Ed Update May 12, 2007
It is a week now since Ed came home from the hospital. I’m still not sure how to describe his current condition. He is not in pain, but he is eating almost nothing. He is very thin. He is getting 3.5 liters of oxygen per minute from an oxygen concentrator, to which he is tethered by a 50-foot cord. This is long enough that he can walk all around the house. He spent an hour or so sitting under the portal on Thursday afternoon. He’s sometimes having trouble remembering things. But, he’s very glad to be home, and not in the hospital.
We have had visits from excellent hospice nurses, a wonderful chaplain, and a social worker. We have canceled plans to attend a retreat for cancer patients and their families next weekend at Glorieta. Ed has not gotten dressed since he arrived home, but he is still reading the New York Times, the Albuquerque Journal and his news magazines. He checked his e-mail one day this week, but I don’t think he replied to any. He likes to sit in his comfy chair in the TV room, where he’s been watching Congressional proceedings and book talks on C-Span.
Bert (dog) doesn’t like the hospital bed because there’s no room for him, but he still spends the night in Ed’s room, either on the floor or on the couch beside the bed.
I have stopped going to work. Even working from home has been difficult. I want to spend as much time as I can with Ed, and taking care of things at home. The hospice nurses have recommended that he not be left alone for more than 2-3 hours at a time. Jesse came over on Tuesday morning to stay when I had a project at school.
I accidentally turned the faucet that shuts off our leaking water pipe the wrong way last weekend, and caused a flood in our garage. Jesse helped me move boxes of books and papers. Fortunately, little was actually damaged. The good thing is that we unearthed some wonderful old photos, newspaper clippings, and letters we didn’t even know we had. Ed has been identifying people in the pictures and letters, and I’ve been writing the names on them (this is a lot more fun than reconciling bank accounts).
Michael is here from North Carolina this weekend, and is going over the bills and bank statements with us, which is helping me understand how everything works. It is not going to be easy to follow in the footsteps of an expert accountant. This afternoon Michael helped water everything from the well with the big blue hoses, and Anne came over to help, and together we did quite a job on all the wet boxes in the garage.
I’ll send another update in another week or so, or if anything changes. Psyche is scheduled to come June 1-3.
Thanks to all of you for the cards, the phone calls, the email wishes, and your prayers. And the food! It really helps to feel your support. I may not be responding to each of you individually, but please know that each of you is greatly appreciated.
Footnote:
This morning in Nia class we danced to this oldie from 1956, sung in an Alfred Hitchcock movie, “The Man Who Knew Too Much,” starring Doris Day and James Stewart. Happy Mother’s Day!
Que Sera Sera
(Lyrics by Ray Evans, Music by Jay Livingston, sung by Doris Day)
When I was just a little girl
I asked my mother, what will I be
Will I be pretty, will I be rich
Here's what she said to me.
Que Sera, Sera,
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours, to see
Que Sera, Sera
What will be, will be.
When I was young, I fell in love
I asked my sweetheart what lies ahead
Will we have rainbows, day after day
Here's what my sweetheart said.
Que Sera, Sera,
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours, to see
Que Sera, Sera
What will be, will be.
Now I have children of my own
They ask their mother, what will I be
Will I be handsome, will I be rich
I tell them tenderly.
Que Sera, Sera,
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours, to see
Que Sera, Sera
What will be, will be.
