Nan Mustard's Recovery

This blog is a record of Erin (Nan) Mustard's recovery.

Sunday, July 08, 2007

Dear Ones,
Sunday evening, 8:40 pm and Nan is better. When I say better I don't mean out dancing or driving her car better, I mean somewhat more lucid, stronger and more in control of her own life. In a few minutes Pam Whitted, our dear friend from Lodi will arrive with a Coke Icee that Nan ordered when Pam called. Amazingly Nan is sitting in her recliner DOWNSTAIRS in the family room, it was her idea and she carried it off very well. It meant my helping her up from the recliner upstairs, helping her turn and sit on the walker which rolls, rolled her to the stair chair seat which she stood and turned and sat down, then rode down with her at the controls, then up and turned again to sit in an office chair with wheels for a short trip to the steps to the family room, up and carefully holding on to the side rail down the steps and then into another office chair with wheels for the trip to the rocker, up again and she sat down in the rocker by herself. Then pulled the level reclining it by herself and then settled in.

Now Pam and come and gone and its 11:05. We witnessed the most amazing feat tonight. Pam brought some Coke Icees and Nan had about 1/2 of hers. She drifted in and out of awareness while Pam rubbed her feet and legs with lotion, Nan loved the nice feeling of the lotion. Later she decided it was time to go up to bed. With minimal help she got out of her recliner and turned and sat on the office chair with wheels, then with our assistance took the three steps up to the dining room level, sat in that wheeled chair for the ride as Pam drove, yikes! Then stepped onto the chair for the ride up the stairs and then we had the walker ready for her to sit in for the last leg, instead she basically said, get out of the way and walked to the bed on her own. Once she got to the bed she was gasping for air and very tired out but she did it her way and amazed us with her determination. Then as I prepared the TPN Pam and her traded jokes, had her take her 4 pills for the night and then settled in for sleep. It is true that no everything she said made a lot of sense, she is wrestling with getting her mind straight, not sure if the Sprycel did that or the higher dose of Oxycontin or the Adavan or the results of the results of the recurring high fevers. Her memory is very selective and can grasp events from 10 years ago and connect them with now in amazing ways.
When I changed the fistula dressing today I was once again confronted with the growing tumor which literally seems bigger every day, it is so ominous, AMN can't get here any too soon. And even then we won't know if it will help or not, it can help, it might help, we pray that it helps.
I think Nan is much stronger than she was a week ago and providing we can keep the fevers away she will continue to grow stronger. She has to cope with startling moments of pain which sometimes pass in a little bit and other times linger for awhile. All in all we have had a good day. All of her meds have been on time, her vitals have remained good and in the morning Terry comes to draw blood and to see her again. Also in the morning Barb and Gerry will be arriving to help us for a few days, how we look forward to their coming and hope that they can enjoy themselves while they are here.
Pam let us know that she and Donna Want are coming on Wednesday afternoon for a visit, that will be very special since Donna has been one of the strongest prayer warriors for Nan ever since our dark days in Boston. She also provided the dish for Christian programing that we have not gotten installed yet. How fortunate we are to have such a group of family and friends.
I would like to express our special appreciation to those individuals who most recently gave donations to the recovery fund, money that is being used to cover the AMEX bill for the Sprycel. I spoke to Bob Miller and he mentioned a large part came from another part of the country but he gave me no names, thank you for your help, each and every one who helped us with the Sprycel. Thank you so much!
Now its bedtime and I pray that God will see fit to allow another fever free night. The humidifier I used last night refused to work tonight and in spite of our technical assistant, Pam, it will not work so I found the old one and it is pumping out steam. I thinks it helps Nan breathe better through the night.
So dear friend, no matter what your relationship is to Nan, friend, relative, fellow GISTer, fellow worker from the past, we thank you for your outpouring of love, for the cards that arrive every day, for the email messages which I read to nan every day and she smiles or cries when she hears them. You help us greatly in this dark time and we thank you.

Dana, if you are reading this, Nan talks about you all the time and this evening thought Pam was you, you seemed to make a nice impression on her, perhaps she is hungry awaiting your return so she can eat again, anyway just know you are missed and we long for your return and for John's visit too.

Good night friends,

love

tim and nan

8 Comments:

  • At 11:50 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Tim,

    I am delighted with the news related in the BLOG this evening. Pretty good news in total. I also am happy that you seem to have found a less difficult perspective on your current circumstances. Good for you and all of us as well. Some times I can't think of anything good to write and shy away from participating. I see now that, that is a mistake. Even the worst response is better than none. When your standing the dark valleys it is always good to hear someone call your name. Hey Tim! can you hear me now. sorry I didn't speak up as often as I should.

    News flash tonight in the BLOG for you young readers. Take special note that the old humidifier is working and the new one isn't. Ain't it the truth!

    Prayers for another glorious day!

    Wes

     
  • At 11:50 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Tim and Nan:

    Just a short note to tell you that you are in my thoughts and prayers. Tim your details on the blog are great, since I have been to your house I know exactly all the stairs, etc that Nan has to go through.

    It is almost midnight and Art already went to bed. He may be able to go see you on Wednesday.

    Let's hope for a wonderful day tomorrow - with no pain for Nan.

    Good night,
    Connie

     
  • At 5:26 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Tim & Nan ~
    I agree with Wes - sometimes I just don't know what to say and don't respond to the blog.

    Know that I'm hear reading these blogs faithfully each morning or night and thank you for keeping us posted - I know this helps you too to air the day's events.

    Hopefully you had an uneventful night and will have a day free of fevers and pain.

    Love and prayers, Marilyn

     
  • At 7:25 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Hi Nan and Tim,
    What a joy to hear that your fevers are down and you had a good day!

    Checking in on you after spending a little time with our daughter Laura, her family and friends at Lake Raburn in Clayton, GA.

    Laura lives outside of San Francisco with her family. Four families get together at the lake home of one of them every year for a week. They have a great time! AND they have asked us the past couple of years to join them for a day or two. We charish the time with our kids and enjoy their friends very much.

    Got to get. I have to reclaim the house for MY Dads 10 day stay. We pick him up at the airport tomorrow.

    Know that you are thought of and prayed for daily.

    That stranger in NC.

    With love and prayers,

    Phyllis

     
  • At 10:56 AM, Blogger Irene Wing said…

    Once again, I am in total amazement of Nan's inner strength along with her trust in the Lord. It makes my heart happy to know that she had a better day yesterday. I know she still has pain but hold on to the thought that the AMN 107 is coming soon. Having you, Tim, your children, Keanna and all your special friends' visits have been such good medicine. How we wish we could bottle that in pill form!
    May today be an uneventful day.
    Blessings and love,
    Irene

     
  • At 5:09 PM, Blogger Unknown said…

    Hey Tim and Nan!
    I now know what it's like to be a "mother-in-law"--though I keep telling the kids I'm too young!! Somehow, at 27, they just don't believe me!!

    The Catalina Island wedding was so, so special! We looked over the ocean (actually, the guests did--John and I did the yaking--so we faced the guests!) and watched the sun slowly dip behind the mountains. We had the time of our lives--though the tears were flowing freely!! The DJ called it the "faucet wedding!!" We're all just so close and love each other so much--it was really tough NOT to cry!! But then the laughter always came through--just to balance the sentiment!

    The Bride and Groom escaped via scuba diving--thus making sure none of us would follow them!! It was just glorious--but do NOT ask any of us to walk more than a few steps today!! ALL our feet are killing us!!

    Our daughter returned from Italy on Thursday--minus two large pieces of luggage! So she and I had to run to the mall for a emergency supply of clothes for the weekend! The airline called last night--one bag showed up on our doorstep in Denver (or so our neighbor says) and the other is sitting in LA!! Good ole' baggage claim!! At least we have one bag--we'll feel better when we hear the second one is sitting in our garage also!!

    We're off to take the families to dinner then deliver Tim and Danielle to the airport to enjoy two weeks in Tailand scuba diving--so will sign off. I've had fun reading the blogs since last week when our internet went "black"--and just know--the Cress family--all five of us now--are praying for both of you!!

     
  • At 5:33 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Oh where did the day go? It was one of those busy days where I didn't accomplish much of anything. I hate it when that happens. The phone rang a lot, people came to my door, I checked people in, fixed 2 meals for house guests, did one load out of 3 of laundry. Now it is nearly 8:30 and I am wondering where the day went???

    Good news that Nan is feeling better and more alert. Now to keep that tumor growth and fever under control...

    Our house guests are gone, the phone has slowed down, Roger is dozing in his recliner and now I can get the laundry finished up.

    Have a good nights sleep rest for both of you!

    Love and prayers ~ Carol

     
  • At 6:23 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Hi Tim & Nan,

    We just got back from the Chemo Center and Carrol's numbers were good enough to keep Her off of the Chemo for at least 2 more months, We are most thankful for that. Her MRI showed no more Meyeloma anvancement since the last scan more than a year ago and that is very good indeed.

    We hope and Pray that the (AMN107)"New Med" will come through for Nan quickly and be very effective too.

    I have to run and get Carrol to Band Practice , will write more later.

    Love You Both,

    Bob & Carrol.

     

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