"Just Joey" smells like a rose.Just wanted to check in to say that all is going as well as could be hoped for right now.
Dad is feeling better. He's loaded down with prescriptions for pain patches and other meds to help him be comfortable. One side effect of the meds is that his BP went WAAAYYYY down. They have reduced the dosage of his BP medication a couple of times with no effect so last week he went off the rest on his own. The nurse warned my mom that they worry a patient will have a stroke if they go off too fast, but Dad decided since all the other meds were causing the lower pressure anyway, he'd take the chance. He is feeling much more normal, although he still can't eat much without feeling nauseous. He hasn't lost any more weight in the last couple of weeks, though, so that's a good thing.
Seems unfair, but even after all the radiation his back still hurts as much as it did when he went to the doctor (who found the cancer) in the first place. Now it looks like his back pain is just the same old problem he's had for the last 40 years. He is only comfortable in a reclining position, and has to get there several times a day to make it through the day. Since he can't take his big recliner with him everywhere he goes, we've been looking for some alternative. I remembered that a friend had bought a zero-gravity patio recliner when she moved into her new home a few years ago, and that she really liked it. (She also suffered from back problems.) I went on an internet search to see where he might find one. The only place in his town listed on the Zero-Gravity website was the local Walmart ($82). I only shop the Hiawatha, Kansas Walmart when I'm there (my cousin works there), but Dad went over immediately. Three employees in three different departments had no idea what he was talking about. By the time he'd finished his run-around he was tired and came home. That was on Sunday. On Wednesday I made my weekly pilgrimage to Costco and found what he needed for $39.99. I delivered it yesterday, then took my mom to a quilt shop and out to lunch. By the time we got back Dad had mastered the chair and proclaimed it a keeper.
Now, if they'll let us take it into Disneyland for the All-American College Band in June he'll be in good shape.
I've been released from physical therapy. I've gone from three hours a week of PT to a prescribed five hours in the gym. Since that does not include cardio or any of the arm work that I was already doing, I'm really looking at closer to ten hours a week. It's such a gift to be able to walk again, however, that I'm not complaining. Just have to figure out how to tell life to stand aside so I can get my gym time in.
I've been on Spring Break this week. Finally got some flowers in the ground that have been languishing in pots, some as long as a year. Had a perfect day at Disneyland on Monday. Picked up Mom yesterday and took her to a new quilt shop (to her, anyway) and then out to lunch.
Had a nice experience at the restaurant. I live in one town, Mom lives in another and the restaurant was in a third. The server recognized me as having been her teacher WAY back. She said she hated history but loved my class, then proceeded to describe part of my Civil War unit in detail. Teaching is hard, sometimes, because you never see a result from your work. They come, they go. They act like they hate every minute. The rewards come rarely - and sometimes years later (yesterday's young woman was 25 years old!) - and it's particularly rewarding and appreciated when they do.
Speaking of which, I have a stack of Civil War projects to grade today. I hope I can get them all done so I can enjoy tomorrow's events. More gardening, coloring eggs.
Remind me I'm supposed to buy strawberries for Sunday. I keep forgetting.
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