Marilyn watches over Nan today, a great help

Dear Family and Friends,
Busy day and Nan was up all day, not by choice but by neccessity. Dr. called this morning to say Nan needs blood, she is at 7.5 now, we knew it was coming, been a month since last blood, not bad really. Then the fun began. Terry offered to do the blood draw here at home for the type and cross but everything has to be in order at the lab and at the blood bank so many phone calls later back and forth the details were hammered out. Terry was a dear and checked to see what supplies and bands we had here at home, not the right ones so I stopped on my way home from SF where I had worked all day, stopped at the John Muir Concord Campus hospital, went to the lab right at 8 and picked up everything Terry would need to draw the blood, then drove home and made the trip in 45 minutes, no traffic. Terry came and drew the blood, prepared the documents, banded Nan and then I drove back to Concord, 46 minutes, to the lab at 10:50, had to be there before 11. Everything was in order (we hope), picked up a plunger we can use to clean out Nan's gastric line from the nice people on the 3rd floor, headed home by way of Taco Bell, dinner you know, one burrito later back on the road for home, to prepare TPN for Nan and to relieve Marilyn who had faithfully watched over Nan all day. Marilyn said they had a rather good day in spite of frustrations and dropped phone calls etc. Nan decided that she is sleeping in her own bed tonight and I am thrilled as I love to wake and see her there beside me, used to it after 36 years. Like it a lot. Always amazed me that I was the one who got to be her husband, she being so beautiful and talents and impressive. Always felt like I won the lottery.
My day was interesting, rose this morning to finish the relocation appraisal, do the review, prepare for the appraisals in SF and Daly City, care for Nan.
As I drove the Fiero today I dealt with issues. Called our oncology office, they had not called me back yesterday as they promised so I could not get the email of our doctor to Travis at Dana Farber who is willing and able to help us get AMN. Finally the person in charge of the oncology office decided that it would be ok to release the email address. I found that hard to understand. I have the email addresses of some of the worlds best researchers at the leading cancer institutions across this country but could not get the email address of our local oncology group, something is not right about that. The office lady took the email address of Travis, our Dana Farber contact and emailed him the doctors email address so he can send the good contacts within Novartis who can help us get this ball rolling. Then I called the car repair people, more frustration. Napa Auto had not called me yesterday afternoon when the new compressor came in like they were supposed to, I was to go in and pay for it and take it to the repair place. So this morning Napa auto could not take my credit card info to pay for the compressor and I was already half way to SF. So we lost another day. Now its about 1 am and I'm to go into Brentwood at 7 in the morning to pay for the compressor and deliver it to Kendals Automotive, a few blocks away. Very strange how things work or don't work out. Then to Tracy for a quick construction inspection and then back to report it to the lender by 10 am. All the while waiting to find out when we need to take nan to the hospital in Concord for the transfusion. Perhaps Marilyn can drive her there, we will see, whatever Nan is comfortable with, that we will do. Marilyn has been great today, prepared Adavan, kept her watered and humored all day.
I was very impressed how nan rallied to the challenge of working through the medical maze today, she really did quite well and was strong on the phone when she called me numerous times.
This evening we dumped the colostomy and each day it is putting out a little more but wow is it strong, almost gagged Nan tonight, only lots of Febreze in the air saved her from losing it.

Now my eyes are dry, tired and very sleepy so I'll say good night or good morning. I want to thank you for your continued help in all ways. God's timing is so very hard to understand and at this point I do not begin to understand this whole situation. Tomorrow is our one year anniversary of the Boston surgery. It has been a remarkable year, hard and yet worth every minute of it, challenging to Nan in so many ways and yet she continues to amaze us all. Please pray that the blockage can be averted and that something can be found quickly to stop the tumor growth. We look forward to baby Timothy being born in a little over a month and we so love playing with Keanna as often as we can. I think we get her for a sleep over this coming friday night, should I warn Marilyn? Not yet, right Jan, nothing to it, it only took you about 2 days to recover from playing, reading, keeping up with our little powerhouse.

So good night loved ones,

tim and nan and marilyn