Sunday, September 4, 2022 3:26 PM

Hello, welcome!  This dramatic sunset from the hospital window last evening represents the last 24 hours with Larry. A lot going on & grabbing our attention.

 Well, I stayed overnight & it was a rough one. Itching & coughing didn't allow, but for a few bouts of 30 consecutive minutes of sleep. Much of that time, amidst the moanings were heard "Help!" "Rub my back!", words that can make a sleep deprived wife cranky, after trying to address each of these 'cries' for help. I'm not used to using so much muscle from head to toe. I've learned a lot from watching Mar-Lynn in action, helping her big brother over the past 2 months. OK, enough of that, here are a few of the phrases from Mr. B, who by the way pulls his own weight around in the bed, which greatly assists anyone trying to reposition him.

 Larry uttered a few phrases following extremely frustrating/desperate bouts of itch & cough, I'll get them out of the way. "Put me in a box with a lid!" Using the word "humiliation" & expressions of despair, followed by "I'm sorry, I'm really, really sorry, I won't say that again!" Then, very affectionate hugging & kissing me to make sure I knew how sorry he was. His arms feel sooooo good again!

  Linda came with Abby, while Uncle was in dialysis & still uncomfortably restless. They shared their love with him & took me home. We 1st went for brunch. Abby is so sweet! She could clearly see how exhausted her Auntie was & guided me in & out of the car & walked with her arm supporting mine. She is so sensitive to other's suffering. I heard several times "Auntie, you're awesome! I love you!"

  Mary-Lynn phoned around 3:00 with such an amazing update. She went in at 11:00 & brought Larry a basket of goodies: Hearing Aid Batteries; anti-itch cream; foot cream; mouth care products to get rid of that awful stuff that, for one, obstructs his speech. She said Larry was putting(ish) in his hearing aids (which he was doing yesterday), did his own mouth care, & asked for the bed table, which is over by the window, to be placed near his bed. 'Wow!' She said he was very upbeat & wanted his mouth to be uninhibited as he called his brother Gordon to clearly wish him "Happy Birthday"! The hospitalist came in & was delightfully surprised. She is arranging for the renal doctor to let us know details of what the dialysis is doing.

  When I first asked Mary-Lynn how it was going, she said it was 'Party Central'! Are you kidding me? Wow, wow, wow! Erin & John had just arrived as she was leaving. I'm so happy that he had a turn-around from the struggles & down attitude of the night & morning. And I'm happy that others got to be part of that special 'break though' time.

  I want to close with what I shared with Larry, to help him to not fall into being angry with & yelling at the things that are causing him such distress. 'Not to curse what has cursed you but to bless what curses you!' (fr. Genesis 12:3)

I've had years of practice through the debilitating effects of fibromyalgia & migraines, which prepared me for my cancer journey. As Larry has struggled since a few days post-surgery, with (what I have reported every day), his horrible cough. When I pray for that specifically, I also offer a prayer for children suffering with cystic fibrosis. And for his itch, just recently, I pray for children suffering in burn units. When I told him about each of these, he settled down. I hope it will bless him, through these trials. 

  Yesterday, I sat at coffee, following morning Mass. I noticed for the first time, a dear church friend join in this Friday morning social. After greeting me, and I'm sure because she follows our blog, she told me of the beautiful daughter that she & her husband adopted when she was a little girl. She had cystic fibrosis, becoming desperately ill & died around 11 yrs. old. My friend said what joy she had been blessed with, in the gift of her little girl's short life with them. Now this little angel warrior has given special meaning to our effort to offer our suffering for children like her.

 I've seen for 17 years, through the men at Luke 15 Recovery House, how not hating (cursing) the thing that hurts me, gives it less power to negatively consume me. Not at all easy, but a gift when I do!

God bless you! Thank you for sharing our downs & up-up-ups!