Every other week I write a column for the Chapel Hill Herald, and this blog seems to have become my in-between week writing. Peter tends to write the blog on my column weeks, or so it has worked out well.
Peter wrote this week, and reported on the music that gives him so much joy and energy. If you saw the performance on Saturday night you would not have known Peter was sick. He'd worried about needing a stool to sit on at some point, but once the music got going, I don't think the thought crossed his mind. So many of our wonderful friends came (including a contingent from my work!) that we both felt incredibly blessed by all of you.
What he didn't say is that these past two weeks have been the worst in many ways, and it was pure miracle (and positive energy) that enabled him to sail through the gig on the 28th and carried him through an energetic Sunday, even splitting a few logs in the woods. Can you guess that Monday was a crash day?
It was also the next-to-last day of radiation, when all the cumulative effects of both treatments seemed to gather in force. They wreaked havoc on his stomach, and he didn't eat (or keep down) much of anything Monday or Tuesday, and the radiation staff threatened heavily (hospitalization and feeding tubes get mentioned) at that last visit.
I've been pushing the eating tactics I learned when pregnant. Eat lots of small meals (the docs have said this from the get-go), eat the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast), and use saltines to settle the stomach before larger meals. But when Peter feels bad, and I am not around to push, he has such an aversion to food that it is hard for him to walk into the kitchen. Lately, even food odors (especially onions cooking) turn his stomach.
Wednesday was another little-intake day. That night I went to the store and bought lots of what I refer to as "junk food"---highly processed, packaged, and convenient. That last adjective made it worthy for the cause.
I also discovered (at my sister's suggestion) that Peter had not been taking his anti-nausea, pro-appetite meds (she suspected this because he's a guy).
On Thursday morning, before work, I engaged the second strategy, which was to create a Google doc with time slots every 2 or so hours, and send it out to family members and a few close friends (some medical professionals thrown in the mix), asking them to choose a time in which to call Peter to encourage him to eat and ask him if he'd taken his meds. I send a list of the food that is easily available to him.
At some point on Thursday Peter called me and asked, "Are you siccing people on me?" I fessed up. Later he heard me refer to the email I'd sent. "There's an email?" he asked. That night he took note when I referred to the schedule. "A schedule too?"
Yes! And it is working. He nibbled all day on Thursday and felt better. He followed suit on Friday and was even able to go swim some laps. In another week or so the effects of all this assault on his system should start to recede, and he should start to feel like himself more and more. In the meantime, the calls and prods are working.
Because of his nausea and weight loss the docs moved the date of the follow-up diagnostics to March 1st. I am grateful for this. His body will have more time to heal, and the inflammation from the radiation will have had time to go down, so they will be able to see things more clearly on the scan. This delay won't necessarily push back the date of the surgery, which will probably still be mid-to-late March.
On another note, the Johnson Intern Program, where I work, is supporting me whole-heartedly by bringing in alumna Tricia Lindley to serve as interim director during the time of the surgery. I will be able to be completely un-plugged from work during this time, which is a real gift. Peter and I continue to marvel at our good fortune for having good medical care so close-by, having our daughters right here in town, Peter's recent retirement and my having a supportive workplace, and of course all of our wonderful friends. If you're reading this, you're in that contingent, and we appreciate you more than you can know.
Oh, and if you want to give Peter a call, be my guest!
--Susan
So glad to hear that you have multiple forces at work for Peter's good! If he doesn't start eating, threaten him with including us here in the platlelet dept on his "call" list--he knows how doggedly persistent we can be!
ReplyDeleteWe are all hoping for good news from the scan as well as a post that says that all the snack food is paying off in some weight gain.
I really appreciated Susan's article this past week. Leggings or tights...I have a 22 year old daughter who tries to keep me enightened, but it takes a thoughtful perspective such as yours to put a smile on my fashion-confused face. :)
Hey Buddy,
ReplyDeleteHow are you? I hope things are going well. I’ve been thinking of you and wanted to send you a bunch of well wishes in the way of Prayer:
Dear Lord,
I come to you along with Peter saying Thank you for the blessings that you have bestowed upon Peter thus far but also asking that you will restore everything that he has lost in the last few months. We are asking you to restore the time that he has lost in going to and from the hospital and in bed. We ask of you to give Peter all the joy, love and happiness every day of his life regardless of how he feels and the thoughts that he may have each day. We ask of you to replace negative thoughts or uncertainty with joy and peace for what he has and for what he will have in years to come. We thank you Lord now because we know that you can do all things and nothing is impossible for those that love you! Thank you Lord.
Peter thank you for welcoming me and my husband into your life and home!
Blessings every day from me to you.
Angela Clark