Posted for Sheri...
Dear Family and Friends,
Wally has now been home under hospice care for 4 weeks. I am amazed at the human body, what it can endure. As Psalm 139:14 says, "I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made..." How can the human body function on no nutrition and little hydration for almost 6 weeks? To watch the human body try and heal itself and accommodate for the parts that stop functioning is truly miraculous.
Wally is very tired, very weak, and very 'foggy' in his head. He decided on Monday to stop the IV hydration so his body is slowly shutting itself down. It wasn't the easiest of decisions and one I couldn't make for him but I did remind him that his days have already been ordained by God and that the Lord would bring him home on that appointed day. The Scriptures have brought him tremendous comfort during these last days. I am so thankful that he has not been in a lot of pain. He will get some spasms of pain but they only last a few moments.
I am able to get him dressed every morning - he doesn't want to wear sweats, only his jeans because he doesn't want to look like he's laying around in his pajamas all day!
He still has his smile and his sense of humor and of course I still tease him when at all possible. He can sometimes get a little crotchety and I certainly don't blame him but I do remind him that I kind of have the upper hand here and he needs to remember to be nice to me :)
I don't think he will be able to last more than a week so please keep us all in your prayers. Pray that the Lord would give us that peace which passes all understanding (Phil 4:7), strength from His Word (Ps. 119:28) and as the children and I grieve and mourn the loss of a wonderful husband and father, pray that like the Psalmist, we can have the same heart - "Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me; O Lord, be Thou my helper. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing; Thou hast loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness; That my soul may sing praise to Thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to Thee forever." Psalm 30:10-12
Again, thank you all for your support and prayers. I am able to read the blog responses to him and any emails I receive.
Sheri
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Friday, August 15, 2008
Dear Family and Friends
Posted for Sheri...
Hello Dear Family and Friends,
I figured it was time for an update and since I found a minute, I thought I should fill you all in. Wally has been home for about 14 days now under hospice care. His nurse comes once a week to check on him and replace the line to his port. Two weeks ago, he had his drainage tube to his liver removed and for some reason was craving a good ol' PP&J sandwich. He insisted on making it himself since he wanted just the right amount of peanut butter and jelly - yes, he is even a perfectionist about his PP&J's:) We quickly learned what flows easily through his stomach tube and what doesn't - PP&J's don't! He moved on to slurpees, about 3 or 4 large ones a day! Do you know how much sugary syrup is in a slurpee? He has moved on to root beer floats or milk shakes now along with a lot of juice, soda and ice water. He can consume more liquid than anyone I have ever seen. It just goes in his mouth and through his tube and into his bag so he enjoys the taste of things but doesn't get any nutrition from what he puts in his mouth. Needless to say, he has lost quite a bit of weight so I took the scale away from him so he can't weigh himself anymore! His blood pressure and heart rate are perfect but he gets dizzy standing up due to lack of nutrition.
My sister-in-law, Kim, has been here every day playing nurse. For those of you who know me, nursing would probably be my last profession - ask my kids. Kim's good at hooking him up to his IV at night and unhooking him in the morning and not panicking when we "screw up".
He is looking forward to Heaven now and I think is sometimes disappointed when he wakes up in the morning and sees me instead of Jesus! I certainly can't compete with God so I try not to take offense that he isn't overly pleased to see me like he used to be. His heart and mind are focused on eternity right now so I just try to keep him comfortable and his glass full of whatever he seems to be craving at the moment.
Thank you for your continued prayers for our family.
Love,
Sheri
2 Corinthians 5:1-8
"Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord."
Hello Dear Family and Friends,
I figured it was time for an update and since I found a minute, I thought I should fill you all in. Wally has been home for about 14 days now under hospice care. His nurse comes once a week to check on him and replace the line to his port. Two weeks ago, he had his drainage tube to his liver removed and for some reason was craving a good ol' PP&J sandwich. He insisted on making it himself since he wanted just the right amount of peanut butter and jelly - yes, he is even a perfectionist about his PP&J's:) We quickly learned what flows easily through his stomach tube and what doesn't - PP&J's don't! He moved on to slurpees, about 3 or 4 large ones a day! Do you know how much sugary syrup is in a slurpee? He has moved on to root beer floats or milk shakes now along with a lot of juice, soda and ice water. He can consume more liquid than anyone I have ever seen. It just goes in his mouth and through his tube and into his bag so he enjoys the taste of things but doesn't get any nutrition from what he puts in his mouth. Needless to say, he has lost quite a bit of weight so I took the scale away from him so he can't weigh himself anymore! His blood pressure and heart rate are perfect but he gets dizzy standing up due to lack of nutrition.
My sister-in-law, Kim, has been here every day playing nurse. For those of you who know me, nursing would probably be my last profession - ask my kids. Kim's good at hooking him up to his IV at night and unhooking him in the morning and not panicking when we "screw up".
He is looking forward to Heaven now and I think is sometimes disappointed when he wakes up in the morning and sees me instead of Jesus! I certainly can't compete with God so I try not to take offense that he isn't overly pleased to see me like he used to be. His heart and mind are focused on eternity right now so I just try to keep him comfortable and his glass full of whatever he seems to be craving at the moment.
Thank you for your continued prayers for our family.
Love,
Sheri
2 Corinthians 5:1-8
"Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord."
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Weekend Update
Posted for Sheri...
Dearest Friends and Family,
Thank you once again for all of your encouragement and prayers. I brought Wally home on Wednesday afternoon from the hospital. It was a MUCH longer stay than anticipated - 9 days to be exact. We really thought that Wally would just need his stent replaced and be in the hospital for 2 or 3 days then back home doing the things Wally does. Unfortunately, his stomach wasn't cooperating. It's hard to sustain life when your stomach won't absorb any nutrients and IV feedings could make things worse for cancer patients. Therefore, he made the decision to stop his chemo treatments and come home to be comfortable and surrounded by his family who so deeply loves him during his remaining days. We have been so blessed as a family as we look back at the tremendous life God has allowed us to live together. Wally is very much at peace knowing that God is in control of all things and he is looking forward to seeing His Lord and Savior. This is a difficult time - long good-byes are so hard and yet we are also thankful that we have the opportunity to say good-bye.
We were comforted by the Scripture from II Corinthians 4:16-18 which some friends shared with us. "Therefore do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
Wally desires that we all know that peace which he has. He is not suffering in pain but is awaiting the final day the Lord brings him home to eternity.
He so deeply loves his family and his many friends. Please remember the sparkle in his eyes, the winks and hugs but mostly his faith in God who made him who he was.
Sheri
Dearest Friends and Family,
Thank you once again for all of your encouragement and prayers. I brought Wally home on Wednesday afternoon from the hospital. It was a MUCH longer stay than anticipated - 9 days to be exact. We really thought that Wally would just need his stent replaced and be in the hospital for 2 or 3 days then back home doing the things Wally does. Unfortunately, his stomach wasn't cooperating. It's hard to sustain life when your stomach won't absorb any nutrients and IV feedings could make things worse for cancer patients. Therefore, he made the decision to stop his chemo treatments and come home to be comfortable and surrounded by his family who so deeply loves him during his remaining days. We have been so blessed as a family as we look back at the tremendous life God has allowed us to live together. Wally is very much at peace knowing that God is in control of all things and he is looking forward to seeing His Lord and Savior. This is a difficult time - long good-byes are so hard and yet we are also thankful that we have the opportunity to say good-bye.
We were comforted by the Scripture from II Corinthians 4:16-18 which some friends shared with us. "Therefore do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
Wally desires that we all know that peace which he has. He is not suffering in pain but is awaiting the final day the Lord brings him home to eternity.
He so deeply loves his family and his many friends. Please remember the sparkle in his eyes, the winks and hugs but mostly his faith in God who made him who he was.
Sheri
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Tuesday Update
Posted for Sheri...
Hi All,
Sorry I haven’t updated for a few days but everything has been moving so quickly for our family and not in a way that we had anticipated. Wally’s cancer has affected his stomach nerves which means his stomach isn’t working. This morning they took him in for his last procedure which is a venting peg for his stomach. He again hasn’t been able to eat but his body is producing a lot of bile which ends up just sitting in his stomach and making him nauseous. This drainage tube should help with the nauseous feeling so that he can be comfortable. He still has the drainage tube also in his liver to drain the infection. The goal is to go home tomorrow morning. We will be having hospice services come in to help us. Wally has decided that it is time to stop the chemo and to just stay comfortable at home with his family until the Lord takes him home. Although this is a very tough time for our family and the emotions and pain of missing one another is strong, our faith is stronger in our Lord Jesus Christ knowing that He makes no mistakes and that He is glorified in both life and death. Please continue to pray for strength for our family as we band together to give Wally all of the love and support that he needs at this time.
I will try and keep you updated as things progress. Thank you again for all of you prayers and concerns for our family. You are all very special to us.
Sheri
Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Hi All,
Sorry I haven’t updated for a few days but everything has been moving so quickly for our family and not in a way that we had anticipated. Wally’s cancer has affected his stomach nerves which means his stomach isn’t working. This morning they took him in for his last procedure which is a venting peg for his stomach. He again hasn’t been able to eat but his body is producing a lot of bile which ends up just sitting in his stomach and making him nauseous. This drainage tube should help with the nauseous feeling so that he can be comfortable. He still has the drainage tube also in his liver to drain the infection. The goal is to go home tomorrow morning. We will be having hospice services come in to help us. Wally has decided that it is time to stop the chemo and to just stay comfortable at home with his family until the Lord takes him home. Although this is a very tough time for our family and the emotions and pain of missing one another is strong, our faith is stronger in our Lord Jesus Christ knowing that He makes no mistakes and that He is glorified in both life and death. Please continue to pray for strength for our family as we band together to give Wally all of the love and support that he needs at this time.
I will try and keep you updated as things progress. Thank you again for all of you prayers and concerns for our family. You are all very special to us.
Sheri
Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Saturday Update
Posted for Sheri...
Hi All,
Well, this roller coaster ride hasn’t been enjoyable for any of us. Unfortunately today wasn’t a very good day for Wally. After yesterday I was really looking forward to seeing him bounce back to feeling good. He had some cream of wheat for breakfast and chicken noodle soup for lunch but basically only ate because he didn’t want to face the wrath of Sheri :o He was feeling nauseated again today and has a lack of energy. He is basically feeling like he did when I brought him in on Monday – minus the fever. He hates being in the hospital and the fact that he is not feeling much better after 5 days here can get kind of depressing. They will do the CT scan later tomorrow and then the ERCP on Monday. Hopefully the doctors can pinpoint what is going on in his system and fix it. I remember the first day back in September when we came to Virginia Mason for his surgery, he put on the little white board next to his bed where it’s posted “Goals Today:” - “Fix Wally”. It’s very hard not to have expectations and yet I know we need to take each day as it comes.
Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
Until tomorrow,
Sheri
Hi All,
Well, this roller coaster ride hasn’t been enjoyable for any of us. Unfortunately today wasn’t a very good day for Wally. After yesterday I was really looking forward to seeing him bounce back to feeling good. He had some cream of wheat for breakfast and chicken noodle soup for lunch but basically only ate because he didn’t want to face the wrath of Sheri :o He was feeling nauseated again today and has a lack of energy. He is basically feeling like he did when I brought him in on Monday – minus the fever. He hates being in the hospital and the fact that he is not feeling much better after 5 days here can get kind of depressing. They will do the CT scan later tomorrow and then the ERCP on Monday. Hopefully the doctors can pinpoint what is going on in his system and fix it. I remember the first day back in September when we came to Virginia Mason for his surgery, he put on the little white board next to his bed where it’s posted “Goals Today:” - “Fix Wally”. It’s very hard not to have expectations and yet I know we need to take each day as it comes.
Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
Until tomorrow,
Sheri
Friday, July 25, 2008
The Gadget Man Lives!
Posted for Sheri...
Wally is obviously feeling much better today since he had me bring some of his new gadgets to the hospital which he had previously ordered so he could “play”. He has actually been awake most of the day, was able to shower and we even walked the halls without him being worn out. Of course he researched more gadgets on his computer and is thinking of “new projects” for when he gets out of the hospital and feels stronger. My question is, “Can we finish the projects we’ve already started?”
I am so thankful that he is feeling good enough to eat – he had 3 meals today! This is the first time he has eaten three meals in several weeks. The doctors are actually finally on the same page. The plan is that he will have to stay in the hospital until Tuesday or Wednesday – he is quite bummed about that news. He won’t have any new tests or procedures until Monday. They want him to rest, receive his antibiotics intravenously and be sure that he eats regularly and gets some nutrition in his body. They will then give him a CT scan and an ERCP to be sure there isn’t any blockage anywhere on Monday and then decide if he needs any other things taken care of.
Thank you all for your responses to the blog, emails, phone calls, etc. We love hearing from you!
Praise God from Whom all blessings flow. Today has been a tremendous blessing!
Until tomorrow,
Sheri
Wally is obviously feeling much better today since he had me bring some of his new gadgets to the hospital which he had previously ordered so he could “play”. He has actually been awake most of the day, was able to shower and we even walked the halls without him being worn out. Of course he researched more gadgets on his computer and is thinking of “new projects” for when he gets out of the hospital and feels stronger. My question is, “Can we finish the projects we’ve already started?”
I am so thankful that he is feeling good enough to eat – he had 3 meals today! This is the first time he has eaten three meals in several weeks. The doctors are actually finally on the same page. The plan is that he will have to stay in the hospital until Tuesday or Wednesday – he is quite bummed about that news. He won’t have any new tests or procedures until Monday. They want him to rest, receive his antibiotics intravenously and be sure that he eats regularly and gets some nutrition in his body. They will then give him a CT scan and an ERCP to be sure there isn’t any blockage anywhere on Monday and then decide if he needs any other things taken care of.
Thank you all for your responses to the blog, emails, phone calls, etc. We love hearing from you!
Praise God from Whom all blessings flow. Today has been a tremendous blessing!
Until tomorrow,
Sheri
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Thursday’s Update
Posted for Sheri...
I’m sitting here tonight by Wally’s bedside while he receives his very first blood transfusion. I got here early this morning hoping that he would be going in for his liver drainage procedure but that didn’t happen until almost noon. He got back to his room at about 3:00 with the drainage bag hooked to him. It seemed to go well – he said it seemed like he blinked his eyes and it was done. I’m very thankful that he hasn’t had any pain so far but his energy level is still very low and often times feels as if he is in a fog. The “fog” effect was explained as pertaining to some malnutrition and the drugs he is ingesting plus everything else that is playing havoc in his body right now. He was supposed to have another procedure tomorrow – an ERCP which is a specific type of endoscope. Unfortunately, we were told that they were going to hold off on that procedure for now. I’m not sure what the reasoning is - it’s hard to get answers. There are so many different doctors who need to communicate with each other and I think that by the time the information gets to us, it’s been watered down or “lost in translation”.
He still doesn’t have an appetite and yet the only program he watches on the hospital TV is the Food Network Channel! I haven’t figured that one out yet. I did get him to eat a few canned pears and a few bites of cream of potato soup today. I’m going to be quite upset with him if his waistline becomes smaller than mine! He will probably be here at least a few more days. I wish I had a clear picture of exactly what was going on but the doctors are still all trying to figure him out (I’ve been trying for 20 years – I hope they can do it much quicker)!
I will update tomorrow hopefully with some new news.
Please pray that this infection leaves his body quickly and that they “figure him out” very soon.
We love and appreciate you all,
Sheri
I’m sitting here tonight by Wally’s bedside while he receives his very first blood transfusion. I got here early this morning hoping that he would be going in for his liver drainage procedure but that didn’t happen until almost noon. He got back to his room at about 3:00 with the drainage bag hooked to him. It seemed to go well – he said it seemed like he blinked his eyes and it was done. I’m very thankful that he hasn’t had any pain so far but his energy level is still very low and often times feels as if he is in a fog. The “fog” effect was explained as pertaining to some malnutrition and the drugs he is ingesting plus everything else that is playing havoc in his body right now. He was supposed to have another procedure tomorrow – an ERCP which is a specific type of endoscope. Unfortunately, we were told that they were going to hold off on that procedure for now. I’m not sure what the reasoning is - it’s hard to get answers. There are so many different doctors who need to communicate with each other and I think that by the time the information gets to us, it’s been watered down or “lost in translation”.
He still doesn’t have an appetite and yet the only program he watches on the hospital TV is the Food Network Channel! I haven’t figured that one out yet. I did get him to eat a few canned pears and a few bites of cream of potato soup today. I’m going to be quite upset with him if his waistline becomes smaller than mine! He will probably be here at least a few more days. I wish I had a clear picture of exactly what was going on but the doctors are still all trying to figure him out (I’ve been trying for 20 years – I hope they can do it much quicker)!
I will update tomorrow hopefully with some new news.
Please pray that this infection leaves his body quickly and that they “figure him out” very soon.
We love and appreciate you all,
Sheri
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