

back in the hospital

my mother has spent the last 6 days back at jewish hospital.  she has finished her second round of chemo-therapy and is very weak.  her blood numbers are doing what they are supposed to do, but it has left her unable to do a lot of physical tasks.  even the smallest of tasks is very difficult.  

they are taking very good care of her in room 3304 (good ol' room 3304) at jewish.  please keep the prayers and thoughts with her.  we are hoping she regains her strength and will be able to go home soon.

i will keep posting updates as her condition changes.

thanks for the positive thoughts.

"The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing"

- as repeated by Rev. Doug Mullins.

blessings,

tim

slow and steady wins the race....

it's been a little while since my last post and i have had a few questions about my mom.  

well.....she is finishing her second round of chemo-therapy (out-patient).  She had the last treatment on Friday and is recovering at home with my dad.  she is pretty weak and spends most of her day relaxing in her chair.  despite the extended time in the chair, she much prefers it to the hospital (no offense all of you fine nurses at the hospital).  

i will update a little more often to keep you all in the loop.  you can feel free to send cards and/or notes to them at home.  she still very much enjoys the positive thoughts.

please keep her in your prayers and thanks to all who have inquired about her condition.  the additional treatments are not a surprise and are very necessary to get her beyond the leukemia in the "longer" term.  she had a second "clean" bone marrow scan last week and continues to be encouraged by that.

thanks to everyone for the thoughts/prayers.

"In the race for success, speed is less important than stamina."

- B.C. Forbes

blessings,

tim

waste not, want not....

i never got a chance to post this...i didn't want to waste it.

blessings,

tim

home, sweet, home

my fast-talking mother successfully talked her way out of the hospital today.

that's right - - >  SHE'S HOME!

she met her goal of being home for Easter Sunday.  now the real prayers start.  she is increasingly mobile, but losing the support that was there for her in the hospital will be an adjustment.  (at least their condo was clean)

angie, the kids and i packed up my dad's stuff and took that back to him this weekend.  they are both now back at home base.  we still have rusty, their dog.  he is one responsibility we'll let them "grow" in to over the next week or so.

i'll update the blog description, but you don't need to send cards to the hospital anymore.  i'm sure there are a lot of people there that would love cards, but my mom won't get them....;-)

i guess this will be my last "daily" post.  i've enjoyed sitting down each night and sharing the day's happenings regarding my mom.  everyone's prayers and thoughts have been so helpful.  i will set her up on her computer to read the comments over again.  i know she will appreciate them all over again.

please continue to post comments and send me emails and i can continue passing them along to my mom.  i'll post updates from time to time.

finally, a deep, heart-felt thanks from my brothers and i for everyone's well wishes. the journey continues, but we're excited to take the next steps with my mom at home.

"there's no place like home."

- Dorothy Gale

from all of the philpott boys (and my mom), thanks and...

blessings,

jim, greg, todd, chris, and tim

monday, monday.....

i was greeted by my mother sitting in her chair when i got to the hospital (before 7:00) this morning.  i think she gets restless in the bed and has the nurse help her into the chair about 5:00.  

the first thing i did when i got there was order her breakfast.  her appetite is coming back and they are not giving her much IV nutrition so she has to rely on the "old fashioned" way of getting nutrition.....by eating.  luckily, i'm a pro at eating so i am able to offer empathetic support.

she sees the light at the end of the tunnel now.  remember back to one of my earlier posts.  my mother had said her goal was to be home by Easter.  well, she's gonna be close, i think.  Easter Sunday will be day 39 of her treatment.  the doctor and nurse told her today that it looks like she may get to go home monday (day 40).  

hallelujah!

i'm sure you are all waiting for me to make some 40 days/40 nights reference. well, i'm not gonna do it.  seriously, i'm not.  i have jinxed everything enough during this time in the hospital.  when she actually get's home, i will look back and offer something, i'm sure.  for now, i'm not tempting fate.

today was a day of eating and moving around.  for my mom, too (ha, ha).  i was at the hospital a couple different times.  it is clear that my mom is increasingly suffering from cabin fever in her room.  if i haven't mentioned it, she has been in isolation the entire stay.  basically, that means all of the guests get to gown/glove up when they enter her room.  it also means that she hasn't left her room except for a couple of CT-scans and her gall bladder surgery.

you try spending 40 days in a room the size of your kitchen....

let's all pray down the home stretch that the lady gets sprung on monday.  what a glorious day it will be.  i like her chances.

"A good memory is one that can remember the day's blessings and forget the day's troubles."

- Unknown

blessings,

tim

a truly "good" friday....

what a difference a day makes.  as i have mentioned, my mother's main struggle has been her nausea (and ability to eat).  so much so that they put a camera down her throat to check it out this morning.  the good news is that they didn't encounter anything "down there" that was causing the problem.  i think this might have been the first test (except the bone marrow test) that didn't uncover a new problem.....

yeah!

some people had the theory that the pain medication was causing the nausea so the old bird decided she would forego the pain pills, except the tylenol, and try to whip the nausea.  as of this posting, i'm happy to report, it has worked.  when i was there this evening, she was elbow deep in a plate of turkey, mashed potatoes, and gravy.  (it actually looked pretty good ~ as hospital food goes).

the good omen (don't jinx it, tim) was the parade of nurses and other caregivers who stopped by to tell my mother good luck....

IN CASE SHE WASN'T STILL THERE WHEN THEY GOT BACK ON MONDAY!!!!!

whoaaaaaa, nellie.

could that be an inkling of light at the end of this tunnel?

(shut up...you're jinxing it)

anyhoo, i'm happy to report that i saw "my mom" today at the hospital.  i didn't see a tired woman who was convinced she would never get out of the hospital.  i saw a (bald) woman who was frustrated that she wasn't out of the hospital, yet. that is such a change from the last few weeks.  a pleasant change.  hopefully, this change will carry her home in the next few days.

the countless prayers, cards, letters, blog comments, emails, gifts, and phone calls have been the most consistent caregivers to my mother.  i am truly humbled by her circle of relationships that have, literally, showered support her way.  when my parents do go home from the hospital, they will need help carrying all of the cards and gifts.  each one of them precious.  

my dad has always been quick to point out how much "stuff" my mom saves and is fond of asking "now what are you going to do with all that?".  i'm guessing they will save all of the cards and notes.  they may even get a little "dog-eared" from handling.  my mother is already trying to decide how she can thank everyone for their support and prayers....

for me, i get my mom back.  what more thanks could i need?

"A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts."

- Washington Irving

i love you, mother.

blessings,

tim

on a hill far away....

the struggle of Holy Week has weighed on my mind this week.  ever since being a part of the stations of the cross last week, the idea of a struggling journey has been with me.

i'm not one to draw similarities between the historical and the present day but, again, i can't help thinking that my mom is (metaphorically) on that journey from palm sunday to good friday to easter.  she has endured so much over the last few weeks.  endured more than people should be forced to endure.  overcome, in a month, more than most of us overcome in a lifetime.  

our choir sang at Maundy Thursday service tonight.  we offered a 'new' setting of the old rugged cross.  several months ago, i set this arrangement of the tune to images of the cross.  i've posted it for us all to consider again....this Holy Week.

as for my mom, she continues to battle the nausea.  so much so that they are going to put a camera down her throat tomorrow to see if there is a "physical" reason why this continues.  by removing the gall bladder, they expected this to get better.  it hasn't really.  she continues to try and eat but, for whatever reason, can't seem to keep it down.

i'll update everyone on what they find.  in the meantime, please continue praying for my mom.  for her, Easter can't come soon enough.  the day of resurrection. our minister has often said that you can't have Easter without enduring Good Friday and the Cross.  some of us have also heard that it's often darkest before the dawn.  

whatever.....  

i just want my mom to be better.....

"so i'll cherish the old rugged cross, till my trophies at last i lay down; i will cling to the old rugged cross, and exchange it someday for a crown"

- Old Rugged Cross, George Bennard 1913

blessings,

tim

real women shouldn't eat broth....

another day.....another small meal.

so it goes for the young lady from pekin, illinois.  another day on the journey back to health.  she is still eating some small stuff but battling nausea.  it could be remnants of the gall bladder or something else.  she is undeterred and continues trying to eat.

with the blood numbers being good, the doctor has threatened to let us bring her some "real" food from outside of the hospital.  up until now, her immune system has kept us from bringing anything that could carry some kind of microbial (something or other).  i think she is waiting for some of chris philpott's waldorf salad or bob evans' roast beef.  this broth and pureed sweet potato crap should be for prisoners not recovering cancer survivors.......are you with me?

she needs willy wonka creating some irresistible delights (minus the processed sugar, of course).  maybe a stuffed pepper?  she made us eat those disgusting things when we were kids....surely, she must like them.  anything that will help her continue to eat more.  who among us wouldn't like people (doctors included) to be rooting for us to "eat more"?

tick, tock.....time will tell.  we just keep on keeping on and hoping that she continues to get better.  the prayers continue.  my father remains vigilant at her bedside.

what would you eat?

"please sir, can i have some more?"

- Oliver Twist

blessings,

tim

encouraging?

i haven't had a chance to use the word encouraging much in my posts.  it seems like every time i border on it, there is something that is discouraging.  so let's not use the "e" word. let me just say that things continue to move in the right direction.  can i say that?  

is that jinx material? 

i stopped by the hospital early today to see my mom.  she was already up sitting in her chair and greeted me with the following:

"i had my best night that i've had in the hospital."

wow!  is that encouraging?

when i stopped by in the afternoon, she was having a few bites of banana.  i sat with her for a bit.  i could tell she was having a pretty good day.  she is still on some pain medication (so she can get a little loopy) but she had some of her spunk back.  she told my dad to order her some tilapia for dinner.

double wow!  is that encouraging?

i think it might be.  i haven't heard her ask for anything but applesauce and ice water without extreme duress.  she knows she has to eat....so she's doing it.  she says her doctor is like a broken record...."looking good.  a few more days."  i think that's as positive as it gets for him.

"things don't go wrong and break your heart so you can become bitter and give up.  they happen to break you down and build you up so you can be all that you were intended to be."

- Samuel Johnson

i'm encouraged.

blessings,

tim

hope..

more waiting today.  not much happened....really.  coming back from the anesthesia continued as the day wore on.  slowly but surely the nausea subsided.  my mom even tried some food later in the day (albeit clear liquid).  

i guess these kind of days should be what we're looking for...no setbacks.  it's hard to sit around and do nothing, though.  if she is able to keep up progress, she may be able to go home before too long.  that's the ultimate goal.

i apologize for the absence of information.  it was just one of those days.  let's hope tuesday continues the healing.  more to come.....i'm sure.

"Love floods us with hope."

- Jareb Teague

blessings,

tim

hope and faith...

not too much to report today.  another day in the waiting game.....that doesn't feel like a game.

my mom spent the day trying to deal with some post-op pain issues and trying to get her stomach working again.  whenever she has anesthesia, she's not the quickest to bounce back.  she fought nausea for a lot of the day and finally took the pain medicine that helped her get the rest she needed.  

hopefully, the new day will bring with it some much needed appetite and a fresh outlook on her recovery.  she's tired of being in the hospital.  today was day 32 of her treatment (but day 33 in the hospital).  her original goal of being home by Easter still is in reach.  she just needs to start tomorrow with that in mind. 

thanks for all of the calls/notes about her surgery.  my dad and i always have a lot of people at church who ask about my mom.  today was no exception.

i'm thinking about getting a t-shirt that says "she's still fighting" or "she's hanging in there".  maybe a shirt with the blog address........so many people care about how she's doing.  it's awesome, really...

anyhoo.....if you're reading this, you're as updated as anyone and we (my brothers and i) are appreciative of the prayers for our parents.  she feels them.  my dad feels them, too.  they must be what is keeping the fight up....

"Faith is like electricity.  You can't see it, but you can see the light."

-  Unknown

blessings,

tim

good surgery....the waiting continues

surgery went as well as could be expected today.  doctor said that the gall bladder problem was not new.  evidently, it must have been an issue for quite some time yet had gone undiagnosed.  that could have been the cause of some of my mother's issues over the last year.  they were able to get it all cleaned out in a laproscopic procedure.  hopefully, that means less recovery hurdles from the procedure.  (she's had enough recovery hurdles, don't you think?)

now it's back to the waiting game.  the eating and mobility really weren't helped today with the surgery.  tomorrow, surely, will be a better day.

my brothers and i cleaned at my parents' condo today.  that was fun....;-)  please don't anybody let our wives know that we cleaned that thoroughly.  it will be nice for them when she gets to go home.  

it was a long day for my dad as he went to the hospital around 6 this morning.  i hope he sleeps in tomorrow.  please keep him in your prayers, also.

"What can't be cured, must be endured."

- Proverb

blessings,

tim

you gotta be kidding me?

well, i wish i could say today was a good day.....

it was on a number of levels.  she is still eating a little and getting up and around. however, after a number of different tests (CT-scans, ultrasounds, etc), the doctors determined that her "sludgy" gall bladder needs to come out.

come on, tim.  you gotta be kidding me?  not something else......

yes....something else.

"God only give us what we can handle."  He must think my mom can handle a LOT.  she is one of the strongest people i know.  stubborn.  stuck in her ways.  did i mention stubborn?  my parents make mules seem easy-going....

nevertheless, tomorrow morning around 7:30, dr. ogg will be skillfully removing a used, 76 yr. old gall bladder which, evidently, is currently enflamed and full of sludge.  once again, it's not all that uncommon for patients in my mom's situation. 

now we have a new thing to pray about.  i know you all were getting tired of praying for appetite and exercise.  my mother-in-law volunteered (you may have read) to give my mother her appetite.  

thanks for continuing to follow my mother's saga, or epic journey.  she is nothing if not interesting and unique.  this is gonna make a great book someday.  i wonder who would play me in the movie?  probably brad pitt.  yeah, probably.

"Good company on a journey makes the way seem shorter"

- Izaak Walton

blessings,

brad

eat, drink, and be ambulatory......go mom!

mashed potatoes, jell-o, vegetable soup, applesauce.....

things are getting better on the eating front for my mother.  she managed to eat a variety (although not much of any one) of foods today.  she even kept them down! this is the road home for her in the coming days.  her nurse got her up and around various times today so she is working on mobility as well.  

they checked her liver and that seemed to be ok and now they are checking her gall bladder.  she has been given, pretty much, a full overhaul while she's been in the hospital.  while she has encountered many hurdles along the way, i don't think any one of them is all that uncommon.  i do think, however, that her having so many of them is not the normal course of events for patients in her situation.

hopefully, tomorrow she eats more and moves around more.  i think she might be getting a visit from some of her friends tomorrow.  we'll see.  with her blood numbers up (and her immune system), she will become more welcoming of visitors.  shoot me an email if you want to ask....

while she is still not in the clear, we are seeing positive signs and keep ruling out other serious side effects.  as i mentioned, they did an ultrasound of her gall bladder today.  we'll see what tomorrow brings on that front.

thanks for the continued prayers.  they are definitely working!  each day my mom becomes a little more like her "old" self.  (watch what you wish for - wink)

"Nothing is more honorable than a thankful heart."

- Seneca

blessings,

tim

what the heck are liver enzymes, anyway?

WE BROUGHT MY MOM HOME TODAY!!!

april fools.

progress gets measured in many ways when you're in the hospital for a month:  

1  blood counts

2  fever(s)

3  infections

4  ability to eat (and keep down) food

5  ability to move about and get rid of the "fall risk" bracelet

6  ability to breathe w/o oxygen

7  all of the other organs functioning in a "normal" way

well, my mom is making great progress on 1 through 3.  today, she was focused on 4, 5 and 6.  number 7 seems to be a slippery slope.  over the last couple of days, her lungs have been the subject of great scrutiny.  the pulmonary folks seem content that her lungs are "under control".  today, it was the liver.  evidently her liver enzymes are higher than they should be.  i have heard that there are a number of reasons why that could be (ranging from the inane to very serious). they took a CT-scan today to have a better look at the liver.  i would imagine the doctor will have those results in the morning.

overall, she had a fairly good day today.  she ate a variety of soft foods and the physical therapist had her pushing a walker around about 18 sq. ft. of her room (that was comical).  she talked on the phone for a while with the folks from her work.  that seemed to cheer her up.  

we continue to wait for further healing and more test results.  hopefully tomorrow will be another day "around the corner."  keep up the prayers.  they are the positive momentum that she needs.

"I love sharing my story.  It's endlessly healing."

- Ben Vereen

blessings,

tim

knock wood...

i am growing very hesitant to say that my mother had a good day.  it seems every time i post that, the next day is 'not so good'.  

what the heck....my mom had a better day today.  her blood numbers are the absolute envy of the BMTU (that's bone marrow transplant unit for you lucky folks that have never been).  the doctor said if she was eating and ambulatory she could go home with these numbers. 

whaaaaatttttttt?  home?

not so fast......she is still getting IV nutrition and hasn't had the energy to do much of the physical therapy it will take for her to be truly ambulatory.  that HAS to become her focus. today the doctor basically told her it was "up to her" when she would get to go home. the infections seem to be subsiding.  as of this posting, she has gone over 24 hours without a fever.  they've checked her for blood clots and that was ok. they're even gradually stopping the different antibiotics. 

not coincidentally, my mom's doctor did morning rounds in march but does not do them in april.  another sign that she "really" doesn't need him anymore on a daily basis.  (i'm all about those 'little' signs).

i am throwing caution to the wind and declaring "progress"!  

there.  i said it.  (i'm knocking on the faux-wood desk.)  now, everyone can focus on eating and activity prayers.  those are the two things that will lead her home.  

thanks again for the thoughts and cards.....i think there were about 15 today.  the other patients are jealous....;-)

"One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating."

- Luciano Pavarotti 

(i think my brother, chris, has that on a t-shirt).

blessings,

tim

two steps forward, one step back...

a tough day for the old bird (as i fondly call my mother).  it seems that her infection (or effects of the infection) has found its way to her lungs and is causing some problems with her breathing.  she has been on increased oxygen all day today as the doctors compensate for the reduced capacity of her lungs.  her blood numbers continue to improve, but they called in a pulmonary specialist to take a look at the results of a CT-scan and see what might be the course of action for the lungs.  they ruled out blood clots or any "new" infection so they are continuing her course of antibiotics and "watching".  evidently, this is not an uncommon side effect.  sitting and watching, however, can be difficult.  

if there was a bright side, my mom got to sleep most of the day (after being awake most of the night).  i wouldn't recommend that kind of sleep, but it made her more comfortable.  i liked the nurse today - kady.  for the most part, my mom has had tremendous care from the nurses.  sure, she has her favorites but, today, i think we had the right nurse at the right time.  she was determined to get my mother comfortable.  i like that.  it takes a special gift to be a nurse.  

on the home front, my mom and dad's freezer went out so my brother, todd, got to empty it's contents and make a trip to the dumpster.....nice.  i think the 4 of us (boys) are planning a little condo cleaning this weekend at their place.  yeah, you read that right....4 boys going to clean.  eat your hearts out ladies.  

we'll take a leaf blower and some clorox wipes.....that's all you need, right?

again, thank you for the kind thoughts and prayers.  speaking of prayers, the minister stopped by the hospital to see my mom today.  i'm sure she "knew" he was there. (not) coincidentally, i saw him tonight at church.  we were doing a final rehearsal for tuesday night's Stations of the Cross presentation (8pm hyde park community united methodist church - wink, wink).  this was the first time this year that i had seen it from start to finish.  there was something about sitting and watching the Passion story that made me think of my mother.  no, i'm not really comparing my mother to Jesus.  i just felt like an onlooker watching somebody that they loved suffer.  helpless.  afraid.  

"And when they led Him away, they laid hold of one Simon of Cyrene, coming in from the country, and placed on him the cross to carry behind Jesus."

 - Luke 23:26

i need to look for that Cross in my mom's room tomorrow....

blessings,

tim (of madeira)

a possibilitarian?

a better day today for my mom.  it seems that her elevating blood counts are helping her cope with the ongoing fever and infections.  she is still very run down and sleeps a lot but she is visibly better than yesterday (and that's really the goal everyday).  she got some more blood today (she keeps asking for the blood of a very young, healthy person).

i spent some time this afternoon watching her and my dad (both) sleep in the hospital room.  i'm sure my dad will need a chiropractor when my mom gets out of the hospital.  i did talk to the nurse when she came in about every 30 minutes to either give my mom medicine, change an IV or take vital signs.  i also managed to do a few more sudokus......i'm glad my brother bought a big book of them.

i'm looking forward to my mom's doctor being back tomorrow.  there was a lot of changing of meds over the weekend and it will be nice to hear his appraisal of her progress.  her white blood cells doubled again.  who knows what tomorrow brings?

 

my mother is growing used to her newly shone melon.....since she has had the fever the last couple days, she spent most of the time with a cool washcloth on top of her head (which was a sight, indeed).  today she went "commando" (if you can do that with your scalp).  i have gotten a few suggestions of 'famous bald people' i left out of my collage the other day......most notably elmer fudd.  i tried to keep them all photographs not cartoons....something to do with the gestalt of the design. there may be more artwork in the future.

anyhoo...keep up the positive thoughts and prayers.  i can feel a momentum growing that will have her putting a string of good days together this week. 

"Become a possibilitarian.  No matter how dark things seem to be or actually are, raise your sights and see possibilities - always see them, for they're always there."

- Norman Vincent Peale

blessings,

tim

and miles to go before i sleep....

another tough day for my mom.  while they have the leukemia in check for the time being, she is very sick from the treatment.  they have changed around her medications but can't seem to get her on the right track.  despite improvement in her blood numbers, she has not really made progress in feeling any better.  she is still running a fever most of the time.

i honestly think the doctors don't quite know what to do and keep adjusting the antibiotics and pumping the tylenol to manage her fever.  since her throat has cleared up somewhat, she is eating a few more soft foods.  her stomach hasn't fully adjusted to the change.

she wants so badly to feel better.  she's tired.  very tired.  please pray with me as we help her weather this latest storm.  she appreciates all the thoughts and prayers.  as do my dad, my brothers, and me.

"For to be poised against fatality, to meet adverse conditions gracefully, is more than simple endurance; it is an act of aggression, a positive triumph." 

- Thomas Mann

blessings,

tim

i have no excuse.

writing this blog is a privilege.  it's a chance for me to get to "offload" some info about my mom each day.  

yesterday, i think i forgot that the blog wasn't just for me.  i was reminded that a lot of people read the blog each morning to see how my mom is doing and not (totally) to see what weird thing i'm gonna write.

i received a couple of emails that "reminded" me that i didn't give any update on my mom.  well, her white blood cells continue to climb.  the doctor thought that an infection associated with her central line may be the cause of her recurrent fever.  late yesterday, they removed it and replaced it with a PICC line (i think a description is in the central line link).  hopefully, this will help with the infection/fevers.  

the fevers are starting to concern the doctors a little more each day and they may choose to change her medication yet again.  there seems to be some disagreement(?) among the medical team on whether they should use a specific drug to help her generate white blood cells.  we'll see where that ends up.

again, sorry for forgetting to update everyone on her progress.  i, honestly, got to laughing a lot with the "bald picture" and took the easy route.  sorry.

please continue the prayers/thoughts/cards/posts/emails.  they all are SO helpful to my mom.

"Never ruin an apology with an excuse."

- Kimberly Johnson

many blessings,

tim

my favorite bald people....

"When fate hands us a lemon, let's try to make lemonade."

- Andrew Carnegie

blessings,

tim

mrs. clean

things started looking up when the nurse practitioner "bounced" into the room this morning at about 7:30.  she was the first (of many) to stop by and report that my mother's white blood cell count had....wait for it......DOUBLED!  almost as she was saying it, my mother perked up.  you have to understand that all day she stares at a whiteboard with her "counts" posted on it.  for the last two and a half weeks her white blood count has hovered around .2 (000s).  today it was .5!  and, as expected with the count increase, her mouth is beginning to clear up.  far from clear, but "better".  still a lot of progress to be made but, oh, do we love positive steps.

she is still fighting a recurrent fever but, in the words of her doctor today, "people don't die here from fevers".  another classic, straight to the heart of the matter comment from the doc.  priceless.  hopefully the counts will continue to improve.  this was day 22 and the average hospital stay is 28 days.  her original goal was to be home (and healthier) by Easter.  that would be day 39.  doesn't she encourage us to set aggressive goals?  i suppose i'll cut her some slack.  let's root for blowing the goal away....

the head was officially shaved today.  unfortunately, i wasn't there to visually document the shaving.  i will, however, capture a nice image of it tomorrow.  i may have a rare "midday" post.  i'm taking my black & decker hand buffer with me to the hospital.....can you say spit-polish?

my dad actually chewed his leash and went to choir tonight.  it's great that he's getting out more.  if you have my dad's cell phone number (and some of you do), call him and invite him to lunch.  as my mother's condition improves, he is more likely to leave her side for a meal or two.

today i got a fair amount of messages from the (old) teachers at forest park high school.  my mother's circle of impact is vast.  keep the comments, cards, and emails coming.  i have a great many to share with mrs. clean tomorrow.

i'm going to bed (or maybe watch the duke game) so i can get to the hospital early.  my daughter is enjoying the early hospital visits because that means she gets a ride to school.....spoiled.  (maybe someday i'll need her to take care of me in the hospital).

many blessings,

tim

 

mr. freeze?

another "not so good" day.  it started over night when her temperature spiked to 103.  the nurses had the cold rags and ice bags working through the night.  when i got there about 7:15, she was still running a pretty good fever but she was able to get some sleep.  i was able to finish about 8 or 9 sudoku puzzles as i watched her sleep.  i dawned on me that i hadn't EVER spent that much time watching my mom sleep.  weird.  she was SO tired, she didn't even talk in her sleep.  weirder.

as the day progressed, the doctor changed her antibiotics and pain medication a little.  they are still trying to make sure she stays infection free during the recovery process.  for all those interested in the throat issue, i found this link to webmd that talks about the oral side effects of chemotherapy.  (i understood about every 3rd word).

again, my mom didn't feel up to getting her head shaved (i know we can all relate to that).  maybe tomorrow.  if she waits much longer, a tweezers will do the trick.  if you can't wait any longer for a picture, i posted a reasonable facsimile below.  (I had a link to it, but i guess it wasn't working for everyone).  that's about what it will be like - without the eyebrows.  the resemblance is uncanny.

hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.  she wants so badly to string some good days together.  my dad said she was feeling better when he left tonight.  that's a good sign.  i'll stop in on her in the morning.  for tonight, i'll pray a little more.

keep those cards and letters coming.....

"Let your mind start a journey thru a strange new world. Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before. Let your soul take you where you long to be...Close your eyes let your spirit start to soar, and you'll live as you've never lived before."

- Erich Fromm (don't confuse this with lyrics from Phantom)

blessings,

tim