Firsts

     This has been a week of "firsts". First family event without Dwayne, his birthday and Thanksgiving. We are taking the journey through this 'new normal'.

Nathan and Sara's wedding was on November 22nd. It was a beautiful day full of laughter, joy and a few tears.

     So glad for a wife that so fits Nathan! She is lovely and glad to have her as part of the family. On the 23rd, Nathan moved to Oregon. I will miss having him around. He has been such a great help over the past six weeks.

     Dwayne's birthday and Thanksgiving fell on the same day this year. He always loved it when it did. Jared and I were invited to my cousin's family in San Diego for the day. It was a good day and new memories were made.

   

One Month

In many ways it doesn't seem possible that it has been a month since Dwayne passed away. At times it seems much longer and other times I think he will be walking through the door any minute.

The past month has been full and bittersweet at times, like the morning I was with the pastor planning Dwayne's celebration of life service, then that same afternoon I went with Nathan and Jared as they got fitted for tuxes for Nathan's wedding. Paperwork and phone calls that have to be done, decisions to make. It is overwhelming at times. But God has placed so many wonderful people in my life, some who have been on this journey before and others who know the right thing to do, sometimes before I even had thought of it. I am grateful for all of them.

Nathan and Sara's wedding is Saturday. It will be a wonderful day and celebrated with family and friends, but there is a part of me that will be sad that Dwayne is not here to enjoy some of the life events to come.

Good bye-for a little while

There has been so much happen in the past two weeks.

Dwayne was admitted to the hospital on October 4th. He was running a fever and had some other things going on. He ended up being there for a week. During that time Dr. Cheng did an MRI. When the results came back they were not good. The chemo was not working this time. There were no more alternatives that his body could have handled.

On Sunday October 12th, he was moved to a board and care home, five minutes away from our house and hospice took over his care.

Yesterday afternoon, Dwayne passed away. Nathan, Jared and I were with him.  He is now whole and no longer limited in an body that was failing.

We appreciate all your prayers, love and support as we went through this journey. Even though I am hurting now, I do take comfort in that I know I will see him again, whole and healthy and cancer can't ever touch him.

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, not angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor depth, not any created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
                                                                                 Romans 8:38-39

Roller Coaster Week

Most of you who know me well, know I am not a fan of roller coasters. Especially the ones that involve heights!

This week has had a roller coster feel to it.

     Monday involved dealing with a doctor who I have never actually met, but I am not a fan. I've only dealt with him on the phone and seen an order he wrote. This is not the guy you would not want cheering you on in any competition.

     Tuesday was the beginning of Dwayne's second round of chemo. This involved him being transferred to a hospital about five miles away. This is a different one that he was at before, but they were good.  At least this time he was able to be transported by a wheel chair taxi instead of an ambulance. The chemo was done as an inpatient and then he went back to the skilled nursing facility that evening. The second part of the chemo could be done there, since it is tablets. He finished the five days yesterday. Dr. Cheng, his oncologist had some hard things to say about Dwayne walking again. He is not sure weather the damage is permeant or not.

     Wednesday was tough in that Dwayne was tired and his speech and coordination were worse. It was a hard day for me to watch him.

     Thursday we were blessed again with the group of men that have been so wonderful about helping to get the house accessible,  came and finished our bedroom floor with laminate flooring. They have done the living room, kitchen, hall and our room. All rooms are now easy for a wheelchair to get around in and no thresholds! These guys have given up their time in some of the hottest days we have had all summer to do this for us! The contractor told me that he will start to work on the bathroom on the 6th of October. Such great news!


Friday, God provided for a need that we had, in an unexpected way!

     Over the weekend one of Dwayne's former coworkers call to say that they are hiring back at San Onofre. He was looking to see if Dwayne was interested. He didn't know what was going on with him. Then  two of the guys he worked with before came to see him today. This was good for him. Dwayne was more animated than I have seen him in a couple of weeks. His speech was clearer and louder too. Very good signs!

Please keep praying that the chemo does its job!

After a hard week emotionally and physically for both of us, I can still say "God is in control of this and all of our needs are going to be met."

Thanks to all of you who went out of your way to make my birthday special!  Alice, who thought to leave a card with Dwayne to give to me,  Shannon who planned a nice happy birthday celebration with the class, one of the kids asked me if I was 15, that's old to a 5 year old.  Esther  surprised me with tea, always a treat! Dinner with Tim and Alice Friday evening and then a visit with Tim and Cindy on Sunday.  Along with the cards and emails too,  I felt very loved!

Four Weeks!

Yesterday marked four weeks since Dwayne was admitted to the hospital. After two weeks there, he was transferred to a skilled nursing facility. He is making progress, but it is slow. Feeling and strength are coming back to his legs, but he can not bear weight at this time. The PT is using a standing table for him everyday. He is standing-with support for about 11 minutes. He has three more radiation treatments that should end on Monday. Tuesday he will be admitted to the hospital and get his second round of chemotherapy.

Today we have a progress meeting with the rehab team to see where he is on meeting his goals and setting some new ones. We would appreciate your prayers.

We have been blessed by so many people in the past month, I couldn't list everything. Thanks to all of you whom we call family and friends!

Progress!

God has been so good!
Dwayne was able to stay at our local (best, in my opinion!) hospital. After, many prayers and a strongly worded note from his oncologist, the insurance agreed. On Thursday, the hospitalist doctor, saw me in the hall and ran to catch me. He said "I don't know who you know or what you did, but Dwayne can stay at Mission and they are working on the rehab referral." He came into Dwayne's room a few minutes later, and talked to both of us. He said this only happens once or twice a year! He was very surprised. I told him that there were people praying all over the country for Dwayne and the situation. He looked at me kind of funny and went on with the conversation. At the end of our talk, he said "Will you pray to bless me?" I said we would.

Ralph Van Persuem, ( a very sweet, long time friend) was there on Friday when Dr. "D" (his name I have a hard time pronouncing, and even harder time spelling) came by to check on Dwayne. Ralph  thanked him for all his care for us and told him he was praying for him. Think Dr. D was surprised. We have know Ralph and his wife Pat for over 30 years. They adopted us a long time ago and have been like another set of grandparents to Nathan and Jared.

Friday night, Dwayne was moved to the rehab unit at Mission. Hopefully, his stay will be about two weeks. He will receive physical therapy about 3 hours a day. The PT told him on Saturday, that she doesn't expect that he will be walking by the time he leaves there, but he will in time. Her goals are strengthening, safe transfers, and beginning to bear weight. This will be with a lot of hard work on his part, and time for the radiation and chemo to do their jobs.

Thank you again for keeping us in your prayers.

Again???

Well, I had hopes of of never reviving this blog, but............

Some of you have been aware that there were issues that were concerning us about Dwayne's health over the past couple of weeks. He was having some balance problems, falls and then very quickly lost sensation and movement in both legs.

After an MRI on the 14th of August, a visit with the neuro-oncologist at UCLA on the 18th and a PET scan on the 19th. He was admitted to the hospital on the 20th. The lymphoma is back in his brain and spine.  He has now had six radiation treatments to his spine and one course of one chemo-retuxin, and  three doses of another chemo, temadar, he has two more of this over the next two days. The goal is to shrink the lesion in his spine, quickly before it does any permanent damage. He can't have radiation to his brain again. The chemo will hopefully shrink those. These are the same to chemo drugs he took for a year and a half. He has been cancer free for almost three years. The UCLA doctor said you have to look at this type of cancer as chronic. You manage it. He has a patient  that he has treated three different times over a ten year period. He said that the man will have 3-4 good years, then needs a tune up!

We have had some battles with the insurance company about keeping him at the hospital he's in, I feel it is the best place for his care. Today, we got the ok-that he can stay!! An answer to many prayers.

Hope to be on this floor a couple more days, then move to the rehab unit in the hospital.  He would not be safe at home at this time.
We appreciate your prayers as we make this journey again.
Lisa & Dwayne