KEVIN

I mentioned in another post that Kevin was a big help to me.  I was fretting about how to put the hospital bed in our bedroom and was planning to take our bed down to store it. I asked Stella if she had room in her storage closet for our bed and mattress. Kevin suggested we put the hospital bed in our den/study where we have our computers and the high-def TV that Stella bought Neal for his birthday. 

Stella helped me draw a diagram showing where to situate the furniture. Sunday afternoon, Kevin and his sons, John and Michael, moved the furniture out of the den and arranged the remaining pieces to accommodate the hospital bed.  Colleen, Kevin’s wife, helped, too.  She and Jeaneal bought linens - extra long twin sheets. Colleen was there to receive the hospital bed when it arrived Monday morning. Stella, Kevin, and I were at the hospital waiting for the ambulance to transport Neal home.

After Neal came home, Stella and I had a baby monitor in the den with receivers in the bedroom and living room. Kevin bought a wireless doorbell and taped it within reach to Neal’s bedside table with the receiver in the kitchen.  Neal could ring the doorbell when he needed or wanted anything. He was never left alone for long, but he could ring the doorbell (“cuckoo”) whenever he needed us. 

Kevin showed Stella and me how to change Neal's linens with a minimum of turns. He suggested that we have as many layers as possible between Neal and the air mattress. He put a draw sheet under the fitted sheet and pulled it as tight as possible, then another draw sheet over the fitted sheet, next a waterproof flannel pad, a chux (disposable paper pad with waterproof liner), and finally a pillowcase next to Neal's skin. He explained that there was no need for anything more than that.  

When Neal came home from the hospital, his skin was broken down and the possibility of a bedsore was imminent. Kevin applied a mixture of antibiotic, vitamin D, and moisture barrier creams to the area and within several days the skin was healed up. Neal was catheterized and Kevin taught us how to drain the catheter bag and measure the urine. I've probably forgotten so many other things that he taught us.

Kevin and Colleen and family were here from Christmas Eve until New Year's Day. During that time, he and Colleen stayed several nights with Neal while Stella and I stayed in her condo (she has a condo in our same building) for some much needed rest.

THAT HAPPY DAY WHEN NEAL CAME HOME, DECEMBER 26

FROM OUR ELDER BRUCE CLARK: Ruby, I know this is not the Christmas you would have planned. You have been on my mind all day. I've been praying for peace for you & now I know why. May you have the peace that only Christ can give. You'll never know what your emails have meant to me. Your faith & trust in the Lord has been nothing short of beautiful. They have been a blessing to me & I suspect to many others. You can reach me ANYTIME if you need me. Our crew here just had prayer for you. I'll talk later. Bruce (& Kayren) --------- “There is none like the God of Israel who rides the heavens to your help, And through the skies in His majesty. The eternal God is a dwelling place, And underneath are the everlasting arms; And He drove out the enemy before you, And said, “Destroy!”” Deuteronomy 33:26-27------- NEAL HAD A WONDERFUL TRANSITION FROM HOSPITAL TO HOME ON MONDAY. WE SET UP HIS BED IN OUR DEN/STUDY SO HE CAN DIRECT ME AS I WORK ON THE COMPUTER. COVENANT HOSPICE HAS BEEN WONDERFUL. NEAL IS SO HAPPY TO BE AT HOME AND I’M BLISSFUL. GOD HAS BEEN SO GRACIOUS TO US – GIVING US STRENGTH AND PEACE MOMENT BY MOMENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRAYERS. WE FEEL WE’RE SURROUNDED BY GOD’S GRACE AND LOVE.

OUR CHILDREN

December 24, 2011 Kevin, Neal's son, and his family came and stayed in the Navy Lodge. He is a retired Navy nurse and was so much help to me during this time. Jeaneal, Neal's daughter, came and brought her dog Roxie and stayed just up the street in a local hotel. My daughter,Shirley, lives in Mobile so she was able to come and stay with Neal. My son, Gary, lives in Houston and he was able to come, too. Neal and I have been married for 38 years and all of our children and grandchildren love and respect each other. December 25, 2011 Dear Children, Up until yesterday, Dad was in a drug fog. Yesterday, he was very alert and his mind was clear. In the afternoon, he told me he was going to refuse all treatment and he wanted to go home. We had an appointment with Hospice this afternoon. They will send a hospital bed to the condo tomorrow morning between 9:30 and 10:30. We will transport Dad home by ambulance. He is very happy with his decision and I am supporting him in this decision. “When peace like a river attendeth my soul, When sorrows like sea billows roll. Whatever my lot Thou has caused me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.” --

DECEMBER 24, 2011

December 24, 2011 Yesterday, the Neurologist ordered for Neal’s blood pressure to be taken in different positions. My sister Stella was there. The EEG with camera recorded the events. He did fine with everything until he got out of bed. He stood for perhaps 90 seconds and then the “seizure” started. Dr. Myers says it’s not seizures. His blood pressure drops when he stands up and that causes him to have a response. I’m not sure what the next step is but we are thankful to the Lord that he’s not having seizures. A Foley catheter was inserted and they measured seven liters of urine. Neal doesn’t have his round belly anymore. Our daughter, Shirley, spent the night with him and when the doctor (I don’t know which one – he has many doctors) came in this morning and she reported that to him, he said, “That’s impossible!” Shirley said he’s alert – asked for a mirror to see his elbow and wanted oatmeal for breakfast

EMAIL TO CHILDREN

December 22, 2011 This is a recap of our day with Dad: He ate a good breakfast but vomited it up. The nurse gave him phenergan for nausea and he had a good rest. Since he’s not taking any fluids but small sips of water, he is receiving fluids intravenously. He has staph infection in his elbow. The doctor lanced the abscess last night and he’s receiving antibiotics intravenously. Dr. Wade stopped by and looked at his elbow and said it looked better today. Nurse Chloe discovered he had thrush in his mouth and throat and the doctor ordered Nistatin to be swabbed four times daily. He had a seizure at 1:35 this morning. (An EEG with camera was set up in his room.) The EEG machine registered the seizure. I talked with Dr. Myers on the phone and she said the brain wave activity was not typical for seizures. The typical pattern for seizures is spikes up and down. With Dad’s the line is flat. She’s going to leave the monitor in the room for another night. She said, “We need to know what we’re dealing with.” The oncologist, Dr. Yazan Alsayed, who is an associate of Dr. Sunnenberg, came. He said that Dad wouldn’t be a good candidate for chemo because of his age and physical condition. The dose required for lymphoma would be too much for his system. He said they can treat with steroids and a drug that fights cancer cells. He said a doctor from the radiation oncology department would see Dad this afternoon. Dr. Rod Krentel, radiation oncologist, came by and said radiation is an option. The standard for lymphoma is six weeks, five days a week for 15 minutes. Dad will have radiation to the whole brain for four weeks and to the area where the lymphoma is for two weeks. He wants to wait until the staples are out and the wound is healed – probably two to three weeks – and then make an appointment to discuss radiation. That will allow Dad to gain some strength. That’s good because he is very weak. When Dad leaves the hospital, he will go to the Haven to begin the process of rehab and physical therapy. And that was our day today. “Praise God from Whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all creatures here below. Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.”

MCILWAIN PRAYER CHAIN

December 20, 2011 Dr. Wang (neurosurgeon) and Dr. Myers (neurologist) visited Neal today. His EEG showed some epilepsy type changes. Dr. Myers specialty is epilepsy so she’s familiar with the newer meds. Neal will stay a couple extra days at Sacred Heart Hospital so the doctors can monitor his medications. He’s getting wonderful treatment here. The nurses are just a call button away. He has a quiet room at the end of the hall with a little sitting area before you enter the room. We knew the surgery involved several risks – one of which is seizures. We’re asking for no visitors now as the doctors try to regulate his medications. We love our McIlwain Church family and are so glad that God led us to a Church who has embraced us and loved us.

This is Neal’s favorite poem, by John Oxenham
“Whom I Do Believe”
“ Not what, but Whom I do believe
That in my darkest hour of need
Hath comfort that no mortal creed
To mortal man may give.
Not what, but Whom!
For Christ is more than all the creeds
That His full life of gentle deeds
Shall all the creeds outlive.
Not what I do believe, but Whom!
Who walks beside me in the gloom?
Who shares my burden wearisome?
Who all the dim way doth illume
And bid me look beyond the tomb,
The larger life to Live?
Not what I do believe, but Whom!
Not what, but Whom!”

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

ANOTHER SEIZURE

December 19, 2011

Dad had another seizure this morning. The neurologist will look at his chart and adjust the Meds. Dr. Wang approved the request to have him go to the Haven rehab center. He shaved and brushed his teeth and was in the bathroom when he had it. Fortunately, a big brawny male nurse was standing by and laid him on the floor. I heard him say that it wasn’t violent and wasn’t a grand mal and lasted about 20 seconds. He did lose consciousness. They put him in the bed. He’s now recovered and looking at TV. I will wait to see what the neurologist says.

STELLA'S NOTES: Around 2:30, the EEG tech came. Ruby and I left to go sit in the waiting room. Ruby felt that she needed to see if EEG was completed. Ruby met Nurse Debbie who was going to check on him. When they got there, Neal had gotten out of bed by himself and was on the way to the bathroom. They put him in a chair. Ruby came back for me. He looks so pale, so weak, so lost. Nurse Debbie helped us to get him in bed. The TV remote continues to be a continuous battle for him. He's constantly going off the channel. Volume control too difficult to process.

Dr. Wang came. Confusion could be from the medications or surgery.

FROM NOW ON, STELLA AND I WILL BE STAYING WITH HIM AT NIGHT.