Hi Guys....it's Bill here,
Erin continues to have severe mouth and throat pain. She was able to eat a baked potato for dinner (said it was "delicious") and complete her 21 laps (a mile). During the night her mouth got very dry and she had difficulty swallowing and felt like she was choking just trying to sip water. So they are trying to adjust the pain med rates to get her comfortable. The doctors tell us we're at the low point and this is usually the worst part of the process. Erin got platelets yesterday. Her counts are still bottomed out: WBC <.3, platelets are 21 this morning (they increased her transfusion threshold to 20) so she'll likely need another transfusion tomorrow, and her HCT was 29.1 (transfuse at 27). She could not get back to sleep this morning so we watched "Home Alone" at 6:00 a.m. followed by "Elf". She had been wanting to watch Christmas movies for the last couple days.
Even though Erin is having a rough go of it and is pretty heavily medicated, she still manages to keep us laughing. I wanted to share with you a few of her quotable quotes while she is E.U.I. (Erin Under the Influence). She has had trouble speaking and has been whispering everything. At one point Amanda was having difficulty understanding what Erin was trying to tell her and finally Erin said "I'm a lot funnier if you can hear me". At another point she started snapping her fingers and told Janet that she was trying to get Coalbie and Moonie (our dogs) off the couch. When Janet told her the dogs were at home, she said "I know that". Later when Janet was plugging her pump in after walking, Erin said "Thanks for putting my bike away". When told she hadn't ridden her bike in years, she said she actually meant to say thanks for plugging in her pump. During another conversation she said " I know this sounds crazy, but am I supposed to visit Eunice for some reason? Because I can't sit next to Grandmommy on the plane if she is going to hold that plant....I'm not allowed near plants!" Now Grandmommy was not present at the time and obviously there was no plant or plane either.
Today's scripture is about Jesus Calming the Storm:
One day Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's go over to the other side of the lake." So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we're going to drown!" He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. "Where is your faith?" he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him." - Luke 8: 22-25
I will close for now with our heartfelt thanks to all of you again for weathering this storm with us. Your prayers and encouragement are a source of great comfort and we thank God for blessing us with your presence in our lives!
Blessings....Bill
P.S. Janet here- I think it is so funny that Bill is tattling on Erin's delusions when he is the king of nighttime hallucinations!! Ha.
12 comments:
How glorious you all are -- my heart is so full hearing of Erin's spunk and moxie and any other words from the 1930s you can think of. great little gal, too.
i don't know why we find under-the-influence and sundowners so funny -- God's tension reliever? -- but your anecdotes reminded me of my mother in the same situation. She would run the hospital bedsheet through her hands and say, "what beautiful fabric!" then coming to the stamped on words Bayfront Medical Center, she'd cry out, "oh, someone's written on this beautiful fabric! who would do that?" We'd reply that it must have been those vandals again.
all of us here in the Tampa Bay area are praying praying praying for all of you.
love
Linda
Blondshines,
I continue to pray for Erin constantly and those who care for her (family and medical professionals). However, this morning while I was laying prostrate (in the gym on the mat while taking a break from stretching), I felt an incredible urge to pray intensely for Bill and Janet without ceasing. I remember how hard it was watching Cori as she struggled the first year of her life...and that is a small drop in the bucket compared to what you are watching your 'baby' go through. So I want you to know that I laid there on my face and just prayed for your comfort and strength through all of this...well at least until someone walked in and asked me if I was feeling okay. Anyway, know that ALL of you are being lifted. God is good...all the time and I'm so blessed to read the blog each day and see you count his goodness in this storm. - In Christ Love, Tracy Bishop
Today's Facebook scripture....
hhhhmmmm, how can I use this today?
We must not show favoritism to any cancers...we must join together and work to beat it...for everyone! Since it doesn't care who it hurts, we will not care that we are obliterating it from existence. There!
"My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism."
XXXX00000XXXXX KISSES/HUGS/KISSES
Susan :)
When my Dad was on morphine for his cancer, he startled awake one night "screaming they had stolen his pipe, get it, get it!" (My Dad had been a cigarette smoker, and I shook my head not knowing where that one was coming from...later in the morning, the nurse brought in his 'atomizer' for his lung treatment...and she had been calling it his PIPE, aha!!)
James 2:1
You guys are so funny. I have always found laughter is the best medicine. I always said if it wasn't for laughing I'd be crying. Also I takes less muscles in the face to smile than it does to frown :) Keep up the good work guys, I love the positive attitude you are able to maintain. I talked with my retired boss yesterday. He had a heart transplant about 5 years ago. I asked him for a few helpful suggestions as to what fun things to do while recovering from a transplant. He built model airplanes, but as he said there are certain models which are directed more towards females... such as doll houses and the like. He also suggested online continuing education since she is a school teacher. Chrissy, my daughter loves SUDOKU. I personally have never played it, but she loves it. Hope you can add at least one of these to your list.
Dixie & Brad
You know brother Bill, Erin is going to be the one taking care of you in the nursing home when things you say won't make any sense, either! I remember my mother talking about the bacon hanging in the bathroom! What goes around comes around, so be careful!
It's so good to know you guys still have your sense of humor. Proverbs 17:22 says "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones." Keep laughing, keep praying, keeping loving, keep praising God, keep believing! He who began that good work will bring it to completion!
Blessings and peace,
The Harden's
I'm sitting in my living room laughing out loud! I can hear Erin saying "I'm more funny when you can hear me". :) It's good she's E.U.I., it will make it easier for her, although she will probably have some gaps in her memory. But I have big gaps in my memory and I function just fine.
Now, where was I? :)
God is so good! That he provides moments to lighten the mood is a blessing! We love and miss you all bunches! Aunt Debbie
Your room must be the favorite room for all the nurses to come to. They are always in for a surprise. Scottish Rite has a team of clowns who make the rounds every day to cheer people up--I think you guys should travel the floors of Emory in that capacity. Could be a whole new career opportunity for all of you. It is great to hear of your laughter; God provides all that we need--even the funnies. We love you all and continue to be diligent with our prayers. One day at a time!
P.S. Have another suggestion for the list of things to do: Have a family dinner around your dining room table with all of Erin's favorite foods.
Like I said, laughter is the best medicine!!! David recommends Madagascar 2 as far as funny movies. It's a favorite of his, next to 3 Stooges movies, which I don't enjoy (cough-hate). Actually Madagascar 2 IS actually hilarious so you might want to try it early one morning. :)
Praying for those sores and pains to leave Erin alone.
Much Love,
The Stills
Hi! Just tell Erin she can come visit me anytime she wants!!! I will continue to pray for her and especially to heal her pain, mouth and swallowing.
Take care of yourselves.
Love, Eunice
Hello Beautiful Blonshines!
I think Cindy has the right idea about your new career opportunity as the hospital cheer group. You would be awesome! I think you could also offer smoothies for a little extra cash. Let me know what kind you make, and I'll design you a menu to take along.
In the meantime, I will continue to pray...for complete healing, smiling, eating, talking, and talking with sense =D. Praise God for close families like yours to help each other through these tough times.
Love ya,
~Kathy & Ted Peterson
Gotta love those P.C.A induced observations.
We continue to lift you all up and are praying for the pain to ease!
Blessings
Robin
I do have to say Andrew and I got a good laugh out of hearing about E.U.I, but mainly because I can picture all of you getting a good laugh! I have always enjoyed being around your family because you always bring such joy to everyone....even when the times are tough! Thinking of you and praying for you daily!
I promise a visit next time I'm home!
Andrew, Kim and Callie
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