Merry Christmas!!!

I love Christmas....

WTF?

 One of the ugliest

This one is funny

but not this much.

I couldn't deal with it everyday of the year!

Thank You!

I would like to take a moment to thank Rachael and Topher for being with mom and dad and helping them get through this cruel experience. Now that the Hospital and bitchy nurses are in the past, we are all looking forward to positive, uplifting and quality time with each other. Nothing will get in the way of continuing our wild, sick and twisted humor. Watch out Summerlin Hospital - here we come!

Looks like dad will be home for Christmas

Dad is feeling much better now and looking towards busting out of the hospital either tonight or tomorrow. They have been giving him heart medication via IV and before he leaves that just want to make sure the oral medication works for him.

Mom and Rachael will help with the escape so the ninja nurses won't find out until the coast is clear.

Just for fun!



Senior health care solution -  according to Maxine

So you are a sick senior citizen and the government says there is no nursing home available for you -  What do you do?

Our plan gives anyone 65 years or older a gun and four bullets. You are allowed to shoot four politicians – not necessarily dead.

Of course this will mean you will be sent to prison where you will get three meals a day, a roof over your head, central heating and all the health care you will need! New teeth – no problem. Need glasses? Great. New hip, knees, kidney, lung, heart? All covered. (And your kids can come and visit you as often as they do now.)

And who will be paying for all this? The same government that just told you that they cannot afford for you to go into a home.

Plus, because you are a prisoner, you don’t have to pay income taxes any more.

Is this a great country or what?   

Dad is feeling much better!

Dad is eating solid foods and going to the bathroom all by himself.

Santa is happy, and so am I.

   We belive he will be home for Christmas!!!!! He moved out of ICU today, and his next move will be in his own bed in the "Sutter Home", with the new toilet he installed just a few weeks ago. 

    When I talked to him this afternoon it was great to hear him back to his "normal self". He told me about his crazy hallucinations the medication caused, he is able to go to the bathroom himself and he is only able to eat a third of what they bring him because he gets full (he hasn't had anything to eat since last Wednesday, go figure).

    I told him he needs to try and eat every two hours, I am so happy he can go to the bathroom himself and the hallucinations sounds like he was on acid. His hallucinations were about gold....lots of gold, and how he wanted to trade all the gold in for a glass of water!

    Now I want to get him home and fill the house full of great wine, fantastic cheese, wonderful music and his family. 

Big Steps Forward, Little Steps Back

We were hoping that Dad could be released from ICU today. His heart rate is once again erratic, so they have him back on meds for that and want to monitor him some more. But he can still eat and drink and get up.
They took out his catheter, so he has that freedom back!
With his claustrophobia the less tubes the better!
Home for Christmas is still our goal.. I think anyone who knows him will agree, once he is out of danger, he will recover faster in his own home.. 

Thank You Rachael for Keeping Us Updated

Scummerlin Hospital

I promise I am not going to dedicate a whole blog to the uncaring, horrid staff at the hospital.. I just saw that name on a review and I really liked it!

Dad does have some internal bleeding. Tomorrow morning they are going to do a procedure called angiographic embolization .. They basically go in through the groin and suck out the blood from around his spleen and pancreas. We are so glad that he doesn't need to be cut open again! Or a zipper to make fixing their mistakes easier.

This picture is dedicated to Dad and his fascination with really dumb tattoos

Dear Santa

Dear Santa Clause,

   All I want for Christmas is for my dad to be all better. If you can't make him all better will you make him feel better so he can enjoy cheese and wine again?

Marti

Rachael's Update From the Hospital

Hey everyone,
I know we are all worried about Dad. His recovery is not going well, I am at the hospital now.

Good news first, his heart rate is back to normal and his kidneys are functioning. He is allowed to sit up, and is much more coherent. They are going to finally give him a TPN, some nutrients in a IV.. (I know, since when is that good news?)

The not so good news, they have had to give him blood transfusion last night and today.. a little O negative and plasma cocktail.
The doctors think he may have some internal bleeding. His only liquid in days and it is a icky concoction for the CAT scan. He is down there now..
I hope this stellar hospital staff do not lose him..

 

Rachael will keep us all posted when they remember to give them the results.

Posting From Rachael

Disappointing day

It has been a hard day on all of us..
Dad is not bouncing back like we are use to him doing.
His heart rate is erratic, they gave him insulin, and his kidneys are shutting down. 
The doctor is thinking he might need dialysis. His spirits are low. He still hasn't been allowed to even sit up. Anyone who knows Dad, knows he has a hard time staying still. 
He hasn't had anything to drink since Thursday. Nothing to eat since Wednesday. He is thirsty, hungry, hurting, sad and gets mad at himself because he is cranky.

Even this didn't make him laugh.

Thanks for all the pictures sent our way.. I know that when he feels better he will see the humor. He is just so miserable right now, that he lost his ability to laugh.
He worries about everyone and hates that he is causing angst.
Mom is trying to be brave... but it is not always easy..
The hospitals impassive attitude is starting to get to us all.. His nurse over rules everything that sounds good to us e.g.  Giving him nutrients via IV...  letting him move around.. giving him a damned ice chip..
Here is hoping that tomorrow is a better day.

I Couldn't Imagine

Whenever I have gone under anesthetic, I have known what to expect what was going to happen while in surgery. My heart crumbled when I heard the first thing dad asked mom when he came out of his anesthetic stupor was; “What did they do to me?”

An Other Posting From Rachael

Stubborn old man.

Mom, Topher and I went to the hospital this morning.
Dad is in ICU. I think we were all a little taken back as we approached his room and were stopped in our tracks by the notice on the door.
No one allowed in without gowns, masks and gloves.
Mom finds a nurse who points at the cabinet on the wall. She tells us that the gowns and gloves are in there, "I will be back in 5 minutes" Apparently in hospital time that means 20 minutes.. so of course by that time we are all germy again.

Like this nurse? Nurse? Where are you?

I think it goes like this...

Okay we are ready.

Nurse comes back and tells us that we shouldn't be doing this in the hall.. Oops.
Finally we get to see Dad. The old man is in pain.. also stubborn. He told us that the pain meds make him sleepy. Yeah well, that is the point!  Always one to be concerned about others he keeps fighting to stay awake. 
We decided the fastest way for him to get better is to sleep.. so we reluctantly leave him.
We make the mistake of thinking that a couple hours of shopping might take our minds off things.. Forgetting that it is the Saturday before Christmas... we are distracted with the need to kill rude Santa helpers.
Back to the Hospital. Topher and I send Mom in not wanting to stress Dad.
He tried to sit up this morning and his Blood Pressure went crazy. So they put him on a IV for that.. and total bed rest.. no getting up.
As of tonight his blood pressure is stabilizing.
He still can't eat or drink anything. He is going to be in the hospital at least 5 days.
He is concerned and wants to send his love to everyone.

The Day of Dad's Surgery According to Rachael

A long day..

Todays time line       
7:00am- Everyone is up and anxious to start the day.
8:30am- Mom and Dad head toward the hospital.
8:45am- Topher and I grab breakfast, and one to go for Mom.
9:30am- Dad is done with all the intake shit and we sit waiting for the pre-op people to take him away
10:30am- They call him to get ready.. Place him in the cutest Jonnie and even cuter socks.

11:30am- They let us keep Dad company. Expect them to take him any moment.
12:30pm- Nobody from the hospital tells us a thing.. we keep waiting
1:30pm-Dad entertains us with stories of his childhood.. we are amazed he made it through his teenage years.
2:30pm-More stories and higher anxiety.. Dad is starving, he hasn't be allowed to eat for days. Topher and I in sympathy for his hunger go out and eat...
3:45pm- We are getting sick of looking at each other.
4:00pm- Finally the Doctors come out and ask more questions.. Dad keeps his cool.. I think I would have been much more snarky, if it was me... Starving and hours of waiting and waiting and waiting.
4:30pm- He gets wheeled in. Thank God, we are all surprisingly calm.
5:30pm - Mom, Topher and I are getting punch drunk..  Coffee and Coke flowing through our veins.

8:00pm- The Doctor finally comes out and gives us the bad news. Tells us we can see him in about a half hour.. a nurse will come get us.
9:00pm- Still waiting.. the waiting room is getting empty, the hospital staff are long gone.
Mom goes and finds someone to give us a idea.. she is allowed to see Dad who is still groggy.
I am not going to lie, today was tough. I wish the staff could have been more helpful. Updates would have been nice, rather than parking Dad behind a curtain and forgetting about him. When you  think you are going into surgery at 9am and are made to wait 7 hours is its own kind of cruel. Add to that being hungry. Grrrrrr.
The surgeon told us that they could not remove the cancer. The Cancer is a stage 3.. Looks like Chemo time.
The only good news of the day is that dad is strong and the cancer has not spread outside of the pancreas.

We Finally Have Some Answers

Dad is out of surgery and in recovery. The doctors decided the cons of having the "Whipple Surgery" out weighed the pros to have it done. His cancer is a stage III and they will try to control the growth of the cancer with chemo and radiation. He may be in the hospital for up to 5 days but knowing dad he will work on getting out of there as soon as possible. The doctor said he is a real strong man. Duh! We all knew that already.



Surgery Day

Dad had to check into the hospital at 9:00 am this morning.

They took him in to surgery at 10:30 am.

I will keep everyone updated as I get news.

Surgery Eve!

Topher Flies into Las Vegas Tonight!

I am so glad Topher and Rachael will be with mom and dad to help them through one of the hardest days of their lives.  

Dad hecks into the Hospital on Friday

Mom and Dad went to the hospital today to get all the pre-surgery instructions.. Checked out Dad's heart, blood type, and told him how to get so very clean... inside and out.(They will leave those details to your own imaginations..)

He checks into the hospital on Friday morning for the surgery..

A Note From Rachael

Nothing but the best for my parents.

I admit since the Almud Music Company sent me a email confirming they had tickets for the teenagers.. I have had a little doubt in the back of my mind that something would go awry. Well dammit, I love that I was wrong!

I wish I could see that handsome couple in the front row!

Mom called earlier to tell me that they had set them up with front row middle seats! I need to thank Alessia Navarino, from Andrea Bocelli's organization!

  How good it feels to not only arrange for them tickets, but to get the best damn tickets in the house! For all they do for me, I am so glad that I could come through for them!

The Wooden Bowl

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year-old grandson. 
The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered 
 
The family ate together at the table. But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and 
failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. 
When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth. 
 
The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. 
'We must do something about father,' said the son.
'I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor.' 
 
So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. 
There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner. 
Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl. 
 
When the family glanced in Grandfather's direction, sometimes he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone. 
Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food. 
 
The four-year-old watched it all in silence. 
 
One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. 
He asked the child sweetly, 'What are you making?' Just as sweetly, the boy responded, 
'Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food in when I grow up. 
' The four-year-old smiled and went back to work. 
 
The words so struck the parents so that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done. 
 
That evening the husband took Grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table. 
For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, 
neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled. 
 
On a positive note, I've learned that, no matter what happens, how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. 
 
I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles four things: 
a rainy day, the elderly, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights. 
 
I've learned that, regardless of your relationship with your parents,you'll miss them when they're gone from your life. 
 
I've learned that making a 'living' is not the same thing as making a 'life..' 
 
I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance. 
 
I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands.You need to be able to throw something back sometimes. 
 
I've learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you 
But, if you focus on your family, your friends, the needs of others, 
your work and doing the very best you can, happiness will find you 
 
I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision. 
 
I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one. 
 
I've learned that every day, you should reach out and touch someone. 
 
People love that human touch -- holding hands, a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back. 
 
I've learned that I still have a lot to learn. 

I have had great teachers in my life.
Thank you mom and dad for teaching we to look with my heart!
You will never have to eat from a wooden bowl.
 

Getting in the Christmas Spirit!

Saturday is a Day to Forget All About the "C" Word!

   About two months ago Rachael heard that mom and dad’s favorite music artist was going to be in Las Vegas. She checked into getting concert tickets for them thinking all seven kids could pitch in and buy them the tickets for their Christmas present. When she heard the “cheap tickets” were $300.00 each and the “good tickets” were $800.00 each, she thought, “no way are we going to get them to the concert at those prices”.  

    Rachael knows how much they love listening to Andrea Bocelli and wanted to find a way to get them to the concert. So with the tenacity she inherited from her parents she wrote this letter to the higher powers to be, at the official website of Andrea Bocelli.....  

Dear sirs,
I have never tried anything like this and forgive me if it is tacky....I just noted that Mr. Bocelli will be appearing in Las Vegas this December I wanted to get tickets for two great fans.. my parents...but I find that I cannot afford them.
They have been married for over 50 years still hold hands, just because, and get all mushy when they hear Andreas' music.
They have 7 children whom they support no matter what.  They left their Church when 3 of their kids came out gay.
They're retired, and put all plans on hold to take care of my aging Grandparents, who have recently passed...one then the other
I don't know if you even give tickets away or have contests or what...I just want to make two of the most giving people happy, and to see Mr. Bocelli would do the trick.. just asking I figured it couldn't hurt
Thanks in advance for any consideration.


Here is what Alessia  Navarino answered:
I'm contacting you from Andrea Bocelli's management office  We are glad to give you 2 tickets for your parents. Hope we will make them happy..

  Thank You Rachael!

You are giving two special people, in all of our lives, a very special day!  

Dad's quote of the day

When a water purification guy came a calling, the free movie tickets were really the main goal. (Same idea as listening to a time share sale to get your free cheap carry on bag.)

The teenagers let him say his thing and sent him and his overprice service packing.

Dad then tells me.

"I had to laugh at his 'Life time guarantee.'"

I hate the cancer. But I am glad can keep his sense of humor.

Another update from Mom.

Mom call the surgeon, Dr. Williams, today to see if she could get some questions answered.
Q- Should Bob start chemo before his surgery?A-Dr. Williams has not talked to the Oncologist, Dr. Whitehead, yet. So that had not coordinated yet.

Q-What stage is the cancer?
A-They won't know until they look inside.

Q-The stent Dr. Padda put in is plastic and temporary. It will eventually collapse. Will Dr Williams put in a metal stent while Bob is opened up?
A-If they do the Whipple procedure the will be no need. If the cancer is inoperable then Dr. Padda will need to do the surgery to put in another stent.

Q-Will chemo shrink the tumor, if surgery cannot be done?A-Depends on how advanced the tumor is and what chemo mixture they decide to use.
To learn more about the Whipple procedure click on the link.
http://www.pancan.org/section_facing_pancreatic_cancer/learn_about_pan_cancer/treatment/surgery/Whipple_procedure.php

I can not believe there are Americans that don't like the Canadian healthcare system!

Americans don't like the fact Canadians have to go on a waiting list for "non emergency" surgery. My Canadian friend had to wait a month for his "public health care system" to get him in for his hernia surgery.

Dad can't get in for his "emergency surgery" until December 17th. Are there others out there that see a problem with this excuse?

Still Having to Wait!

Wait, Wait And Then Wait Some More!!

They will not know when he will go in for surgery until the end of the week, and we will not know to what extent the cancer is until the surgery. The waiting is a pain in the BUTT! 

Great Weekend In Las Vegas

I spent the weekend with mom, dad and Rachael.

As always, we were a little wild and crazy!

Whatever happens in Vegas,

stays in Vegas.

Mom and dad are going to go see the surgeon today. This visit is to get scheduled for Laparoscopic surgery. It is a surgical procedures with the assistance of a video camera and several thin instruments. During the surgical procedure, small incisions of up to half an inch are made and plastic tubes called ports are placed through these incisions. The camera and the instruments are then introduced through the ports which allow access to the inside of the patient.

The camera transmits an image of the organs inside the abdomen onto a television monitor. The video camera becomes a surgeon’s eyes in laparoscopy surgery, since the surgeon uses the image from the video camera positioned inside the patient’s body to perform the procedure.

This will allow the surgeon to determine whether or not the tumor will be able to be removed through surgery. If there is fatty tissue around the tumor the surgeon may be able to remove it. If there is no fatty tissue around the tumor, dad will not be able to have the surgery. Either way, he will have chemotherapy and possibly radiation to control, and possibly remove, the tumor.

We are all hoping for good news today!

Moms message to you all..

 

Here is a synopsis of what the doctors told them on Wednesday.

Yesterday Bob went to the gastrologist at 9:30am then the Oncologist at 1:30.. a day for doctors.

The gastrologist said there was a chance a oncology surgeon could remove the tumor. He will use a camera to take pictures of the tumor and see if it is operable .  Chances are 50/50. Bob has a appointment to meet with him on Monday the 8^th.

We are keeping our fingers crossed that is operable!

Then off to the Nevada Cancer Institute, time to meet the Oncologist.  The Oncologist recommended Chemo and radiation ASAP. We told him that we wanted to see the surgeon fist.. the Doctor said that even if he has the surgery he would still need the treatments.

The oncologist further explained why the pancreas cancer would be a delicate operation. Of the tumor tentacles have wrapped around blood vessels in the pancreas , then it will be inoperable. But if there is enough fatty tissue between the cancer and blood vessels it will be a go.   The camera will show the layers of the tumor. The procedure will require a incision.  

Still no 100% answers!

Mom and Dad went to the oncologist today. They found out there is a 50-50% chance he will be able to have the tumor removed through surgery. If they do surgery the prognosis looks good. Either way he has chemo and radiation in his future. At this time, the good news is it sounds like the chemo and radiation is something he is willing to go for! Still don’t have all the answers but they are optimistic with the news they found out today!

Good News!

There is no cancer in his liver!!

We'll take any good news we can get

Insurance companies suck!

 Insurance companies are willing to be kind as long as you are healthy and paying your premiums on time but when you get sick and need the most help and compassion they will put up as many roadblocks and take advantage of you in your weakest moments.

Insurance companies are "evildoers"!

Bucket List!!!!!

Mom and dad are working on their "Bucket List"

With not knowing what the future holds mom and dad have decided to create a bucket list. They have always wanted to go to Croatia and there is no time like the present to start planning a trip.

If we would have know a week before.

Mom and Dad were just talking how they joked about Grandpa Kens dental work going up in smoke... They are hoping it's not karma that Dad just had $$$$ dental work done......

Looks like we are going to have to wait for some answers. The Cancer Institute can't take him until the 1st of November..  So I guess there will be some grinding of that new crown until then!