Cancer SUCKS

So much going on in my/our lives right now.  First of all, little Min has been living with us since last Wednesday.  Honestly this time around she has been quite enjoyable and probably would be more so if I was feeling better.  Last week The Hubby started getting sick and Friday finally went to minor emergency where he was diagnosed with bronchitis.  Then Saturday morning Little Miss Muffet woke me up at 2:30 in the morning screaming GRANNY!  I rushed in there and noticed my throat feeling a bit weird.  Well, dang it, I'm sick too.  It's been mostly in my throat with just soreness but from Friday to Monday it didn't get better so I did a video call yesterday with my doctor and he sent in an antibiotic and told me to take Mucinex DM for the little cough and congestion that was starting.  Starting it is.  Good GRIEF!  This has been the slowest moving whatever it is.  I believe it's an upper respiratory, not bronchitis like The Hubby.  I am PRAYING, absolutely PRAYING that Min does not get it and so far she seems fine, so far.  Because if she does she will be with us longer than this Thursday.  

Don't mind saying that I'm burning out with this childcare thing right now.  It's probably because I am sick.  Oh, the reason I have her is this little guy, or should I say husky little guy!  Max had to go into OKC for a quick change out of his feeding tube contraption in his belly but they ran into lots of problems.  Finally, they got it going with a different kind but wanted to keep him to see how he would tolerate the feeds back into his stomach that had been basically shut down.  That meant staying until today when they were to do an already scheduled cath procedure to balloon and to check out his lung function to see if he would be okayed for the next surgery in October or put on a transplant list.  We are on pins and needles with this.  At the minute I'm writing this he is in the procedure and we wait.  Such a sweet happy little boy.

Now to the toughest news of all.  I'm not sure if I posted about my little sister, Dana, but Dana has been battling cancer for nearly a year now.  She was diagnosed with lung and liver cancer, terminal, inoperable but was doing chemo and getting ready for radiation.  She first went to the ER because of severe back pain and found out one of her vertebrae was collapsing so they put surgical cement in it and on she went.  I'm telling you, from the beginning I said I thought the cancer was there too.  Well, she's had a couple more stints in the ER/hospital, one with an ambulance ride.  Dana HATES, DETESTS hospitals and for her to willingly go is a big deal.  About a month ago she went in for pain and most of the use of her right hand.  This time it was more pain and loss of use of both hands and she can barely walk.  Her husband has to help her eat, go to the bathroom, etc.  We got news a couple of days ago that the liver was fully engulfed with cancer and it was pushing on the spine...I THOUGHT THAT!  That is why she is losing function of her extremities.  Either today or tomorrow she is being sent home with hospice. My baby sister is dying.  

I am more than devastated by this.  I knew the cancer was terminal from the onset but when it is down to the wire it is hard to take.  I need and want to see her but with a three year old in tow I can't right now.  If all goes to plan with Max I hope to see her one last time.  GOD, that's hard to say.  Both my girls were able to go to the hospital to see her and that makes my heart happy.  My brother flew up there the minute I called him to see her.  Her kids have been with her.  

SHIT SHIT SHIT!!!!!

Also, our Aunt Sharon, one of two siblings left of Daddy's is battling lung and breast cancer.  She is to have a mastectomy soon.  I'm really not sure how much more I can take.  My heart is breaking in two.  

All Around Update - A Tick Up On Good News

Baby Max update:

A&N went to the most recent fetal medicine appointment and news is on the upswing a bit. The ultrasound showed that although the mass has increased in size slightly, that the artery also has increased in size and blood flow is significantly better. The tumor is still there and it’s grown but so has the aorta and the left side of his heart IS PUMPING!! It’s looking really good, as far as we could see today.

He’s a big, active guy and very healthy, despite the heart tumors. He is growing in every other way and the lower chamber is activated and pumping. All of these are good things to hear. We’re not out of the woods yet.

B&B's recent upheavel in their lives.

I totally forgot that daughter #1 and her family, on Labor Day were visited by ONG (gas company), out of the blue. Apparently someone reported they smelled gas in front of their house so ONG came out, tested and yes gas leak and pulled their meter. They were in a state of shock and told that ONG would fix the outside lines but the inside was their problem, their cost. Their lives right were not in a place to handle that cost and since Labor Day they've been without hot water, taking showers where they can, boiling water (electric range) to do dishes. Well, yesterday with another meeting with ONG (I don't know exact details,) ONG is paying for ALL OF IT!!!

Sis, small update:

They did the biopsy a bit early and she might get to go home earlier than expected. The test results may be at least 10 days out. She's lonely and bored sitting there in her room and apparently neither of her children have come to see her or her hubby. I'm guilty there too, but Covid and my knee are hindering that visit for me. The hospital she is in has the most horrendous parking and I'm not sure I can manage the walk. I might be able to go with daughter #2 today if she drops me off at the door. Daughter #1 went to see her yesterday.

Another Heartache

Yesterday I got a phone that I never expected to get.  My little sister, my baby sister, called to let me know she was in the hospital.  She HATES hospitals first of all (trust me you don't want to be her doctor or nurse.)  For months now she has been dealing with a horrible backache, she thought she threw her back out.  She had been on muscle relaxers and had been to the chiropractor several times but just wasn't getting better.  After a lifetime of smoking she is also COPD and at birth was born with holes in her heart, a mitral valve prolapse and another valve that was not working.  After the birth of her son, that came AFTER her doctor said no more children and her tubes were tied...yes it apparently didn't take...she had her first open heart surgery to replace the valve with mechanical valve.  About 2 months after that surgery she was life flighted to the hospital to open her up again because she developed a blood clot in the new valve.  She has been through the wringer and always called herself a walking autopsy from two c-sections, hysterectomy, tonsils out, new hip and two open heart surgeries.  The backache it turns out was cancer.  She has lung and liver cancer!  My heart is absolutely in shreds.  

I shared a room and a bed growing up with Sis until the day I married and moved out.  I won't lie it wasn't pretty most of the time and she is a different kind of person, but I love my sister.  She has the mouth of a sailor and a kind of abrasive personality but she is my sister and my heart hurts. 

Just too much to deal with right now and my mind and heart are in turmoil.

Last night I tossed and turned, I slept but it was fitfully with weird dreams and nightmares.

We now wait a couple of days for them to ween her off the blood thinners so they can do a biopsy to figure out the course of action they will take in this new health crisis journey she is to take.

Bro, Sis and I just had lunch together last Friday, thank goodness.  We've been very good at keeping in touch since Daddy died on that front, in fact I think we are closer.  

Please add to my prayer, good vibe chain for Baby Max and now Sis-Dana.