ST PATRICK'S DAY

At this very moment, I'm sure Mom is sitting in a chair at Rose and Jim's inn, gazing at the beautiful Gray's Harbor beach. She was discharged from the hospital yesterday, feeling pretty good and building up leg strength again. Rose and Jim drove up and whisked away Mom, Dad, and Uncle Phil, and will return them Wed. evening. The chemo-pill will begin the end of this week; I think the doctor said 20 some days on, and 10 days off. Poor Uncle Phil. He hates cold, snow, and rain. Guess what we've had LOTS of? And to make it, actually, funnier, we grandkids and great grandkids filtered in and out of Mom and Dad's house, visiting with Uncle Phil IN THE DARK!!! A tree hit a local power line, leaving us without lights and heat from 2:00 Sunday until 9 in the evening. Do you know what the kitchen, living, and dining room looked like after we all clanked around in the dark, eating, snacking, drinking, grandkids playing hide and seek? HORRIFYING! The greatgrandkids chalked a welcome home sign on the side walk, now long gone. [fyi: check out CollinsInn.com]

March 12, 2009

Mom is back in the hospital Room 406. She has been extremely lethargic and sleepy since the blood infusion. She is on antibiotics for another infection. Next week she will begin a chemo in pill form; she'll take 5 days, then off for a week. Also, her tailbone is cracked, so she's in quite a bit of pain with that unless taking pain pills. Uncle Phil has arrived, so we are enjoying his presence.

MARCH 5, 2009 UPDATE

Mom is working on strengthening her legs so she can hoist herself up better, and walk for longer periods of time. She has had a physical therapist working with her. We found out why Mom is so tired: she's quite anemic, so will have a blood transfusion next Monday. Mom's eyes are actually improving. Her doctor said the cataracts have decreased, or whatever it is they do, so she doesn't need surgery. He is fitting her right glasses lens with a silicon prism overlay to clear up the double vision. She's already talking about quilting. We're all looking forward to Uncle Phil (Dad's brother) coming here from Sacramento. I might be telling secrets if I say that his one request is to uphold family tradition: the men go to Hooter's for a "meal."

FROM THE CHAIR OF SHIRLEY Feb. 16

It is so, so good to be home. I still get tired walking, but I do quite well. Don and I play the card game, 3-13. Come join us anytime. I really appreciate your cards, visits, and telephone calls. Please don't worry about waking me up. I'm able to go back to sleep easily. I really like hearing from everybody.

Feb. 11 UPDATE

Mom is happy to be home this evening. She's pretty tired after a long day and was asleep by 8:00. Dr. Blau has suspended chemo for another 3 weeks because mom is too weak and sick. At that time mom and Dr. Blau will decide what the next step will be. The doctor has two different chemo meds she can try. Here's to Mom and Dad's 62nd wedding anniversary this weekend. Congratulations to them!

FEBRUARY 10

GOOD NEWS!!! If all goes well, Mom will go home Wed. at the earliest, and Thursday at the latest. She is READY to go home. The ot/pt have tested her strength, and deemed her able to go home. We'll have to rent a U-Haul for the cards, flowers, bird feeders outside the window, and the recliner John rented for Dad. As always, thank you so much for your support.

FEB 6 UPDATE

Whoever thought you would see Shirley Becker racing Dad down the hall with her walker? She is making wonderful progress with her physical/occupational therapy at Rainier Vista. She sits up a majority of the time, yesterday spent two separate one hour sessions in pt, and walks increasingly long distances down the hallways with her walker. She won so much at BINGO that they are looking forward to getting her out of there. She and dad have watched a movie, Groundhog's Day on Feb. 2, tried Bible study, worked on puzzles, eaten in a variety of dining rooms, and have entertained many delightful guests: YOU ALL. Today she will tell the physical therapists to work her time around the Valentine craft session - just kidding. We're still looking forward to Mom's goal of leaving boot camp by Feb. 14, she and Dad's 62nd anniversary.