Updates...

I am going to try and make this short as possible...was a busy long day for both of us and I am still trying to finish stuff up and get ready to get up early to run errands...

On October 9th after the doctor in Georgetown, we arrived home to find a message left by hospice...so I called and got it set up for them to come on Monday October 12th...also, on the way home I swung by Dixie Dialysis to get my 2nd booster shot of Hep B...Molly wasn't in so I called her on Tuesday to see what time was best for me to swing by on Wednesday when they were down from Georgetown in the Mesquite office...as explained before there is a series of 3 shots...my third one will be March 10, 2010...then 2 months after that I will need blood work to see if there are any antibodies showing up, if not I have to do the series again...this is a precautionary measure that if I do need dialysis then these shots will help prevent Hepatitis B...so my next appt with the doctor is December 9th but I have to have blood work done 10 days prior to see what my kidney functions are doing....

Anyway back to Tim...hospice came on Monday and did an intake assessment (file) and we set Tuesdays up every week for them to come in...he had lost another 2 pounds from Friday, Oct 9th...so total 13 pound loss since Aug 27th...but we were to call them for anything and not 911 as they handle everything...he has switched from medicare to medicare hospice benefits at 100% coverage...pray it is so because that blood just isn't going to drip from that TURNIP anymore...lol...

As the week passed on, he continues to have problems eating, drinking and still the dry heaves...I believe most of that is from the mucus build-up...rapid breathing then it slows down...congestion is more prominent and he was hiding it from me up til Saturday when his sister came over to visit (she was sick free) and he said he was struggling to breathe normally...I decided this morning I would call hospice to come a day early to evaluate him see if he did need to be on oxygen and possible breathing treatments to help clear some of the mucus up and make his breathing easier...he sure was sounding like a baby's rattle last night when breathing...

Sheila came by around 2pm and talking with us and getting his vitals called in for oxygen to be delivered asap...I would say within the hour after she left, they delivered the machine and 2 portable tall tanks for emergency use like when power goes out...he's to wear 24/7's then we'll see...I am back to helping him get in bed with lifting his legs...the oxygen seems to help but he still struggles...any kind of exertion or when he talks to you...you can really tell...we have raised his head up a little more to make breathing better too...it's so hard to see him like this when he use to walk out to the car at work when I would swing lunch by or wherever and he had this proud prance walk...like a "Lion King"....LOL...very strong and regal...it's not there anymore...:(
The last two days he is lucky if he's gotten a cup of food eaten...it's been more like liquids...he doesn't like Ensure so we got Glucerne and he seems to like it but likes my stuff even better :D...by Odwalla chocolate protein drink...he says that's the best yet...otherwise, he drinks a little water, 7-up and gatorade...
Sheila will call tomorrow to see how he is doing and possibly come by, if not then come by on Wednesday and then Friday...depending how he is doing then do Tuesdays and Fridays....the effort is to try and keep him as comfortable as possible but coherent...

Oh and poor little Jack is on an anti-imflammatory med and I will pick up some cartilage builder tomorrow...he's favoring his left leg...it bit of a birth defect but with old age coming on he's having some limping problems...but otherwise, he's frisky as ever and ah ah ah ah lets ya know when he is hungry for sure!...LOL...

Well, one more quik posting...Tim is acting a bit restless tonight...waking about every hour...I have been sleeping on the sofa in the livingroom for the past 2 weeks...just to be closer and to hear him better if needed...but most the time I am still up when his meds are due to take at 3 a.m....yah, I said 3 a.m...altho, last night Jacks and I slept on the loveseat...I thinking I will sleep there again tonight just due to the way he is acting...that way I don't have so far to go to help him...

Lastly but mostly for Ashley, granddaughters BF...prayers go out to her and her family in the loss of her gma...prayers go out to Rita's grandfather too...struggling with cancer as well...so many so much where ever
you turn or hear in a conversation or posting...someone is hurting, struggling, whatever and it makes you wonder when this desert time will be over...prayers go out to everyone everywhere...lastly again...good nite...gotchya...LOL...:D be safe much luv...me/;boo/happemom/Alicia