A quiet morning

We woke up this morning early, 4 AM, for a little repositioning, and to get comfortable, then dozed until 7AM. For you long distance followers, the glorious sunshine of yesterday, is back to the reality of rain today. A good day to just relax, fatten up, and be together.

Fay and Mary are being met at the airport this morning by Cheryl W. They should be here for lunch, and we are looking forward to their visit.

Kay and I watched nearly the whole M's game last night; too bad to see the winning streak end, but King Felix tonight.

Kay only had 3 pancakes for breakfast, but I didn't tell her I used no water, made them with whole milk yogurt and apple juice for liquid, so squeezing calories in at every opportunity. She liked them. Reminds me of shredding veges to hide in the spaghetti sauce when the kids were little.

Make it another great day, we plan to.

Ed

Just a little bet better

Actually today was more than a little bit better, it was a whole lot better. Kay was hungry today. When Rob the milkman, aka as the best looking deliveryman in Pierce County a few years ago as published in the Tacoma News Tribune, came today to deliver our milk we were sitting in the sun in the yard after Kay had a snack of PB&J on crackers and milk. As he was leaving Kay asked him to leave two quarts of chocolate milk and more juice. A good sign that Kay is back to thinking about her next meal before she finishes the one she is eating. (This after a pretty good lunch, and before having spaghetti for dinner. ) Yes!

Earlier today, after the closest thing to nagging Kay has done since she got sick, I made the dreaded call for yet more help with the TV. 1-800-COMCAST to figure out why it suddenly stopped working. Like any red-blooded male, I figured I could do it myself, and hated to ask for directions. Finally after calling it took about 45 seconds of advice, and it was working fine again. Comcast really does have excellent over-the-phone help for most issues. (the TV was on channel 2, not channel 3, so had "no input")

Also today we took a drive after dinner. We went down to the Orting valley, and slowly drove one of our favorite local birding loops thought the fields across the Puyallup River. Not quite hiking 11 miles to find a Colima Warbler at 6500 feet elevation above the basin at Big Bend like we had planned to do today, but still a nice time together. We did see a Greater yellowlegs at a wet spot in one of the fields.

Tonight Kay agrees to let me watch part of the Mariner's game on the HDTV. I had to text Keith Colmar, Kay's older brother who is a big Los Angeles Angels fan, today to ask him how the Angels were doing. He reminded me it is a long season, but fun to be in this position now. Let's sweep tonight, go M's.

All for now.

Ed

The sun is out this morning.

We woke up this morning to sunshine. I WA that makes any day more special. So far off to a good day. Jean helped Kay get a shampoo, still no showers as we have to keep the dressing over her port dry. Morning tea, the newspaper, we are trying to make this seem like vacation. The difference is Kay is not devouring a big breakfast, just nibbling at bland stuff. Anyway we plan to make this a great day.

Kay plans to sit in a lawn chair and give me guidance as I plant the spring bulbs she had planned on doing about this time of year. We figure we may have more time at home than usual to enjoy looking at the garden, so want to make sure it gets planted.

Jean goes back to school today, has a class tonight, and I am encouraging her to stay for the weekend, have some normal life, and let me hold down the fort here for a few days. She has been like having the super combo daughter, housekeeper, hairdresser, cheerleader, and general all around cook and bottle washer.

Brett is back at school today and tomorrow. He also has been at Kay and my beck and whim this week. Although they have both been extremely helpful, and we love their company and support, it will be nice to have an evening alone tonight too. Just Kay and me, quiet, and on our own.

As I mentioned Fay and Mary (Kay's Mom and sister) are coming tomorrow, and we look forward to their visit.

Keep up the prayers, we feel all the support. I'm off to the YMCA before Jean leaves for Portland.

Ed

It Really Was a Girl Fart!

I was so glad to know that my condition of bowels didn't stir up remedies among ya'll except from my mother. I was wondering how that first bit of air might hit the world. Last night Ed and I took to the street of our cul-de-sac armed with a chair, plastic bag and my old green bathrobe in search of relief. After a few loops, Brett brought me out a pair of gloves, stocking cap and a blanket to toss over my shoulders. If you had set me out on Lexington Ave in NYC with a cup, I might have earned enough for a whopper. I was such a sight that my neighbor Rob came out to make sure we were alright. We left the chair on the sidewalk and continued our journey circling right and then left and then traversed the street of my neighborhood. Finally Ed got dizzy and I got fatigued and called it a day. In the Kathy McG family they only have flatulence as I heard that word from her son with a smile. But today is a new day and I woke up Ed at 6 am after a nice night of sleep to continue the quest for movement. After a couple of circles around the dining room table a sound escaped me. And it was so dainty not like the regular "girl fart". I asked Ed, "Did you hear it?" So now I am whole with the world. I am now eating and resting and continue to bask in the glory of all your blessings and love. Thanks for all your cards, flowers, messages, and extreme kindnesses. My love to all.

K

We've got gas

First night at home a big success. Kay and I both slept our best in a while, woke up early to get in a little walk, a civilized cup of tea at the dining room table, and the flood gates opened. Nice to put that concern behind us.

Comcast comes today at the usual, "Sometime between 8 AM and noon" time frame. We used our new TV to snuggle, Brett between me and Kay, and watch two sessions of Entourage, Kay and Brett's favorite TV show together. I had boycotted this previously, but actually it is not a bad show at all.

We (all but Kay) enjoyed Linda Sinden's steak dinner last night. Kay had a lot of nausea last night, we put her back on clear liquids. She thinks stopping opiates has been the big breakthrough. Just Tylenol since last night. Pain is not a big problem for Kay now, and if the gas all passes, and Kay can start eating better, all should be on the mend.

We are all home today, Brett is skipping school today, Jean is home, I'm home and we should have a great day.

I plan to slow down on the posts now, as things seem pretty calm.

Best to all.

Ed

Nothing like your own bed.

We got home about noon today, after Kay had her port placed about 8:30AM. Kay's first order of business at home, a walk in the fresh air, from the end of the driveway, to touch the basketball hoop pole on the opposite side of the cul-de-sac, and then into the house and into our bed, already make really inviting by Jean.

Oh! NPO is nil per os (latin for Nothing by mouth) Norm, I like the list you got, and like the comments.

This afternoon consisted of a nap in the same bed with Kay, nice to share a bed again, then off to the pharmacy for the Rx from Dr. Safarri. Back to give Kay her pain meds. Then a bit of lunch which led to nausea. Much of the afternoon spent trying to figure out a plan for how to try to get nutrition without nausea. The problem? Guess. Still no gas. My conclusion is Kay has been moving too fast with progressing her diet, and we are going to try reducing the pain med a bit, more walking, less food, more fluids, and see how the night goes.

Brett thinks there are lots of good omens. Easter Sunday dawns just as Kay starts to recover from surgery, and the Mariners off to a great start. I just think Kay is awesome, and is recovering in the way I expected her to. Either way, we'll take it.

Off for another walk.

Ed

No place like home!

We're out of here today. Kay is a day ahead of usual schedule, and though the prayed for flatus is yet to arrive, we are going home anyway. Kay got a good night's sleep and feels really good today. We've been up for our tour of the four oncology pods and Kay has declared to all that the A pod rocks. None-the-less it can rock on without us.

Jean is home this morning doing last minute preparations. We have been coveting a HDTV for a while, and yesterday I visited Costco and got a nice 40" flat screen, and blue-ray player. Kay is going to have a bedroom home theatre to enjoy.

Yesterday Cheryl bought Kay a really pretty floral pattern robe, and she looks really good. A shower and shampoo at home today will finish the look.

We expect to be home by early afternoon if Kay can get her port placed early on the schedule this morning. She sure hopes so as the dreaded 3 letters of being in the hospital apply now: NPO.

We're off now for the port. Got to go.

Ed