Thursday Aug 6, 09
Wow!! What a terrific day from the moment we left for the beach. Val spent the morning at the beach seeing all her friends!!! She saw everyone from her friend Steve and his wife to all the dogs and more dogs. As we left the beach her friend Gabrielle and her husband brought their two horses in a trailer to the sidewalk in front of the Naraganset. Val was able to see the horses and pet them and love on them as they walked around beside her on the side walk!! For those who know Val she loves all animals. She had gone with Gabrielle and her horses to the Colony resort in Kennebunk to walk the horses on the grounds and have all the patrons ride or pat. She loved it all!
She rested for the rest of the morning!! She returned the the beach at 6pm. How, sorry she was she missed Gabrielle who waited form 5-5:30, but promised to come back in the morning. Her good friend Donna was waiting at the beach for her in the evening and spent the whole evening withe Val. Val was able to catch up on all the gossip of all the dogs whom she loves. The sunset was as beautiful as every moment has been.
She has been very stable medically since we have been here. She is not running a fever, her swelling in her legs is stable and she has no increase in pain. We have been very lucky.
Love and prayers to Val always.....Salynn
Friday, August 7, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Wednesday Aug 5, 09
Val was up at 6am dressing and ready for when Dad came back from the bakery with her favorite breakfast danish. By 7:15 she was out the door and on the beach at 7:30. The morning was beautiful and the tide was low which couldn't have been more perfect for us getting her down there by wheelchair. It takes two of us to drag and push that chair backwards toward the water so she is close enough to meet all the dogs walking. She saw sooo many of her friends from her days past of walking this beach with Fuller. We took some photos of the dogs she saw as she got to hold the little ones! She is still looking for her friend Steve and friend Donna.
Our plan to is get her to the beach early each day before the dogs are off at 9. Then get her back to the beach after 5 for the evening dog walkers. This evening her college roommate Debbie joined her for an hour.
As Val was going to bed this evening she said " Up here on the beach in Maine, I don't feel like I am sick". I responded that I thought that was great. However, I reminded her that she is taking two steroids each day to give her this elation feeling and increase her appetite; both of which are occurring!! I told her if I could give her steroids every day I would, but I can't, so let's enjoy every moment you are here and do all the things you want to do.
Love and prayers to Val always.......Salynn
Val was up at 6am dressing and ready for when Dad came back from the bakery with her favorite breakfast danish. By 7:15 she was out the door and on the beach at 7:30. The morning was beautiful and the tide was low which couldn't have been more perfect for us getting her down there by wheelchair. It takes two of us to drag and push that chair backwards toward the water so she is close enough to meet all the dogs walking. She saw sooo many of her friends from her days past of walking this beach with Fuller. We took some photos of the dogs she saw as she got to hold the little ones! She is still looking for her friend Steve and friend Donna.
Our plan to is get her to the beach early each day before the dogs are off at 9. Then get her back to the beach after 5 for the evening dog walkers. This evening her college roommate Debbie joined her for an hour.
As Val was going to bed this evening she said " Up here on the beach in Maine, I don't feel like I am sick". I responded that I thought that was great. However, I reminded her that she is taking two steroids each day to give her this elation feeling and increase her appetite; both of which are occurring!! I told her if I could give her steroids every day I would, but I can't, so let's enjoy every moment you are here and do all the things you want to do.
Love and prayers to Val always.......Salynn
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Tuesday Aug 4, 09 WE'RE HERE!!!
We left at 8:45 we arrived at 12:45 into downtown K-Port where we bought lobster rolls and ate them in the car while looking at George Bush Estate. We drove Val around Kennebunk downtown before actually heading to the house to unload.
She rested all afternoon until 5 when we ate dinner out on the porch. After dinner we took her by wheelchair down to the beach. She wanted us to push the wheelchair closer to the water, but she was sinking too much we could only get half way to the water. I just went up to all the people who were walking dogs and asked them to bring the dogs to Val. Everyone was happy to show off their dog to val. On the wheelchair ride back to her house she was able to hold two little puppies which brought such smiles to her face.
Well, she is tired...basically exhausted, but so excited to be at her home in Kennebunk. The steroids she is taking is helping with her appetite which is all we really have to combat her lowering blood levels. If she eats well her body may produce more blood cells for us.
Love and prayers to Val always......Salynn
We left at 8:45 we arrived at 12:45 into downtown K-Port where we bought lobster rolls and ate them in the car while looking at George Bush Estate. We drove Val around Kennebunk downtown before actually heading to the house to unload.
She rested all afternoon until 5 when we ate dinner out on the porch. After dinner we took her by wheelchair down to the beach. She wanted us to push the wheelchair closer to the water, but she was sinking too much we could only get half way to the water. I just went up to all the people who were walking dogs and asked them to bring the dogs to Val. Everyone was happy to show off their dog to val. On the wheelchair ride back to her house she was able to hold two little puppies which brought such smiles to her face.
Well, she is tired...basically exhausted, but so excited to be at her home in Kennebunk. The steroids she is taking is helping with her appetite which is all we really have to combat her lowering blood levels. If she eats well her body may produce more blood cells for us.
Love and prayers to Val always......Salynn
Monday, August 3, 2009
Aug 4, 09 Monday
We have the rental car (an Expedition) half packed and we are leaving in the morning for Kennebunk, ME. Val ate a little soup for breakfast, some bites of sandwich for lunch with some creemee and then for dinner some soup with salad and some bites of sandwich again. She is forcing herself to eat a little more.
By this evening the two steroids she will take daily while we are there were already kicked in and she was picking out earrings and jewelry for the trip. Her nurse Mary came this morning to draw blood and her RBC went down from 8.9 to 8.2 which is a little scary. When it gets to 7 she needs a blood transfusion. I asked Val if she wanted to request a transfusion for Tuesday..." No, let's just go." So that we shall in the morning. If her blood goes low while we are there she may have other symptoms or side effects, but we have no plans of having a visiting nurse or going to the hospital . She will get the transfusion when she gets back if she needs one.
Val's biggest problem is a new blood clot in her left groin area that has caused significant swelling in her left thigh by 5 inches and left calf by 3 inches. It is painful for her to use the leg to walk and get up and down. So, Dad pulls her up as best he can to prevent the pain in her left hip. We have the wheelchair with elevating leg rests so we will use that to wheel her to the beach when she wants to go. The dogs are allowed on the beach before 9 and after 5 so Val is looking forward to seeing the dogs and all her friends on the beach. She hasn't been there since last July. Here we come. May all the angels be watching us as we travel and keep us safe while we are there.
Love and prayers to Val always....Salynn
We have the rental car (an Expedition) half packed and we are leaving in the morning for Kennebunk, ME. Val ate a little soup for breakfast, some bites of sandwich for lunch with some creemee and then for dinner some soup with salad and some bites of sandwich again. She is forcing herself to eat a little more.
By this evening the two steroids she will take daily while we are there were already kicked in and she was picking out earrings and jewelry for the trip. Her nurse Mary came this morning to draw blood and her RBC went down from 8.9 to 8.2 which is a little scary. When it gets to 7 she needs a blood transfusion. I asked Val if she wanted to request a transfusion for Tuesday..." No, let's just go." So that we shall in the morning. If her blood goes low while we are there she may have other symptoms or side effects, but we have no plans of having a visiting nurse or going to the hospital . She will get the transfusion when she gets back if she needs one.
Val's biggest problem is a new blood clot in her left groin area that has caused significant swelling in her left thigh by 5 inches and left calf by 3 inches. It is painful for her to use the leg to walk and get up and down. So, Dad pulls her up as best he can to prevent the pain in her left hip. We have the wheelchair with elevating leg rests so we will use that to wheel her to the beach when she wants to go. The dogs are allowed on the beach before 9 and after 5 so Val is looking forward to seeing the dogs and all her friends on the beach. She hasn't been there since last July. Here we come. May all the angels be watching us as we travel and keep us safe while we are there.
Love and prayers to Val always....Salynn
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Wednesday July 29, 09
I spoke to Val's friend Donna from Kennebunk ME this morning on the phone. I asked her to be the news release person for us up in ME to let all Val's beach friends know she will be there next Tuesday thru Saturday.
Val's nurse Mary came today. Val's chest wound looks better almost as if it is on the verge of healing. Dad has it covered with a band aid now. Val's BP is running low when she is lying down 80/60 and goes up to 100/60 sitting. Val ate dinner sitting up in the leather recliner for dinner tonight whihc is something she hasn't done in a month or so now. She has to spend a little more time up in chairs and not so much time lying down so she can tolerate the wheelchair and her sitting time at the beach. So now is the time to have her walk a little more each day too ( she won't be so much against it if she knows her goal actually going to happen in one week). She has been eating more every day a few more bites and a few more sips to gain a little more strength.
Everyday Dad and I are checking our list and talking about the rental car and all we are bringing and all we need to do ahead of time. Going to ME is something Val really wants to do and we will do everything in our powere to make it happen.
Love and Prayers to Val always......Salynn
I spoke to Val's friend Donna from Kennebunk ME this morning on the phone. I asked her to be the news release person for us up in ME to let all Val's beach friends know she will be there next Tuesday thru Saturday.
Val's nurse Mary came today. Val's chest wound looks better almost as if it is on the verge of healing. Dad has it covered with a band aid now. Val's BP is running low when she is lying down 80/60 and goes up to 100/60 sitting. Val ate dinner sitting up in the leather recliner for dinner tonight whihc is something she hasn't done in a month or so now. She has to spend a little more time up in chairs and not so much time lying down so she can tolerate the wheelchair and her sitting time at the beach. So now is the time to have her walk a little more each day too ( she won't be so much against it if she knows her goal actually going to happen in one week). She has been eating more every day a few more bites and a few more sips to gain a little more strength.
Everyday Dad and I are checking our list and talking about the rental car and all we are bringing and all we need to do ahead of time. Going to ME is something Val really wants to do and we will do everything in our powere to make it happen.
Love and Prayers to Val always......Salynn
Monday, July 27, 2009
Minday July 27, 09
Val has had two better days! She began eating a little more yesterday and a little more today. She woke up today asking Dad "When are we going to Maine?" She and Dad were watching a reality show on Sunday night about a cooking cook off the final show is next Sunday night and Val is looking forward to watching it.
Mary the nurse came today. The WBC continues to increase from last Friday. Val is fever free though, and all the results trying to find the reason for the increase WBC count have come back negative. So maybe the Nulasta shot has risen the WBC up as all other reasons are unexplainable. The RBC is up to 9.2 and the platelet number has risen showing us that her body is working to produce the platelets herself. The thrush in Val's mouth has lessened too.
Love and prayers to Val always.....Salynn
Val has had two better days! She began eating a little more yesterday and a little more today. She woke up today asking Dad "When are we going to Maine?" She and Dad were watching a reality show on Sunday night about a cooking cook off the final show is next Sunday night and Val is looking forward to watching it.
Mary the nurse came today. The WBC continues to increase from last Friday. Val is fever free though, and all the results trying to find the reason for the increase WBC count have come back negative. So maybe the Nulasta shot has risen the WBC up as all other reasons are unexplainable. The RBC is up to 9.2 and the platelet number has risen showing us that her body is working to produce the platelets herself. The thrush in Val's mouth has lessened too.
Love and prayers to Val always.....Salynn
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Saturday July 25, 09
Val 's blood was drawn twice yesterday, once in the morning out of her arm, and then because the blood levels weren't so good again in the evening out of her infusaport in her chest. The evening draw out of the of chest port was to check that site specifically for an infection there. Val's WBC count is up to 15,000 (normal is 4-10,000). She has an infection somewhere, but now the hard part is finding it. So a urine sample was taken also. The nurse Mary thinks Val has a thrush like infection in her mouth as her tongue is coated with a white layer. Mary brought Val some special swabs to help this problem.
Val's RBC count is down from 9.2 to 8.7. Her platelets are down t 44 from 60 so Dad has to stop her coumadin for now. The miralax keeps her bowels going daily. The fentanly patch remains at 100mg with one or two vicoden daily to supplement so her pain is well controlled.
Val is veeerrry tired. She refused to take the shower yesterday which would adhere to the every other day schedule, but Dad was able to coax her today. She is eating almost nothing.... a few sips of soup for breakfast, a half a white bread sandwich of 4 small squares of mayo and tomato, and 1/2 half a peach and some blue berries for dinner. This is with much reluctance and much coaxing on Dad's part. Despite her weakness, she is still walking downstairs to spend the day in her hospital bed, visit with her parents downstairs, but return to her bedroom upstairs to sleep a night.
Love and prayers to Val always...Salynn
Val 's blood was drawn twice yesterday, once in the morning out of her arm, and then because the blood levels weren't so good again in the evening out of her infusaport in her chest. The evening draw out of the of chest port was to check that site specifically for an infection there. Val's WBC count is up to 15,000 (normal is 4-10,000). She has an infection somewhere, but now the hard part is finding it. So a urine sample was taken also. The nurse Mary thinks Val has a thrush like infection in her mouth as her tongue is coated with a white layer. Mary brought Val some special swabs to help this problem.
Val's RBC count is down from 9.2 to 8.7. Her platelets are down t 44 from 60 so Dad has to stop her coumadin for now. The miralax keeps her bowels going daily. The fentanly patch remains at 100mg with one or two vicoden daily to supplement so her pain is well controlled.
Val is veeerrry tired. She refused to take the shower yesterday which would adhere to the every other day schedule, but Dad was able to coax her today. She is eating almost nothing.... a few sips of soup for breakfast, a half a white bread sandwich of 4 small squares of mayo and tomato, and 1/2 half a peach and some blue berries for dinner. This is with much reluctance and much coaxing on Dad's part. Despite her weakness, she is still walking downstairs to spend the day in her hospital bed, visit with her parents downstairs, but return to her bedroom upstairs to sleep a night.
Love and prayers to Val always...Salynn
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