Thursday evening, a very challenging day for Nan

Dear Ones,

10:25 and Nan just hit the sheets, she is changing her incision wound dressing right now all by herself. This has been a day of declining state of health for Nan, during the night she threw up 3 times and then this morning some more and during the day some more. She called her oncologist this morning and is thinks either blockage or dehydration. So Nan is doing a liquid diet pretty much for now. Her colostomy is still putting out lots of material so I doubt blockage really. Dr. thinks that the 3,000 cc plus of TPN and hydration should be enough to cover her needs so at this point no one really has a handle of why she is throwing up so much and is feeling so lousy most of the time.

Gerry and I left at 9:40 this morning to face terrible traffic and a closed freeway 880 so our schedule was really thrown off. The GPS really helped as we found other routes to the properties we needed to see. We had a good solid work day and generated what will eventually be $1,900 in income, if our clients ever decide to pay up. Loree called and sadly informed me, no checks in the mail at all. Our situation has moved from desperate to impossible so in many ways it is in God's hands at this point.

The oncologist said Nan needed a transfusion and ordered it. nan and Barbie planned to drive to the Antioch hospital for the cross and type, a blood test one takes before a transfusion. Nan went up stair to dress, found the room cold and covered up with a blanket for a minute and woke an hour later. They drove to Antioch and did the cross and type finishing about 4:30 pm. Once again as they drove Nan lost her cookies. They came home and rested. Barbie went to work baking healthy cookies, wow are they healthy and good. Gerry and I ordered a pizza as we drove home and picked it up at the local STrawhat. We enjoyed the good food and Barbie had prepared a wonderful salad. Nan had a bit of a piece of pizza but lost it later in the evening. She worked on taking her pills for awhile but finally got them all down, that is except the potassium which she needs so desperately.

We are hoping to ask the doctor at our 3 pm appointment tomorrow if we can also get some potassium put in IV while she gets her blood. At this point we don't know when the blood will be ready. It usually takes awhile before they can find the right blood with the correct antibodies. We still hope to be able to care for Keanna this Saturday. I have looked forward to spending time with her at the park, doing puppet shows etc as Nikki takes a break with her scrapbooking.

We lose Barb and Gerry about noon tomorrow. Our time with them has gone so fast and we have enjoyed it a lot.

Nikki provided a movie, Nativity from Net Flix which we watched tonight, very moving story with beautiful music.

All in all this has been a productive day. I woke at 5:30 this morning and prayed and dozed until nearly 7 am, begging for God's intervention in Nan's life. It seems she has a few good days and then slips into suffering again. She never complains, she just does her best to be courageous and positive, to be helpful and to do everything in her power to help. Nan is one amazing woman and from where I stand she is incredible. Lets hope in a few days she is feeling better, that the blood will help her feel better and that the nausea can be controlled.

We both want to thank Barb and Gerry for their help, for their friendship, for their humor, their faith, their good food, good ideas, positive encouragement. If you know them then you know what I mean and if you don't know them its too bad. They are great caring people and wonderful friends. They have carried us this week in so many ways and we appreciate them and their help very much.

So we send our love, please pray that Nan can have relief from the nausea and that the transfusion will go well.

love

tim and nan and barb and gerry