Journal entry by Mikia Hundley —
Hello all,
I received a call from the doctor around 3:30 AM on Monday. The doctor said Joye's heart rate was very high- 170s/180s. I got to the hospital about 4:30 AM just before they moved her from the oncology floor to the cardiovascular wing. When I arrived, she was holding her eyes open easily. She was holding my eye contact and having a conversation with me. She asked me about the dogs. I asked her if she was having any crazy dreams and she laughed and told me about some. I told her about one of her nurses having 7 cats and she said "that's cray cray." She was quiet lively. She even removed her NG tube (the tube from her nose to tummy) WITH restraints on before I got there- second time she has pulled the NG tube out this week.
The reason for the floor move was due to the doctors wanting to put her on a special medicine, that she could only get there, to help with the heart rate. Well when she got on the medicine, it worked. Her heart rate came down but with it so did her blood pressure. So the doctors switched her medicine around. The BP came up but not exactly where they wanted it to be. Then they preformed a noninvasive procedure on her heart to help regulate the beat. The hope was that if her rhythm was more regular her blood pressure would rise on its own. It worked. Thank the Lord. It worked.
This morning during our conversation she was adamant about two things. She wanted the restraints off- even in the hospital Joye remained a proper lady crossing her hands in her lap. She also asked me to take her home.
The doctors discussed doing a MRI and testing her spinal fluid to see if the cancer has spread. Joye does not want to continue chemo (decision made prior to this hospital stay by her) nor will her body handle it. Joye has also made it clear through her living will that she wants to be comfortable and not prolong any suffering. I made it clear to the doctors that our main focus now was bringing her home, where she so desperately wanted to be. The testing would have been a strain on Joye's body and the cancer spreading would not have affected the course of treatment that would best fulfill her wishes as of now.
Joye was able to come home this evening with Homestead Hospice around 7:30. She was happy to be home and to see all her animals. She is snoring away now. Jennifer is keeping watch over her so that I can get some rest (or at least attempt to get some rest.) The nurses and doctors were so great at University. Most of them cried with me. They offered a hand to hold when the doctors wanted to have the big conversations. They were so sweet to Joye and made sure she was nice and warm. I am so thankful for all of them but I am also happy that we are home now and I can provide her care myself.
Throughout this process, I have told myself to remain realistic but optimistic. I think that being home will help motivate her to heal. But I also know she is very sick. Please pray for God's will, for his comfort, for his peace, and for a miracle if He sees fit.
I want to thank all of you who have prayed without ceasing for her. I pray for all the people who are praying for her daily. I pray for the wonderful ladies from church who have so tirelessly and selflessly supported us during this time. I pray for your strength, your comfort, your peace, and rest for you all. Praying this hard takes a lot of work but I believe we are all up to the task!
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!
Warmly,
Mikia
I received a call from the doctor around 3:30 AM on Monday. The doctor said Joye's heart rate was very high- 170s/180s. I got to the hospital about 4:30 AM just before they moved her from the oncology floor to the cardiovascular wing. When I arrived, she was holding her eyes open easily. She was holding my eye contact and having a conversation with me. She asked me about the dogs. I asked her if she was having any crazy dreams and she laughed and told me about some. I told her about one of her nurses having 7 cats and she said "that's cray cray." She was quiet lively. She even removed her NG tube (the tube from her nose to tummy) WITH restraints on before I got there- second time she has pulled the NG tube out this week.
The reason for the floor move was due to the doctors wanting to put her on a special medicine, that she could only get there, to help with the heart rate. Well when she got on the medicine, it worked. Her heart rate came down but with it so did her blood pressure. So the doctors switched her medicine around. The BP came up but not exactly where they wanted it to be. Then they preformed a noninvasive procedure on her heart to help regulate the beat. The hope was that if her rhythm was more regular her blood pressure would rise on its own. It worked. Thank the Lord. It worked.
This morning during our conversation she was adamant about two things. She wanted the restraints off- even in the hospital Joye remained a proper lady crossing her hands in her lap. She also asked me to take her home.
The doctors discussed doing a MRI and testing her spinal fluid to see if the cancer has spread. Joye does not want to continue chemo (decision made prior to this hospital stay by her) nor will her body handle it. Joye has also made it clear through her living will that she wants to be comfortable and not prolong any suffering. I made it clear to the doctors that our main focus now was bringing her home, where she so desperately wanted to be. The testing would have been a strain on Joye's body and the cancer spreading would not have affected the course of treatment that would best fulfill her wishes as of now.
Joye was able to come home this evening with Homestead Hospice around 7:30. She was happy to be home and to see all her animals. She is snoring away now. Jennifer is keeping watch over her so that I can get some rest (or at least attempt to get some rest.) The nurses and doctors were so great at University. Most of them cried with me. They offered a hand to hold when the doctors wanted to have the big conversations. They were so sweet to Joye and made sure she was nice and warm. I am so thankful for all of them but I am also happy that we are home now and I can provide her care myself.
Throughout this process, I have told myself to remain realistic but optimistic. I think that being home will help motivate her to heal. But I also know she is very sick. Please pray for God's will, for his comfort, for his peace, and for a miracle if He sees fit.
I want to thank all of you who have prayed without ceasing for her. I pray for all the people who are praying for her daily. I pray for the wonderful ladies from church who have so tirelessly and selflessly supported us during this time. I pray for your strength, your comfort, your peace, and rest for you all. Praying this hard takes a lot of work but I believe we are all up to the task!
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!
Warmly,
Mikia
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