Dr. Foley

Curt has done fairly well until about 5 AM this morning when he threw up. It wasn't much and was a clear fluid with a few blobs (looked like mucus). I gave him one of his medicines a couple hours later when we got up. About half hour later I started his first feeding. About half way through he spit all that up. I stopped the feeding and called Hospice. A little later "Nurse Linda" brought some nausea cream that you rub into his lower, inside arm near his wrist. You use this every 4 hours as needed. She also doubled his pain patch. She didn't stay long and is returning tomorrow. While she was here, he threw up again. The Hospice Doctor, Dr. Foley, came about 1. He talked to us and took a look at Curt. Curt also threw up when he was here. He said the tumor is probably the cause, for one reason or another. It could travel to other parts of the body or be growing into "bad" areas around his mouth or just not making him feel well. Dr. Foley also thought the substitute medicine they were using (the one we got at Rice's) was not strong enough, so he is going to change medicines. If Curt doesn't throw up for 4 hours and feels okay, I can give him another feeding of half the amount he was getting. We should continue with half these feedings as long as Curt can tolerate it. It could also be he wasn't tolerating as much as they were giving him. Dr. Foley made the comment that feeding Curt was feeding the tumor too. Sometimes your body tells you stop feeding this tumor. We will see how things progress.

One of our ministers (Courtney) came while Dr. Foley was here. If Curt is feeling okay, I might go to coffee with her in the morning. This morning Sue Creighton brought some brownies and cookies. Our neighbors, the Swansons (plus their daughter's family), came over to say goodbye before heading to Arizona for a month. Lloyd put something else on our yard for moss again today. We will miss them. A person from Hospice is coming soon to shave Curt, wash his hair, etc. I'm not sure he can have a shower yet with feeding tube.

Beth finally got out to get some groceries today. She is working on that "helping" website, and we will post it in this blog when and if it is up and running. It can be used to coordinate meals and other offers of assitance as well as anything that we might need help with. With our family in town through next Wednesday there should be lots of helpers around so we may not have any specific requests right now. Our Congregational Care group at church is providing some food for our family. Angie has been doing some work on her laptop and tried to have a conference meeting on the phone. Dr. Foley came early and interrupted that. Angie is returning to Portland tonight.