Sunday, July 10, 2011

Sad news


I haven't been crafting and blogging as much because, unfortunately, last month my uncle was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. It was not just localized to the pancreas, but was also in his liver, stomach, bone, and blood. ( This is him above with my first son.)

He was put on hospice almost three weeks ago, and it has been so long. No one expected it to be this long or this painful. I have been with several people who have passed with various cancers, but this has by far been the absolute worst. He is in excruciating pain...even if you just touch his toe. It has been the biggest struggle just to get him comfortable and peacefully sleeping. Even though he had hospice, the medication they were giving him just wouldn't work. We were running out of options. They wouldn't do an IV, and if we put him in a hospice room at the nursing home, he wouldn't get an IV. If we put him in the hospital, hospice would drop him, the hospital would start running a battery of tests, and may or may not provide him with enough medication to completely sedate him....which was what he was wanting.

Yesterday, we called the ambulance and made the decision to put him in the hospital. Although once we got there, they didn't have a room, and they doctor said they may not admit him, last night it all worked out. He was admitted and put on a pain pump that we had to push every 10 minutes round the clock.

My family is so exhausted, so defeated, so stressed, and argumentative. We all just desperately want him comfortable and released from his pain. God bless my friends during this time who have really helped! Thanks to my friend Crystal and her mother, who came to the hospital late last night to pray with my family. Thanks to my friend, Carmela, who will be watching my children today while I go take my shift at the hospital. Thanks to all my other family and friends for their kind words and faithful prayers. We can see the end and are comforted that my uncle will be with his mother and father soon.

Have a blessed weekend everyone!


3 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness! I will definitely be praying. Stuff like that is always hard no matter what. You and your family are in my prayers.

    ReplyDelete
  2. i am so sorry to read about your uncle, amber. i am so sorry that he is in so much pain. i am sending a big hug your way and thinking and praying for your uncle and family during this difficult time.

    ReplyDelete
  3. You're a good friend and that's why we'd do anything for y'all. I hope your uncle's peace comes soon and that your family can begin to heal. It's makes everything else feel 10x harder, but it's going to be alright. Let me know if you need a breather. Love ya!

    ReplyDelete