Nan Mustard's Recovery

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

Monday, September 17, 2007

Tired and worn down tonight

Dear Ones,
10:30 and I wanted to go to bed early. Long hard day tomorrow and I'm only gradually recovering by leg and hip pain, coughing and some fever. However my ills diminish rapidly in light of Nan's challenges. She continues to have intense pain, wakes every 2 to 4 hours to ask for pain meds and then back to sleep for 2 to 4 hours again, chair or bed. There is no joy or peace in her life right now, just intense suffering. I over heard her praying tonight, seeking God's help with a moment when she was vomiting, choking, short of breath and intense pain in her stomach and back. This evening when we turned off the stomach pump she became ill and threw up her precious AMN pills. she tried to clean them and take them again but I stopped her, Novartis can supple more, they are not that precious. I took her up about 9:30 and gave her Dilautid and Adavan at the same time to calm her down and calm the pain too. I still need to take the TPN up when I make my last trip. Moving Nan up or down takes about 5 trips to carry things that she needs, good exercise on the stairs when the legs are working well, not so good when they are having pain, all worked out though.
Nan is feeling very rough and I fear for the future at this rate. I think we are both content to accept God's will for her life but its hard to think about or accept.
Tomorrow we are blessed with Sylvia Ahn all day long. She is a real blessing and always comes with cheer and a great deal of knowledge. Nan looks forward to her arrival. And Sylvia if you happen to read this we are very short on Kleenex which Nan uses a lot of every day.
I'm leaving at 9 in the morning for Richmond, then Walnut Creek, then Brentwood for a relo and then a ranchette here nearby and then a ranchette in Tracy and then back home to precious mama.
We are still battling finances and trying to keep enough money going into the bank to cover the vitals that have to be paid. This afternoon I left Nan sleeping, drove to Brentwood to deliver a set of appraisals for which I was to be paid $1,000 but I was only able to collect $500. That was a major blow and very disappointing. I got back home and Nan did not know I had left, she had a nice nap during that time.
Please continue to seek God's direction for our lives and for Nan's health. She has fought bravely for 11 years, one of the longest GIST survivers with this serious wild strain of disease. She has endured so much, hundreds of nights in the hospital, long surgeries, longer recoveries, pain, suffering, tubes, appliances, pouches. Yet she has endured and prospered. On Wednesday she will get to see Timothy again and she looks forward to that so much.

Thank you for caring and praying. These are hard days, no way to escape that fact but we continue to have moments of obvious blessings to cherish.

love

tim and nan

ps Marilyn, we hope you are ok and are rested up from the trip. Nan tried to call today but missed you. She misses you more than you could ever know.

5 Comments:

  • At 2:42 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Tim,

    It seems that you must take care of yourself, have you put ice on your hip at all. Ice might help the inflamation. I guess there is one treatment that says ice and heat. I would at least give it a try, ice for 20 minutesss at a time a few times a day.

    I will pray for Nan, it seems that the pain will just not let up fo rher and have no relief. I don't think I have ever heard of someone
    having so much pain for so long.

    You both are such strong people, so loving and caring, so in love.

    God be with you both and help to heal the mind and body.

    Sue m

     
  • At 5:12 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Tim & Nan

    I got home safe no problems with connections. I told the kids I was only here for a visit and would be returning "home" in about a month. I am sorry the pain meds arent working and that the pain is not stopping. Tim check the little cabinet in the garage by the door I think there are 2 kleenex boxes in there. I am counting the days. I miss you both.

    Marilyn T

    PS. this could be a repeat

     
  • At 6:33 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Tim,

    Well just another day here in regular land. Tried to learn a few things but am really getting too chronologically advantanged for it. More of a utility player than a first stringer. Seems wierd but I keep going. If I don't I'll have to do gardening full time! Hung out with a group of people tooting their own horns. It made my lips hurt.

    I should take more of your advice to heart and live in the moment. Hang with family and friends! Make the really hard sacrifices like drinking less Starbucks and more fruit juice. Can you believe some of us complain about the price of juice at $3.99 for 1/2 gallon and buy Starbucks for $3.80 for 1/8 a gallon. Go figure.

    God help me to concentrate on what is good and right, to enjoy the special moments that come my way each day and while I am doing that please relieve Nan's pain so she can concentrate on those things too along with Tim and I.
    Amen

    Wes

     
  • At 7:04 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Hi Tim & Nan,

    So sorry to read that the Pain is continuing to be a major issue with You Both, I just find it hard to understand why the Lord allows this to continue. Someday We will know the answers but it is for now so hard to understand.

    We take Carrol in for Her Pre-Opp visit today to the Dr. & the Short Stay Surgery Unit. We are hoping and Praying for A successful outcome on Wed 7:30 AM. Dr. is very upbeat about results , that is good .

    Have a safe Day on the busy Highways Tim, and We will be Praying for Pain Relief for Dear Nan. Thank You to the Dear friend that is coming over to watch & care for Nan today.

    Love & Prayers,

    Bob & Carrol.

     
  • At 2:48 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    We had a beautifully boring day today! Everyone has gone and the phone was fairly quiet. I got my house put back in order and other than that I enjoyed the quiet of my home ~ no TV, no music, no talking on the telephone. Ah ~ I love quiet days.

    So sorry you both are experiencing pain. I'm not sure using Nan's pain meds without first talking to your Dr. is a good idea. It just might not be good for your problem in connection with the meds you are currently taking. Yes, you are both very tired and hurting, but be careful about taking unprescribed meds.

    Roger will be off to choir practice again tonight. I can't believe they are actually having practice tonight after the week end. He is so tired! Got to keep going you know. Not me ~ I'm resting tonight.

    It sounds like Marilyn is already making plans to be back with you soon. How awesome is that to have someone willing to sacrifice that much time just to take care of Nan? What a special friend!

    Our thoughts and prayers are also with Carrol as she has her surgery this week.

    Well, back to my "doing nothing". I do have some cottage stuff to fold, but I'm not "overdoing it".

    Love and prayers ~ Carol

     

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