jm's Adventure with Multiple Myeloma: Relapsed High Risk Myeloma Update September 19 2013

Total Pageviews

Click on photos to make them larger and clearer. New to the blog, the oldest or beginning entries are at the bottom and you read upwards to the most recent date or go to Labels and begin with Entry 1. Use the alpha Labels on right to find topics of most interest to you.







Thursday, September 19, 2013

Relapsed High Risk Myeloma Update September 19 2013

It's a beautiful day here in Mackay, Idaho.  Blue blue sky with just a few whispers of white clouds.  It's the kind of day where Judy and I would have found some kind of adventure.  Maybe a walk on the Mine Hill with the Triever Trio, perhaps a drive in Jonah with the pups, or maybe one of our favorites, the quest for Shay railroad spikes up on the Trestle road.  I will sorely miss those times with mine sister!!!

Memories of this past week are quickly turning into a blur.  Initially Judy was spending day time hours on her sofa and Jeff and I would move her back and forth to her bathroom with a wheelchair with great difficulty.  Moving her about seemed to cause great pain.  A few days ago, when she quit asking for sofa time, she has remained in her hospital bed in her bedroom and using the portable bedside commode with much less movement.  

However, the bowel movement thing has definitely turned ugly.  She has had no bowel movements since last Thursday, so on Tuesday, hospice nurse Mary advised us to give 2 T. of Milk of Magnesia.  On Wednesday, after displaying great abdomen pain, we gave her an additional 2 T. of MofM.  Last night at 9pm, she awoke and said she had to go to the bathroom....now!!!  We got her on the portable commode, however in her confusion she saw this as a chair and not a commode and it took alot of sibling yelling to get her to "let go".  Then while trying to clean her, she could not longer help us hold her up and Jeff could no longer hold her up and she crumpled to the carpeted floor.  We straightened her out and decided we needed help and called Judy's great friends, Wayne and Shirley Olsen.  They came right over and Wayne devised a way to get her on a sheet so that we could lift her back onto her bed.  Needless to say, it worked and Judy fell fast asleep.  This morning it appears that none of her parts are broken, as she was able to help us with a potty break.

After starting with a 50mcg/hh Fentanyl patch and supplementing this with 4-6 hours doses of 2.5 mg of Oxy IR, we added an additional 25mcg/hh Fentanyl patch and now have not needed to add any Oxy.  However she still indicates she is in much pain when we try to move her.  After she is laying down the pain seems to dissipate for which we are indeed thankful.

Judy's cognitive awareness continues to wane.  We have had numerous small exchanges when she asks us "how did this happen to me" or "how did I get this sick"?  I have explained numerous times about the multiple myeloma and her treatments and sometimes she remembers and sometimes not.  She also asks when we are returning to Twin.  All of these questions remain extremely difficult to answer and none seem to resolve her questions.  This morning she asked Jeff, "do you think I am going to die" and he replied, "yes, probably so," trying to explain what's happening to her.  Just hurts your heart to see sadness and tears in her eyes.

Jeff is the sweetest man I know.  He is so tender and loving with Judy.  I love him so and also know how much Judy, my father and I appreciate his love and help through this time.  I could not have done this without him.

Judy is sleeping much of the time now, probably 90 per cent.  She drinks some liquids through a straw, Kellogg's Protein Shake and juice.  She has not had any solid food since Tuesday when she had some cottage cheese.



7 comments:

  1. I can feel the pain, with tears in my eyes and pain in my heart its so not fair to suffer like she is.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Stay as strong as you can. It is a blessing she has you and your brother. She is obviously very strong. MM is a horrid disease. I am praying for all of you. Having gone through this my my mom. It is unfair and terrible. My thoughts are with you all. Thank you for the updates. I wish things were different

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks for all the help you are giving Judy, and keeping her blog going. As one of Judy's regular readers, her struggle feels like my own. We are all in this together.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Jani, the opening of your latest posting so perfectly captures the wonderful adventures you had with yore sister, times most precious because you knew they were not indefinite. When we visited, we marveled at her determination to live. Perhaps that is why she can't accept or remember she is dying. Her life force is so strong

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I admire how this is written and your characteristic humor and love for the sibs. Truly honors your family and it's strength. Sure that kris would approve

      Delete
  5. I WANT HER TO LIVE.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thinking of you and your family and sending prayers, having gone through this with my mom, in her home, this past May. You are all amazing people, especially Judy, and I admire each of you and feel your pain. Peace to you always.

    ReplyDelete