Welcome to our CaringBridge website for our Dad. We are using it to keep family and friends updates in one place.
Our Dad was diagnosed with Stage 3 Lung Cancer early last year. Dad went through Chemo and Radiation like a champ in the Spring of 2021. There was evidence that it helped but his overall health began to steadily decline in the Summer of 2021. Tests were run in late August and early September of last year that showed he had Pneumonia. Ironically, it appeared the cancer tumors had shrunk so we became hopeful.
The doctors treated Dad's Pneumonia with antibiotics but they did not help. He was hospitalized 3 times between October and November because of the effects the resistant Pneumonia was having on his health. Several antibiotics were given to him in the hospital and out. Dad lost more than 40 pounds between the Spring of 2021 and November 2021. He weighed 113lbs when he was hospitalized in late November. He was in a Nursing Home for 3 weeks this past December so he could be given more intravenous antibiotics.
On December 16, 2021, Dad was given news that the Pneumonia Infection was not getting better and that there were no other antibiotics that could be considered to fight the infection. In other words, there was nothing else the doctors could do to help him. Since there was no way to fight the infection, there was no reason for the doctors to continue with his battle to beat Lung Cancer.
It was that day that Dad was given weeks to live and placed under the care of Hospice. The weeks Dad was given to live have turned into months. Dad hadn't and still to this day has not given up. He is determined to fight for his life.
Dad chose to stay home with Hospice care. Ironically he began to get stronger once he was home over Christmas. His appetite, strength and crazy sense of humor began to return. He even went from assisted walking to walking on his own.
Dad was doing really well once home. He put on 20 pounds between the end of December 2021 through the beginning of this past March. Then he had a couple of setbacks where he became very weak and had several falls.
Dad has been considered a "Fall Risk" by Hospice since late March. Although Linda, his wife, has done her best to care for him, there is only so much she can do because of her disabilities. Lisa has become Dad' primary Caregiver. She has spent most of her days and sometimes nights at their home to eliminate as many risks as possible for him to fall. I have traveled there half a dozen times since November to spend time with and help with Dad's care.
Dad is a fiesty, strong-willed and stubborn man that still wants his independence. Nonetheless, we still have to keep a watchful eye while he's in such a fragile state and mobile.
In the last week it appeared we were turning the corner with Dad. He went almost a week without any falls or weak moments so we were considering stepping back a little with staying with him daily to catch potential "fall moments". Unfortunately, Linda injured her foot on Friday, April 29, and is now in a wheelchair. There is uncertainty surrounding how long she'll be wheelchair bound. There is no known time-frame for how long it will take her injury to heal so we are seeking help for Dad and Linda's care.
The first item on our list is a Meal Train and requests for visits to sit with them for a few hours a day.
Please reach out if you have any questions. We're so appreciative to those of you who have visited and stayed in contact with Dad and Linda as are they. They love the support they've received.
CaringBridge is a nonprofit social network dedicated to helping family and friends communicate with and support loved ones during a health journey. Learn more about CaringBridge.
