Family and Friends,
It is with a heavy heart that I write to you this evening. Dad developed pneumonia starting Friday afternoon, and suffered a seizure this morning. His lungs started filling up with fluid this afternoon, so Mom called and we all came to the hospital - got there around 4:45 pm. By that point, Dad was pretty much in a constant state of seizuring. About 5:30 pm, the nurses gave him some medication to help relax him, along with some more morphine to help with any pain and make him more comfortable. He was, and at 6:50 pm, surrounded by family, Dad very peacefully took his last breaths of life. We were able to stay with him in the room for a while afterwards, to say our final goodbyes and decide when the funeral will be held.
Because we have so many family members who live out of town, we have decided to leave it until next Saturday. It will be at 11 am on June 6th at Covenant Christian Reformed Church. We welcome all of you to attend and share with us in a celebration of Dad's life.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Another Day
Went to visit Dad again this evening after a day of our 'normal' routines. It was nice to have a bit of a break from sitting around the hospital all day, but at the same time, we feel badly for not being able to be there the entire time. Mom was at the hospital for most of the day, though, and when she couldn't be there, a few friends stopped by to sit with Dad.
A few updates as far as medications go. They have decided to stop the antibiotics since they know now that it's not a chest infection. Not much point in keeping Dad on them when they aren't doing anything. They have also started him on a saline solution through the sub-cue lines rather than through IV. With an IV there is concern that the fluid will just go to Dad's lungs. But with the sub-cue lines, he stays hydrated without the concern of the excess fluids. He was sleeping pretty deeply the whole time we were there this evening, but Mom said he was awake/aware earlier in the day. His speech is becoming quite slurred, though, and very hard to understand. It's another one of the signs that the cancer is continuing to take over.
So, as always, we ask for your continued thoughts and prayers. It means so much to read the comments left and know that we are not journeying alone.
A few updates as far as medications go. They have decided to stop the antibiotics since they know now that it's not a chest infection. Not much point in keeping Dad on them when they aren't doing anything. They have also started him on a saline solution through the sub-cue lines rather than through IV. With an IV there is concern that the fluid will just go to Dad's lungs. But with the sub-cue lines, he stays hydrated without the concern of the excess fluids. He was sleeping pretty deeply the whole time we were there this evening, but Mom said he was awake/aware earlier in the day. His speech is becoming quite slurred, though, and very hard to understand. It's another one of the signs that the cancer is continuing to take over.
So, as always, we ask for your continued thoughts and prayers. It means so much to read the comments left and know that we are not journeying alone.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
The Journey Continues
Just got home from another long day at Riverview. Dad was in a lot of pain this morning and was asking for all of the family to come to the hospital. After sitting there for the majority of the day, everyone but Mom went home for a bit of rest and so the kids (Xavier and Shaela) could nap. We're planning on going back this evening, and we're not quite sure what will happen, but I think Dad was feeling this morning like the end was definitely near. The nurses said sometimes patient's know, but sometimes they are wrong and it still takes a few days or weeks before they pass away. It's the not knowing exactly when that makes it so hard. You want to stay there and be with Dad when it happens, but at the same time, you need to break. Especially for Xavier and Shaela - it's hard on them being couped up at the hospital all day.
Anyway...just wanted to let everyone know what was going on, and to ask for more prayers. Please pray for peace and strength for the family, and for peace about everything for Dad. I'll keep everyone updated if there are any more changes in his condition.
Anyway...just wanted to let everyone know what was going on, and to ask for more prayers. Please pray for peace and strength for the family, and for peace about everything for Dad. I'll keep everyone updated if there are any more changes in his condition.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Roller Coaster Ride
Well, the birthday pictures should be working now - the hospital computer wouldn't let me download them from my email to post on here....
Anyway....just wanted to post an update to let everyone know how the weekend has been unfolding. Jared and I, along with the rest of the family, were at the hospital till about 9:30 last night. A few friends dropped in to say hi, but for the most part, the day was spent talking in Dad's room, watching TV in the family room down the hall and taking Xavier and Shaela outside to the little park that is at Riverview. Dad slept the whole time, and while it was a very deep sleep, his breathing was very laboured, and he was very clammy most of the day. The nurses started him on a low dose of morphine, since he is now feeling some pain in his chest, and they are continuing the antibiotics in case of any infections (like pneumonia).
Today we were all back at the hospital again and Dad was doing much better today than he was yesterday. He was awake a little bit this morning and we were actually able to talk to him for a short while. He slept for the majority of the day, but he would occasionally open an eye for a moment, and if we talked to him, he would respond quietly under his breath with a groan or a small smile. So that was encouraging to see.
He is, however, still in a state of decline. He hasn't eaten at all for the last two days, and there are a few other signs that his body is starting to shut down. But, that doesn't necessarily mean this is the end. I think the entire family is no longer feeling like we're journeying down a gravel road - we've now boarded a roller coaster and are on a constant wave of ups and downs. It was like this way back in December when they told us they didn't think Dad would make it until Christmas. We all thought for sure the doctors and nurses were right, because he kept getting worse and worse. And now, here it is, almost 6 months later, and Dad is still with us! We're so grateful for the extra time with him, but it's emotionally exhausting. It becomes really hard to balance living the rest of our lives and wanting to spend every last minute we have with Dad. I think for the most part, we are all finding that balance and handling things as best as we can. But we continually need to be lifted up in prayer. This is definitely not an easy journey, and we couldn't survive it without the support of friends and family. Thank you to all of you who have followed along with us through this blog, praying for us, bringing meals. It's been such a huge blessing, and we hope that you will continue to be there with us no matter what the future holds.
Anyway....just wanted to post an update to let everyone know how the weekend has been unfolding. Jared and I, along with the rest of the family, were at the hospital till about 9:30 last night. A few friends dropped in to say hi, but for the most part, the day was spent talking in Dad's room, watching TV in the family room down the hall and taking Xavier and Shaela outside to the little park that is at Riverview. Dad slept the whole time, and while it was a very deep sleep, his breathing was very laboured, and he was very clammy most of the day. The nurses started him on a low dose of morphine, since he is now feeling some pain in his chest, and they are continuing the antibiotics in case of any infections (like pneumonia).
Today we were all back at the hospital again and Dad was doing much better today than he was yesterday. He was awake a little bit this morning and we were actually able to talk to him for a short while. He slept for the majority of the day, but he would occasionally open an eye for a moment, and if we talked to him, he would respond quietly under his breath with a groan or a small smile. So that was encouraging to see.
He is, however, still in a state of decline. He hasn't eaten at all for the last two days, and there are a few other signs that his body is starting to shut down. But, that doesn't necessarily mean this is the end. I think the entire family is no longer feeling like we're journeying down a gravel road - we've now boarded a roller coaster and are on a constant wave of ups and downs. It was like this way back in December when they told us they didn't think Dad would make it until Christmas. We all thought for sure the doctors and nurses were right, because he kept getting worse and worse. And now, here it is, almost 6 months later, and Dad is still with us! We're so grateful for the extra time with him, but it's emotionally exhausting. It becomes really hard to balance living the rest of our lives and wanting to spend every last minute we have with Dad. I think for the most part, we are all finding that balance and handling things as best as we can. But we continually need to be lifted up in prayer. This is definitely not an easy journey, and we couldn't survive it without the support of friends and family. Thank you to all of you who have followed along with us through this blog, praying for us, bringing meals. It's been such a huge blessing, and we hope that you will continue to be there with us no matter what the future holds.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Please Pray!
Hello again,
As you can assume from the title, I do not have good news to share this afternoon. Dad took a turn for the worst this morning and he is currently surrounded by friends and family in his room at Riverview. It started last night while Mom and Janis were here visiting. Dad's breathing was really rapid and not like it normally is. By this morning, the doctors and nurses thought maybe he was developing a chest infection. However, after more blood tests and a thorough check by the doctor, it was determined that Dad has a blood clot, most likely in his lungs. This is a very serious condition, for which there really is no treatment. He's been put on blood thinners so that things can still flow around the clot, but aside from that, there isn't much they can do. Thankfully, Dad doesn't seem to be in any pain right now and seems to be sleeping pretty comfortably.
However, the family is in definite need of prayer right now. As we've said many times, we have no idea how much longer we have with Dad, and that's still the case today. Only God knows the answer and the only thing we can do is surround ourselves with family and friends and rest in the assurance that God loves us and has a plan for all of us in this. That can be a lot easier said than done, though. Please pray for peace, comfort, and strength for all of us right now. We'll keep you updated with any changes as often as we can......
As you can assume from the title, I do not have good news to share this afternoon. Dad took a turn for the worst this morning and he is currently surrounded by friends and family in his room at Riverview. It started last night while Mom and Janis were here visiting. Dad's breathing was really rapid and not like it normally is. By this morning, the doctors and nurses thought maybe he was developing a chest infection. However, after more blood tests and a thorough check by the doctor, it was determined that Dad has a blood clot, most likely in his lungs. This is a very serious condition, for which there really is no treatment. He's been put on blood thinners so that things can still flow around the clot, but aside from that, there isn't much they can do. Thankfully, Dad doesn't seem to be in any pain right now and seems to be sleeping pretty comfortably.
However, the family is in definite need of prayer right now. As we've said many times, we have no idea how much longer we have with Dad, and that's still the case today. Only God knows the answer and the only thing we can do is surround ourselves with family and friends and rest in the assurance that God loves us and has a plan for all of us in this. That can be a lot easier said than done, though. Please pray for peace, comfort, and strength for all of us right now. We'll keep you updated with any changes as often as we can......
Birthday Celebrations
Well, I've been meaning to post all week about Dad's birthday celebration, and unfortunately, time always seems to slip by me faster than I want it to.....however, it is better late than never, right???
On Wednesday, May 13th, Jared, myself, the kids, Mom, and Janis all gathered at Riverview for Dad's 51st birthday celebration. We had Chinese food ordered in and I made a chocolate cake for Dad. We had a few friends stop in and join us for dessert a little later in the evening, and what a great night it was. Mom got a great card for Dad, and while he didn't really appreciate the humor in the card at the time, it was so great to be able to laugh and joke with family, despite the rough year we've had.
Dad isn't exactly looking his best these days, but we still love him just the same, and what a blessing it was to enjoy one more birthday celebration with him. God has been very gracious in giving us a few more months with him, and so despite the hospital setting, it was a very joyous occasion. Here are the cream of the crop of pictures we took that evening. Hope you'll enjoy them! (if they aren't working, I'll try again at home later today...we're at the hospital right now!)
On Wednesday, May 13th, Jared, myself, the kids, Mom, and Janis all gathered at Riverview for Dad's 51st birthday celebration. We had Chinese food ordered in and I made a chocolate cake for Dad. We had a few friends stop in and join us for dessert a little later in the evening, and what a great night it was. Mom got a great card for Dad, and while he didn't really appreciate the humor in the card at the time, it was so great to be able to laugh and joke with family, despite the rough year we've had.
Dad isn't exactly looking his best these days, but we still love him just the same, and what a blessing it was to enjoy one more birthday celebration with him. God has been very gracious in giving us a few more months with him, and so despite the hospital setting, it was a very joyous occasion. Here are the cream of the crop of pictures we took that evening. Hope you'll enjoy them! (if they aren't working, I'll try again at home later today...we're at the hospital right now!)
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Discouraging News
We knew this day would come, and we just didn't want it to happen. But the time has finally arrived when the doctors can no longer increase Dad's steroids anymore. Mom spoke with the social worker this morning and they basically told her that once the effects of the dose he's on now start to wear off, they will slowly start decreasing the amount he is given. I know I haven't mentioned on here the exact dosage that Dad has been receiving. But right now he is on 45 mg two times a day. When it was in pill form, that translated into 14 pills at a time! They have since put the sub-cue lines back in, so it's in liquid form and they don't need to try to wake him up to give him his meds anymore.
Anyway, for those of you that are familiar with steroid use and cancer - the typical dose that a person receives is 2-5 mg twice a day. So, when I have mentioned that Dad is on a very high dose - now you know HOW high! He was at 30 for quite a while, but for the last two weeks, he's been on the 45 mg. The doctors and nurses had a planning meeting this morning, and none of them have ever seen or known of any patient on such a high dosage. Which is why they have decided they can't go any higher. They aren't sure of what kind of side effects it might create, or what other problems that it might add to Dad's condition if they increase the levels anymore. So, what we can expect to happen is that as they decrease the dex., the side effects of the cancer will start becoming more apparent.
Needless to say, we are hoping that Dad will be able to remain in Riverview throughout the course of these next few weeks/months. There hasn't been any talk of him being moved elsewhere in the last week or two, so we are hoping that is good news and it means he will be able to stay there. We (and the doctors and nurses) have no idea how much longer Dad has, but they have made it sound like it might be quick once the dexamethasone starts being decreased. So, what is quick? Only God knows the answer to that one. It could be a week, it could be four. It could be three months. We don't know. But we do know that it is going to be increasingly hard on our family from here on out. We are still hoping and praying for a miracle. God is a very powerful God and we know that He can still give us one. But if not, please pray for strength for the family. For peace about the situation. For comfort. We appreciate your prayers more than words can express!
On behalf of all of us,
Dana
Anyway, for those of you that are familiar with steroid use and cancer - the typical dose that a person receives is 2-5 mg twice a day. So, when I have mentioned that Dad is on a very high dose - now you know HOW high! He was at 30 for quite a while, but for the last two weeks, he's been on the 45 mg. The doctors and nurses had a planning meeting this morning, and none of them have ever seen or known of any patient on such a high dosage. Which is why they have decided they can't go any higher. They aren't sure of what kind of side effects it might create, or what other problems that it might add to Dad's condition if they increase the levels anymore. So, what we can expect to happen is that as they decrease the dex., the side effects of the cancer will start becoming more apparent.
Needless to say, we are hoping that Dad will be able to remain in Riverview throughout the course of these next few weeks/months. There hasn't been any talk of him being moved elsewhere in the last week or two, so we are hoping that is good news and it means he will be able to stay there. We (and the doctors and nurses) have no idea how much longer Dad has, but they have made it sound like it might be quick once the dexamethasone starts being decreased. So, what is quick? Only God knows the answer to that one. It could be a week, it could be four. It could be three months. We don't know. But we do know that it is going to be increasingly hard on our family from here on out. We are still hoping and praying for a miracle. God is a very powerful God and we know that He can still give us one. But if not, please pray for strength for the family. For peace about the situation. For comfort. We appreciate your prayers more than words can express!
On behalf of all of us,
Dana
Sunday, May 3, 2009
New Developments
I am always surprised to come back on here and see that it's been a few weeks since I updated! I guess when life is so busy, it's hard to keep track of the time!
Anyway...there have been a few new developments since I last posted on here. Dad had a fall about a week ago in the washroom at Riverview. He wasn't able to get his hands out in time and smoked his right eye on the floor, causing it to split open. He didn't need stitches at all, just the little bandaid things that hold the skin back together. It turned a lovely shade of purple and as pleasant as it looked, Dad asked us not to post pictures on here of it, so unfortunately, you'll have to use your imaginations! It's looking much better this weekend, though.
Dad was also having some trouble going to the washroom for a few days so earlier this week he got a catheter put in. He says it is mildly uncomfortable, but otherwise doesn't seem to notice it. He has still been sleeping quite a bit, but the doctor increased his steroids again and he has been a little more aware of what's going on around him for the last few days, which we are always thankful for.
We're not quite sure what the catheter means as far as Dad possibly coming home. There hasn't been any talk of that possibility lately, and in all honesty, we would prefer that he be able to stay at Riverview. It's a lot less stressful for Mom, and we know that he is getting great care where he is. It's a beautiful facility as well, and Dad seems to enjoy it there. So we'll see what happens...
On a slightly unrelated note, I wanted to share this news with everyone on here, since I know a lot of people that read this are not on Facebook....I am hosting a "Help Whip Cancer" Fundraiser on May 6th at our home (635 Maryland Street, Wpg.) from 7-10 pm. It's through Pampered Chef, so if you purchase any of our products, then a portion of the proceeds will go the the Canadian Cancer Society. However, I am also doing a silent auction on the night of, and 100% of the proceeds from the auction will go the CCS. You can also make a donation directly to the organization (I'll be collecting the donations on their behalf and sending them all in at once). If anyone is interested in purchasing silent auction tickets or placing an order, but can't make it on Wednesday, please email or call me. I'd love to give you more information!
Thanks everyone! Hope you have a great weekend!
Dana
(204) 774-3522
jaredana15@yahoo.ca
www.pamperedchef.biz/danafolkerts
Anyway...there have been a few new developments since I last posted on here. Dad had a fall about a week ago in the washroom at Riverview. He wasn't able to get his hands out in time and smoked his right eye on the floor, causing it to split open. He didn't need stitches at all, just the little bandaid things that hold the skin back together. It turned a lovely shade of purple and as pleasant as it looked, Dad asked us not to post pictures on here of it, so unfortunately, you'll have to use your imaginations! It's looking much better this weekend, though.
Dad was also having some trouble going to the washroom for a few days so earlier this week he got a catheter put in. He says it is mildly uncomfortable, but otherwise doesn't seem to notice it. He has still been sleeping quite a bit, but the doctor increased his steroids again and he has been a little more aware of what's going on around him for the last few days, which we are always thankful for.
We're not quite sure what the catheter means as far as Dad possibly coming home. There hasn't been any talk of that possibility lately, and in all honesty, we would prefer that he be able to stay at Riverview. It's a lot less stressful for Mom, and we know that he is getting great care where he is. It's a beautiful facility as well, and Dad seems to enjoy it there. So we'll see what happens...
On a slightly unrelated note, I wanted to share this news with everyone on here, since I know a lot of people that read this are not on Facebook....I am hosting a "Help Whip Cancer" Fundraiser on May 6th at our home (635 Maryland Street, Wpg.) from 7-10 pm. It's through Pampered Chef, so if you purchase any of our products, then a portion of the proceeds will go the the Canadian Cancer Society. However, I am also doing a silent auction on the night of, and 100% of the proceeds from the auction will go the CCS. You can also make a donation directly to the organization (I'll be collecting the donations on their behalf and sending them all in at once). If anyone is interested in purchasing silent auction tickets or placing an order, but can't make it on Wednesday, please email or call me. I'd love to give you more information!
Thanks everyone! Hope you have a great weekend!
Dana
(204) 774-3522
jaredana15@yahoo.ca
www.pamperedchef.biz/danafolkerts
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
