Yesterday Joan had a massage. We are not sure it did any good, quite often a massage feels great directly after but fades after an hour.
The visit to the oncologist resulted in a change of medications for pain and nausea. He also arranged for the Silver Chain to visit in the evening. Whilst there Joan asked for the PICC line to be removed as it is no longer going to be used for chemo. Dr Ransom informed us that if the hospital removed it, it would cost our health fund $450 and he removed it in approximately 2 minutes.
The Silver Chain nurse arrived around 8.30pm and was excellent and in the hour she was with us gave us much more detailed info about how the different drugs work and the precise order in which they should be taken. Palliative care is just one facet of this wonderful free service. See here.
I have taken a different approach to Joan’s food intake. Instead of asking her whether she would like something I have been offering her a taste of something I have prepared and know won’t be too difficult to swallow; beef broth, sliced fruit, electrolyte ice blocks etc. Seems to be working!
The Colostomy bag she has had attached to her belly was supposed to be for only two or three days, but the fluid from her abdomen is still flowing into the bag at a rate of around one litre a day. It seems that it will be a permanent situation. I empty the bag about four to five times a day as it is quite small. When today’s Silver Chain nurse arrives she will change the bag.
Here is a link to a blog posting from a lady who lives/lived(?) in Tasmania. It is called The Silence of the Dying.
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3 comments:
Joan, i'm glad that you have the silver chain nurse coming in every day. Hope the new medication is easing the pain, joy and I would like to drop in some time just to catch up. Love Marg
Joan so glad you are receiving lots of love and support, you so deserve it. I hope you are comfortable. Kev, this is Sara Douglass you are talking about I think, and she is still alive. She has just published a new book unless it was published it before she passed. I knew she was terminal. I thought this piece (which I read several months ago) was so very well written and would be helpful to all of us. Hope you both have a good weekend. Always in my heart Joan.....:-)Hugs
I have only heard good things about Silver Chain and Hospice (which is the organization we have in the U.S.)
They help a very difficult process make more sense if that is possible. And there can be great comfort in controlling what happens to your valued "stuff" - Joan is lucky to have been able to do it.
The article was wonderful - the need to express the anger and sorrow you both feel must get overwhelming.
I love you both and will greatly miss Joan when she goes.
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