No Better Arms

December 7, 2011

Wait, wait and wait some more. We are certain Keith is going home today but the doctor has not written the release yet. His porte cath was inserted today so he is ready (as ready as one can be for this kind of thing) for his first chemo on Monday. He has been pretty tired all day, leftover effects of his twilight sleep, I suppose. At one point he was talking in his sleep and making all kinds of faces. Unfortunately, I couldn't make out a word he said, rats! You never know what little nuggets of information you might garner from a sleep talker. Blackmail comes to mind, lol!

We are both so ready to go home and try to resume some sort of normalcy. I am looking forward to a good night's sleep knowing he is back where he belongs. Then, tomorrow, we head to the oncologist for a  discussion with the doctor, a chemo education class and a bone marrow test. Friday, Saturday and Sunday we get to relax, well he does, I still have my mom to tend to but that will be changing in the near future. 

My sister is looking into places for her at the advice of her doctor. She needs more care then we are able to provide any longer. Though I feel sad for her I also know my efforts need to be concentrated on Keith and my mom can be very difficult at times due to her advanced stage of Alzheimer's. It won't be easy for any of us because we were hoping to keep her at home. Things change though and now we have to try to make the transition as easy as possible for her. I fear she will give up and lose any will to live, so prayers for her are much appreciated. 

It is 4:15 as I write this and we are hoping to be out of here no later than six or seven. We shall see! Keith is reminding me that they have been saying he is going home since Monday. As far as I know there is no reason to keep him here any longer. 

Keith is doing well. His sense of humor has not diminished, which is comforting, and it makes this an easier issue with which to deal. He seems ready to do what it takes to send this disease packing. Tomorrow we may learn a little more about what is going on in his body and find out if his course of treatment will be what the doctor told us it would be, on Monday, or if perhaps because of the pathology and lumbar puncture the treatment may be changed. At this time we have no reason to think it will change.

Tomorrow is a new day and we are going to face it together. God has given us this journey for a reason. On this side of the pearly gates it will remain a mystery but on the other side we will understand. God knows what he is doing and when we get to the place where it all makes sense it won't matter anyway because we will be home. For now, my prayer is that we can both be witnesses to the power of God and the fortitude of the human spirit. We will cast our cares upon the Lord and leave the outcome to the one who created us. He is carrying us through this, of that I am sure. There are no better arms in which to rest.