Back to the Grind

Vacation's Over! Back to work...

Let's be honest, the Monday after a wonderful vacation is usually kind of a let-down. It's back to the grind, back to work, back to laundry! And today, mom was back to physical therapy.

And that John, he's a regular slave-driver! With a smile...

She worked on toe raises, calf lifts, quad squats, and bicep pulls. Plus a stint on the Total Gym and some lovely balance bobbing on the exercise ball. I was working up a sweat watching the drill. Not to worry, I kept myself well hydrated and maintained a steady heart rate through it all :)

Mom did very well too! But that John, he wasn't satisfied with his 45 minute boot camp, he just had to send her home with more exercises... There is simply no rest for the weary.

On our way to therapy, Mom asked me if I thought it was a useless endeavor for a terminally ill patient to attempt physical therapy. My immediate response was absolutely not. Her motivation to keep her body as strong as possible is but a glimpse of her determination to live life well.

Her goal is to improve her stamina, balance, and core strength. The alternative is to give up, lay down and die. And that is an option. I am eternally thankful that mom has taken the harder road. There are no delusions, she is still struggling with pain, with the fatigue, with fevers and chemo side effects, with leg swelling and moments of nausea.

Terminal, yes that is the prognosis. Rolling over and giving up? Not hardly. Mom has chosen to live her best life, and sometimes that takes work.

Anything worth having is worth fighting for...  And she is in the fight of her life right now.

I am totally undone by the way she is preparing for the moments yet to be lived. We know how much discipline this takes, and are so incredibly proud of her determination.

Bring on the barbells and punching bags!

Busy Days!

It's been a busy couple of days for mom. You would never know she was fighting an aggressive battle with cancer by the schedule she's been keeping! Her perseverance, I believe, is due to her amazing will power and mind over matter attitude. So glad she's pushing thru, even with bouts of pain and sleepless nights...

So let's see, on Wednesday, Pat and Ruth took her for her first physical therapy session. I think they had an ulterior motive. They didn't go along just to watch her work up a sweat! They took her to lunch and shopping afterwards! An enjoyable, as well as productive afternoon was had by all!

Mom said physical therapy went well and she was encouraged by the therapist. His name is John and he told her he was pleased with the muscle mass she still had. He acknowledged that she was in negative catabolism, which means her body is now breaking down her muscles because it's already used up all her fat stores. This is a serious problem and is common among many pancreatic cancer patients. It even has a name, catabolic wasting. The trick to handling it, is of course to eat more, and to make every calorie count. Because her appetite is a little better, that's becoming easier to do. John wants her to up her protein intake and continue with exercises at home. In addition she will go in for therapy several times a week. That will strengthen her remaining muscles and increase her stability. What a workout.

Wednesday was definitely a busy day!

Thursday was Chemo Day. Doctor appointments, blood work and chemotherapy make for a long day too! But good news here - blood work was all behaving, chemo was a go! However, the doctor confirmed another side effect that mom has been dealing with. Thrush, in her mouth and throat. She suspected it, he confirmed it. Just when you think you've experienced everything... Now thrush. What next? Oh, nix that question! I don't want to know! Anyway, they caught the thrush early and she is on Diflucan, an antifungal that will take care of the problem. Thank goodness. But, whoa, another pill to add to the regimen!

By the time we got her home, we declared Thursday was really a busy day!

Today, Friday, has been busy too. Mom and Dad packed all morning, then met up with their friends, Manny and Ruth and headed for a week long vacation on Lake Texoma. They are staying at a beautiful resort right on the banks of the lake. Lots of fishing, relaxing, card playing and eating is in the works. But just getting there has made Friday a very busy day!

But.... the next week will be sooooo relaxing! Nothing more strenuous than planning what to have for dinner. Great week is in store for them all. And it's about time. We've had enough of the busy days for awhile!

Praying your week is winding down, and plans are in place for a kicked-back, fun-filled, soul-rejuvenating weekend. May time slow down and moments expand as you Live Life Fully.

Grace to you, Jane

Ice Cream Sundae Time

 
We're celebrating! A good appetite! A productive day! And 5-bar internet service!

Ok, so the internet is just the cherry on top. The real cause for our good mood is mom's continued well-being and great appetite. We don't take a pound of it for granted!

And she needed the energy for today's errands. After a tasty philly cheesesteak sandwich to fortify us, we began our rounds. We started at the hospital to get mom signed in with physical therapy, then we drove to Department of Motor Vehicles to pick up her Handicap Placard and finally checked with the medical supply store about ordering a wheelchair.  Her legs have continued to weaken over the past weeks.  The combination of weight loss and chemo fatigue has done a number on her leg muscles. Dr. Davis decided to order the physical therapy in an effort to reverse some of that damage. The handicap sign and wheelchair will make manuevering easier in the meantime. And this past weekend, a slight mis-step in the garage convinced us that mom will definitely benefit from these pre-cautions!  We are so thankful that the stumble only resulted in a few bruises and wounded pride, not broken bones and Emergency Room trips.  Dr. Davis' orders were first on our list to take care of today!

Finally, with doctor's orders complete, we got down to business and began shopping in earnest! Christmas Shopping!!! Oh, yes! Only 61 shopping days left... We made delightful progress. 2 gifts bought, only umpteen dozen to go. Skylar and Autumn, checked off! So much fun shopping for you precious little ones!

And after Christmas shopping, we hit the grocery store. With our new Handicap sticker! Big Bummer. All the handicap spots were taken! So we pulled on our Big Girl Panties and walked all the way in, completed our shopping and motored on out. My, oh, my, but we're exhausted!

Enter Ice Cream Sundaes.

With chocolate syrup. Whip cream. And nuts. Feet are up. Time to relax!

Praying your day was filled with sweet successes. And your evening marked by the contented exhaustion of a day well lived. We recommend ice cream for everyone!
Love you, Jane