Monday, December 1, 2008
Not Out of the Hospital Woods Yet
Thanks so much to everyone who has called, tried to call (the phone has been unplugged most of the time, because Nancy has not had the energy to talk), sent flowers, written cards, and sent their love and support.
Nancy's surgery was 11/24/08, the day after her 71st birthday. During this procedure the surgeon found and removed a basketball-sized growth, calling what he found uterine sarcoma. The cancer had already spread into her abdomen and was visible as nodules on the small intestine. Other organs were not affected. At that time we were told to expect the pathology report, which would give us the essential information about cell type, and spread of the cancer, by the end of the week. Now it is 8 days post surgery, and the report is finally due tomorrow, 12/2. The consult with the surgeon is not for a week, we are told. Of course we hope it will be sooner, because that session will be the launching point for determining treatment.
The hospital stay after the operation has been pretty much all suffering. As the days wore on I came to nickname my dear mother The Plumbing Project, due to all of the tubes and equipment attached to and inside of her: IVs, of course, but also a food tube into the vein in her arm and up into a major vein in her neck, a bile-removal tube through her nose and into her stomach, and of course oxygen. Sleeping on her back on the bed is painful, and so the chair in room has been where she sleeps at night -- I call it "Amtraking It." Miserable!
Marian has been the Visiting Nurse and Family Caretaker / Advocate / Calming Supporter, staying at the hospital every other night and doing two nights in a row just now. Bill has stayed overnight several times and is there tonight. Marian and Bill have read two novels and other pieces to Nancy.
Nancy's voice is quite hoarse, with the tube still in place. She will not be able to take calls...for a couple days, is what we are hoping. The protocol is that a patient has to be eating and functioning normally in order to leave the hospital. She should be home, optimistically speaking, in two days.
Your messages and posts on this Blogspot will be read to her.
We welcome all suggestions on modalities and care: herbs, tea, acupuncture, specialists, diet, lifestyle, and on and on. And if you don't send anything but your support and good wishes, by thought and spirit, I believe those will be felt by Nancy and all of us.
Electronic / cyber communications: Please Post a Comment on this website
If sending something by mail:
Bill and Nancy Doub
3239 9th St.
Boulder, CO 80304
Nancy's surgery was 11/24/08, the day after her 71st birthday. During this procedure the surgeon found and removed a basketball-sized growth, calling what he found uterine sarcoma. The cancer had already spread into her abdomen and was visible as nodules on the small intestine. Other organs were not affected. At that time we were told to expect the pathology report, which would give us the essential information about cell type, and spread of the cancer, by the end of the week. Now it is 8 days post surgery, and the report is finally due tomorrow, 12/2. The consult with the surgeon is not for a week, we are told. Of course we hope it will be sooner, because that session will be the launching point for determining treatment.
The hospital stay after the operation has been pretty much all suffering. As the days wore on I came to nickname my dear mother The Plumbing Project, due to all of the tubes and equipment attached to and inside of her: IVs, of course, but also a food tube into the vein in her arm and up into a major vein in her neck, a bile-removal tube through her nose and into her stomach, and of course oxygen. Sleeping on her back on the bed is painful, and so the chair in room has been where she sleeps at night -- I call it "Amtraking It." Miserable!
Marian has been the Visiting Nurse and Family Caretaker / Advocate / Calming Supporter, staying at the hospital every other night and doing two nights in a row just now. Bill has stayed overnight several times and is there tonight. Marian and Bill have read two novels and other pieces to Nancy.
Nancy's voice is quite hoarse, with the tube still in place. She will not be able to take calls...for a couple days, is what we are hoping. The protocol is that a patient has to be eating and functioning normally in order to leave the hospital. She should be home, optimistically speaking, in two days.
Your messages and posts on this Blogspot will be read to her.
We welcome all suggestions on modalities and care: herbs, tea, acupuncture, specialists, diet, lifestyle, and on and on. And if you don't send anything but your support and good wishes, by thought and spirit, I believe those will be felt by Nancy and all of us.
Electronic / cyber communications: Please Post a Comment on this website
If sending something by mail:
Bill and Nancy Doub
3239 9th St.
Boulder, CO 80304
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