Home From the Hospital

~~Wednesday, August 24, 2005~~

Danny was released to come home from the hospital today. He's been there a week and it seems like a month. It took us all afternoon to make the rounds to the various places we needed to go. We were both exhausted when we finally got home.

Dr. Imamura (not sure I spelled that right) said the brain scan showed a tiny spot at the back of Danny's neck. About the size of the tip of a ball point pen, he said. However, he wasn't as concerned about that as he is about the mass in Danny's chest so he's wanting to treat the mass aggressively before it gets bigger. He said it could crush his esophagus if it grows any bigger. That's why the radiation every day, 5 days a week. None on the weekends.

He said Danny could experience a heartburn sensation but probably that would be all. Any worse symptoms and we can tell him. And he can prescribe something for nausea if Danny has that.

They gave us booklets about what to expect and about nutrition for Danny. He's going to need extra protein and lots of fruits and veggies. Protein can come from milk, eggs, and meat. If he gets a problem with his mouth and throat, we'll have to cut back on fiber but until then it's ok. If he loses weight, he can even have gravies, sauces, etc. to help boost his weight. Low appetite, he can have Ensure and soft or easy to eat foods like applesauce, milkshakes made with bananas, etc.

So...I now need to make a menu list and grocery list that will actually cover the kinds of things they recommend. Less fried foods, of course, as they are more difficult to digest anyway. But more fresh stuff. I think I need to get some more buffalo meat since it's very high protein and low fat, and no "chemicals". He's getting enough chemicals already.

SS appointment is Sept. 1, so that's not bad. By then we should have his birth certificate in hand. He also needs to list his jobs for the last 15 years. That will be the hardest part to fill out, as you can imagine. I don't think they have to be in order like a job application. Just a list. Also, any copies of paperwork we can get from all his doctors. The lady at the SS said DON'T pay for them..only get what they'll give us for nothing. I'm guessing the SS can get other stuff from them.

He had all his important meds at the hospital today, but tomorrow we'll need to get Prednisone and the two heart meds for him. We got the breathing meds and antibiotic as samples at the doctor's office who wrote the scrips, plus had a few things from the hospital. He has a pain scrip, too..vicodin..so we'll see how much that is but not sure if we will be able to get it or not. Otherwise, some stuff is ok to buy OTC such as the nicotine patches, mucinex (which we have here) and tussin type cough medicine (also have here).

I wrote a list on paper for morning, noon, supper, and night with the meds that he has to take at each interval. It's complicated but having it written out helps.

Danny talked to his brother in MS tonight and it looks like they're going to try to come over here to Arkansas. Not sure if it'll be Friday or another day over the weekend since they aren't real sure yet either. Hoping it's Sat. or Sun. since Danny will have radiation Friday.

Tomorrow's radiation is at 11:15. I don't know what time for Friday since they didn't say yet.

We're going to run to the flea market before the treatment and also try to get the meds. I figure after the treatment he'll just want to come home and lay down.

You know, it's easier for me to tell everything here cause I have time to think.

I had put kraut and hot dogs in the crockpot for our supper. It hit the spot with all of us.

We're going to try to eat as much as possible out of the freezer. We have chicken, ground beef, buffalo, and fish out there I know for sure. Plus frozen veggies. Of course, plenty of rice both white and brown, and wheat for making flour for bread and rolls. (Something I need to do in the next few days is grind some wheat and put it in the freezer for easier use.)

I think in the morning I'll put chicken in the crockpot maybe with a variety of veggies. All I'm lacking is taters, but I can cook rice after we get home to serve with the whatever-it-is chicken dish.

Danny's voice has changed drastically from this time last week. It's raspy and weak now, sometimes barely above a whisper. His appetite is good, though. I hope that's a good sign.

But this is lung cancer. It's non-small cell, which means slow growing. But.It's big - over 3 inches. It's inoperable. It's already causing problems internally. And it's in the back of his neck, too. None of this can be good and I can't find anywhere that it says lung cancer patients survive a long time. I think of Peter Jennings and his short life after cancer was found in his lung. Just 4 months. And now Dana Reeve, widow of Christopher Reeve, has announced she is battling lung cancer. I guess we're not alone, but right now it feels like we are.

Please continue in prayer. We have a lot of changes to assume including how to pay bills on zero income. Still believing God will supply all our needs according to HIS riches in glory.