Nan Mustard's Recovery

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

Friday, November 16, 2007

Dana arrives from Houston

Dear Family and Friends,
This evening Dana arrived from Houston and is now safely sleeping in her room. nan was so glad to see her after a two week absence. Nan has had a decent day with good moments and not so good moments. Her pain level seems well managed but she remains confused sometimes and totally clear at others. This morning she asked to move from the recliner where she slept last night to the hospital bed. She handled the move very well and settled into the soft bed. She was awake for about 4 hours before finally falling asleep again. She is using much less Adavan than she was last week and yet is sleeping for several hour periods during the night and day. She is very faithful about taking her pills. She often has brief times of nausea and this morning some of the foam that came up was tinged with blood so I insisted that we get the aciphex going again.
This morning I got on the ball and started to call the pharmacy that handles Nexavar. We discovered last evening that there were only enough pills for today and half of tomorrow. It took a bit to find the right person and then there was a bit of dancing about over documents that had been faxed or not from the doctors office. Later in the day I received a call from someone who told me the next 14 days worth of the meds were being shipping out and should arrive tomorrow Fed Ex to our door. That was good news indeed. While we cannot prove that the drug is helping we are all pretty sure that the tumors are not getting larger and perhaps have lost a bit of their luster and even size. They remain huge and ugly and a hourly reminder of how high the stakes are at this point in Nan's life.
I traveled to Emeryville to see a condo in a high rise near the Bay. The lady was very interesting and amazing. She raises horses to race at Bay meadows track and other tracks. She has been involved with horse racing all of her life and on the way out she asked me how old I thought she was, well there is no right answer to that question and she told me 78. I would have guessed 50. Her walls, shelves and all storage areas are filled with horse related working items and photos of her horses that have won hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years.
Then it was off to Hayward to see a carefully maintained little home where not a week grows. The gentle man who comes from Spain or Portugal said in broken English that he did this kind of grounds keeping at home before America. Garden plots all over with perfectly turned soil and not one week growing. Then a quick trip to San Jose for a few photos and suddenly there was not enough time to get home and then to the airport to get Dana so I fought traffic up to the airport directly, had a bite at Olive Garden and greeted Dana who arrived tired and sore from hours in a airplane seat. We drove home only stopping to buy a better flashlight, Nan had asked for one that she can turn on easily during the night so we got a couple for her to try, also some shower caps that can be used to wash the hair for a patient without water getting everywhere. Now everyone sleeps except for me. I have to do TPN still and then Adavan and then crash until 1:30 when the next antibiotic is due. Oh well this is all a work of love for someone who has done so much for so long for so many.
Spouses, please take time today to express your feelings, your appreciation, your gratitude for the trust and devotion of your other. Let them know how much better life is with them than without them, let your kids know how much you treasure them and as the spending season approaches keep the real reasons for Christmas in your heart, Jesus, our best friend who really knows about giving on the deepest level.
I have a right to counsel you, to urge you to care for each other while you have the opportunity to do otherwise, do the loving thing because you want to and intend to and plan to, well do it now while you can.
Nan is holding on as best she can. Her world has narrowed considerably now and when you break through with a call or a card you expand her world a lot. I want to pay tribute to Mary this evening, Mary knows how to come and sit, for her its OK if Nan is asleep, she sits quietly bay and waits until Nan wakes. Mary, thanks for your great deep genuine love!
This weekend Marilyn is going to get away for a short visit to her friends up in Sac. I urge her to get away and catch her breath. I get away every day as I work but she is here 24 hours a day so we urge her to go play for a bit. She is an amazingly helpful and thoughtful person. No one could do it better for Nan than Marilyn.
For our blessings we thank our Heavenly Father tonight. We seek His divine healing and restoration and mostly His will to be done in Nan's behalf.

love
tim and nan and marilyn and dana!

3 Comments:

  • At 11:50 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    TIM PASSES ON FOOD CRITIC JOB AND ENJOYS HIS TIME AT OLIVE GARDEN!

    Dana has fought her way back to
    CA. I wonder what the other contestant looks like. Tim mentioned that you were tired and sore and we know the you weren't flapping your wings to get here. So how else could one get sore and tired on a plane besides fighting? Sitting down. Munching stuff. Drinking stuff. Taking naps. There most be more and we are waiting to hear it.

    We're still waiting.

    We're still still waiting.

    We're still still still waiting!

    Well maybe tomorrow.

    Wes

    PS Welcome Dana, happy holiday Marilyn and sweet dreams Nan

     
  • At 2:59 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Nan, Tim, Marilyn and Dana~
    Too fun to have all of you there to keep everything running smoothly. I read this blog every day and am amazed at how all works out for Nan. She is one tough cookie!!!

    Tim, your advice to couples that still have each other was good advice. When push comes to shove, those are the things that matter - loved ones!

    I guess I went to bed too early tonight because I'm wide awake at this hour. Better get back in bed and catch a few more winks or I'll not stay awake in church!!

    Keep taking such tender care of our Nan - give her my love and let her know that my prayers are there for her every day.

    Marilyn

     
  • At 7:30 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Good Morning from TN,

    It's cold and cloudy outside today, but it doesn't matter ~ we're on vacation! We were going to Cades Cove today. One problem ~ the road is closed due to ice and snow. Oh well ~ we'll probably just hang out here and read or do nothing today. It feels so good to just relax and do the things we enjoy doing.

    What a surprise to have Dana back. Nothing like having a sister near. I didn't realize she was coming back so soon. How nice that Marilyn has some time to enjoy friends in Sacramento. (I wish we could be in Sacramento today.... we miss our kids.)

    Yes, Tim, we'll give you that right to council us. You have been a great role model to the rest of us. We tend to take life and our relationships with our loved ones for granted and life rushes by all too quickly. Other than our relationship with our God there is NOTHING more important than our relationships with our family and loved ones. Life is so precious yet so fragile for all of us. Thanks for reminding us.

    Have a restful day.

    Love and prayers ~ Carol

     

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