Thursday's Tumbles and Stumbles: Abscence

You may have noticed that my Thursday's postings have been missing. That's not because nothing has been happening at the Murphey Saga household. Just the opposite has been happening.

There has been tumbles and stumbles galore. I just haven't had time to write about it.

My darling hubby being the biggest stumble and tumble this month. His weight loss continues. In fact, his body is cannibalizing his organs now to gain the energy to keep breathing. His kidneys are failing. His heart beat is erratic. It won't be long until his liver starts to shut down too. His O2 sats average at 73 % out of 100% on 4 liters of continuous flow oxygen. He's passed the point of no return for oxygen levels and is on the downhill slide.He's also below 90 lbs. On the BMI scale his BMI is 19.5!

He has fallen out of bed a couple of times. I can't put the bed rail up because it takes two hands to operate. He is still trying to help me pick him back up into bed which throws me off balance. One such fall cracked two of his upper ribs. It makes repositioning him a nightmare pain wise. He is surrounded by pillows.

We've had the discussion about PEG tube or nasal-gastric tube for hydration and nutrition because he is choking more on swallowing. He now wants none. This is contrary to his living will signed six years ago. It's my job to make sure his wants are obeyed so we have many such conversations during his lucid moments.

I've started grinding his meds and putting them in chocolate pudding for him to take. It also meant discontinuing some of his meds like his potassium and Lasix. He understands that he will probably go into Congestive Heart Failure. He is also discontinuing his anti-depressant in lieu of Hadol (yes, the hallucinations continue). I'm repeating and reminding him of conversations constantly. His mind and reasoning is deteriorating because of lack of oxygen to the brain. I'm basically discontinuing all his pill meds so we (the hospice nurse and I) can put him on a pump. Yes, we've finally reached that stage.

I again stress that if you have not picked your Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare, do so today. No matter what your age is, do it! You never know what tomorrow will bring. Have the important conversation about your wishes now while your are able.

Now about me...
The spasticity is coming back now that the Botox is wearing off but the dry needling is working so well that I will forgo my next Botox series of  injections. My foot is able to evert on command and dorsiflex for 2 - 20 reps now. I actually stood with full weight on it and took one step WITHOUT WEARING MY AFO.  I've only been able to do it once so far but its a start. 

The residual effects of one treatment is lasting about two weeks in my leg. My therapist started working on my quads to improve my hip movement. He hit too many spots on my thigh during one session and I was tripping over invisible lint on the floor again For a few days. He's backed off now because it seems that I have to have a little bit of spasticity to do what I need to do. But then again, my right side is where I have my hip and knee replacements too.

Our baby girl decide to go into premature labor. The hospital stopped it. Little Connor isn't due to make his official appearance until June 16th. He's a healthy 3 lbs right now while momma has been put on bed rest. Bed rest is so much fun with an active three-year old running around. She's in Tx so this momma has been stressing out because I can't be there.

The thing about being stressed is the spasticity kicks in so bad. The good Lord knows, I am definitely loaded with stress, but this too shall pass.

Well that's about all my news. How have y'all been?