I'll Take Another IV Drip Bartender

For the last week, David has been nearly unable to keep down food or drinks of any sort (throwing up as much as three or four times a day and through the night). The consistent nausea and upset stomach have also increased his significant rib pain. Shanna and the nurses have worried about him being so dehydrated and so he has been hooked up to a saline IV drip a few times. Tomorrow, a home health nurse will come by the house to show us their way of hooking him up to an IV at home. (Shanna and David have been doing Vitamin C infusions for a long time now, so they are already quite knowledgeable on how to utilize an IV). Often tired and very uncomfortable, David hasn't been able to go to the pool or get out of his chair in the living room. Today, however, he has been in higher spirits despite all of the above. David has also had two blood infusions (total of one quart) due to a low red blood cell and iron count.

Katheryn and Patrick just got back from a little 4-day jaunt to Oahu. They had a blast hiking Diamond Head, snorkeling at the famous Hanauma Bay, touring downtown Honolulu's city life, seeing Waikiki and meeting up with old friends.

Aaron recently had a Taiko drum performance at a Bone Ceremony. He is a drumming natural and he is really enjoying being a part of this music team.

Andrea and Gordon have taken on a new title... Gordon now introduces himself as a "Coffee Farmer." They have planted a little grove of coffee on the hill side below their house and are both enjoying this labor-intensive hobby/enterprise.

Grandma Evey is doing much better after recovering from a really bad case of the flu.

Shanna is doing her best to get sleep, to stay relaxed, track medicine/fluid intake, and enjoy the sunsets. She is unbelievably adept at taking things in stride. We had a little birthday celebration for her last week with food grown in our garden (and brownies!). We just signed up for Netflicks so she's been really enjoying getting to watch movies that are hard to find at your local Blockbuster on the huge HDTV.

I will try to post pictures soon!

Thank you for your comments, love and concern. We read comments, emails, letters, etc. out-loud to David when he's awake. He is still not really up for phone calls most of the time, but we're hoping and praying for some improvement in the coming days. We'll keep you posted.

Love and Aloha,
Katheryn

Continuation of Radiation (7/8/09)

Well the last week has seen considerable rib pain for David, as well as the continued buttocks pain.  He wasn't feeling well after eating and was throwing up often.  A fever rolled in and out over the course of a few days.  His appetite is lost as of recently.  Experimenting with pain medication has managed to get the rib pain mostly under control and has regulated the buttocks pain enough that he can now walk around the house with the aid of walker.  David and Shanna are both still going to the pool everyday after radiation which is a 5 day a week regimen.  They enjoy the weightlessness of the water for about 2 hours.  David is taking anti-nausea medicine to try to encourage an appetite but finds that the pills have little to no effect.  He rarely feels up to eating.  Most of his time is now spent in the living room, seated in the lazy boy recliner, which also doubles as his bed.  At night he is able to find some respite from the pain, and can get a fairly good sleep.  Chemotherapy is still on the once per week schedule.  The combination of Chemo and Radiation often makes him so tired that he sleeps 12 to 15 hours a day (or just snoozes).  Katheryn and Aaron have taken their turns escorting David to the pool, to give Shanna a day off from the tiring routine.  David generally doesn't feel well enough to talk much on the phone, and doesn't believe he can concentrate long enough to do e-mails on his own.  David has been having trouble with swelling in his ankles and feet, likely caused by his lack of movement during most of the day.  He feels that the nerves and muscles in his left leg have become "screwed up in various different ways".  The majority of the muscle mass in his thighs has diminished considerably, though not so much as to stop him from walking (with the walker) when the pain is tolerable.

Emotionally David feels f-l-a-t... or dull.  Emotionally we are all feeling that same dull, background ache, but we are joyous on those days when he is able to walk (like the first steps of a baby) or even if we catch that classic 'David Pettie' smile, on his face.  There are many things to be glad for.  Just like Pollyanna, we remember those things the most.

On other news, life in the lazy boy has become (within the last hour) considerably more engaging as David bought Shanna (and the family) a new 52" LCD HD T.V. which is... beautiful.  This in conjunction with the Unlimited plan from Netflix that Katheryn has signed us up for.  Katheryn spent the last few weeks being trained in and at one time leading the "English as a Second Language" course at MCC (our community college here).  Aaron has been getting bids from contractors for a new set of gutters on the newly built lanai roofs.  Bo has been maintaining the yards (no small task in the land where plants don't die, and nothing stops growing).

There is little time for really taking a moment and relaxing, but we do manage to slip them in occasionally.  Katheryn and Patrick went to Lahaina on the 4th to see the fireworks (brief in comparison to Richmond, or Minneapolis... or just about any other place in the US).  While Aaron missed the fireworks he did go to a party held in a vacant valley with no civilization for miles.  This followed by a trip to a secluded waterfall with a tight group of friends and then to church (also known as Little Beach) where he is often found on sundays (often being EVERY sunday)

Things have been steady and stable now for at least the past few days, and we look forward to more such days to come.  We still take each day as it is, and flow with it, in whatever direction it pushes and pulls.  It is the 'Pettie Way'.