The Peanut Gallery
Apparently, the Friday after Thanksgiving is not very busy in a hospital. We went up to spend time with dad this afternoon and we had no problem finding good places to park. We didn't see any of dad's doctors. We hardly saw any nurses. All was quiet ... Turkey coma, perhaps?
Dad had his third round of radiation VERY early this morning. I think he's getting used to the routine and is more comfortable with the procedure. Since the machine was down last week they are working all weekend to get caught up. This means that by next Friday dad should have ten treatments behind him! I hope he stays positive and willing to go through this. We will all continue to encourage him and be positive.
Dad's room is quite small. It's a lot larger than the 'closet' he was in before, but still, it's quite cramped when all of us go up to visit. We're not good at staggering our visits ... We all tend to end up there at the same time. Family overload, I suppose.
The nurses have been kind enough to round up chairs for all of us. We all sit there in a line at the foot of dad's bed ... Looking like ducks in a row ... Christy, Bill, mom, me and Conrad ... The Peanut Gallery.
Dad loves his ice chips. It's the only thing they will let him eat. He smiles and savors them, eating them with a spoon. Occasionally, he'll drop one. When he does, he picks it up and throws it at us ... Usually at Christy, but I was the target today. I asked daddy if he'd like a water gun to shoot at us. He smiled and shook his head YES!!
Dad's doctor put in an order for a different bed for dad. It's got an adjustable mattress so he'll be more comfortable, no matter what position he's in. The bed arrived, so we all decided to leave. It dawned on them pretty quickly that the new bed wouldn't easily fit in the room, so they moved dad to a HUGE corner room ... A room with a view!!
One of his awesome nurses took all of his cards down off the cork board and even put them up in his new room. She even told us they moved all the chairs over for the entire Peanut Gallery!
Apparently, the Friday after Thanksgiving is not very busy in a hospital. We went up to spend time with dad this afternoon and we had no problem finding good places to park. We didn't see any of dad's doctors. We hardly saw any nurses. All was quiet ... Turkey coma, perhaps?
Dad had his third round of radiation VERY early this morning. I think he's getting used to the routine and is more comfortable with the procedure. Since the machine was down last week they are working all weekend to get caught up. This means that by next Friday dad should have ten treatments behind him! I hope he stays positive and willing to go through this. We will all continue to encourage him and be positive.
Dad's room is quite small. It's a lot larger than the 'closet' he was in before, but still, it's quite cramped when all of us go up to visit. We're not good at staggering our visits ... We all tend to end up there at the same time. Family overload, I suppose.
The nurses have been kind enough to round up chairs for all of us. We all sit there in a line at the foot of dad's bed ... Looking like ducks in a row ... Christy, Bill, mom, me and Conrad ... The Peanut Gallery.
Dad loves his ice chips. It's the only thing they will let him eat. He smiles and savors them, eating them with a spoon. Occasionally, he'll drop one. When he does, he picks it up and throws it at us ... Usually at Christy, but I was the target today. I asked daddy if he'd like a water gun to shoot at us. He smiled and shook his head YES!!
Dad's doctor put in an order for a different bed for dad. It's got an adjustable mattress so he'll be more comfortable, no matter what position he's in. The bed arrived, so we all decided to leave. It dawned on them pretty quickly that the new bed wouldn't easily fit in the room, so they moved dad to a HUGE corner room ... A room with a view!!
One of his awesome nurses took all of his cards down off the cork board and even put them up in his new room. She even told us they moved all the chairs over for the entire Peanut Gallery!
I'm sure my dad feels like the days are running together. He's in bed laying flat on his back. He looks forward to our visits ... So much so that if we don't get over there early enough he has the nurses call the house to check on us. Our days are running together, as well. We get up each morning, go through our morning routines, go to the hospital to be with him, come home afterwards, grab a bite for dinner and go to bed.
We are learning how to manage stress. We are learning what things in life qualifies as "The Small Stuff" and what matters. Family matters. Spending time as a family with dad matters. Dad matters. I cannot imagine what our lives would be like without him and I hope we don't find out for a very long time.
We are learning how to manage stress. We are learning what things in life qualifies as "The Small Stuff" and what matters. Family matters. Spending time as a family with dad matters. Dad matters. I cannot imagine what our lives would be like without him and I hope we don't find out for a very long time.
I'm praying for dad's continued strength and determination. I'm praying for continued wisdom and focus where the doctors and nurses are concerned. I'm praying for God's guidance and love to help us get through this journey. I'm praying for our little Peanut Gallery to stay strong; full of hope, faith, love, and courage.
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