Hospice Care
This is Donna writing. Taking up where I last left off, Calvin had brain radiation on Thursday & Friday, March 22 & 23. He had another bad weekend and was not able to go to church with me Sunday morning.
Monday at noon we went to his appointment at Cancer Care and met with his doctor. After asking how Calvin felt and how he was doing, he gave us the CT scan news. The scans looked bad. The cancer has spread a lot. At some point Calvin told him that he had just had enough pain and suffering. More chemo would just result in more suffering, with no hope for improvement. Calvin also said he didn't want any more radiation either. He just wants it all to stop and for him to be allowed to die, the pain and suffering has gone on too long. Dr. Chay respects Calvin's wishes and understands. There is nothing more he can do for Calvin now anyway. This cancer is incurable and very aggressive, which we were told at the start, back in June 2006. Dr. Chay said he would have Hospice contact us and they would care for Calvin's needs from here on out, but that he would always be available for Calvin at any time if Calvin wanted to see him or talk to him. I asked him what he felt Calvin's life expectancy might be. He said it could be weeks, maybe a month. So we left there in tears, even though Calvin has been feeling that the cancer has gotten worse, we didn't expect the one month prognosis. So we will prepare as best we can and leave the timing up to God.
So, everything has been cancelled: chemo, radiation, and an appointment with his urologist.
Hospice called Tuesday and set up an appointment to come see us. Wednesday morning we were visited by a Hospice social worker and a Hospice admissions nurse. They were wonderful. Calvin signed some paper work and everything is set up for Calvin to receive Home Hospice Care. They gave me their phone number and urged me to call them at any time if there is anything Calvin needs, or if some problem occurs. It is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If at some point he needs more care than can be given here at home he will go to their Solace Facility in Asheville.
On Thursday the Home Hospice nurse who will be Calvin's permanent nurse called and came over to meet us and talk to us and get Calvin's meds all organized. The plan being to get Calvin's pain under control. She made some adjustments to his oxycontin and oxycodone. She will be back Monday and see how Calvin did over the weekend. If need be she will continue to make adjustments, and perhaps some changes in pain medications to get the pain managed better. They also delivered a walking cane, and walker, and a shower chair for Calvin. He is very weak and wobbly when he is up walking around.
Today my brother/sister-in-law/& 3 nephews are coming from the Atlanta, GA area for a short visit. Calvin is up to short visits. Tomorrow my son is driving down from Michigan to help me out. There are several unfinished projects in Calvin's workshop in the basement that need to be finished up, and there is some strenuous yard work that needs doing that I can't do. So he will be getting some odds and ends taken care of for me. He will be here 3 days, then drive back up to Michigan. Calvin's mom and brother are driving out from Arizona and plan to be here by Wednesday night. They will have a short visit of a few days here. Starting next weekend Allison will be coming home from college at SVU in Buena Vista, VA, every weekend. My other son and daughter-in-law in Pennsylvania will be bringing her home on Friday and taking her back to college after church Easter morning.
Calvin is still not using a computer, but I will print any emails for him so he can read them. I will try to keep this blog updated on a weekly basis.
Monday at noon we went to his appointment at Cancer Care and met with his doctor. After asking how Calvin felt and how he was doing, he gave us the CT scan news. The scans looked bad. The cancer has spread a lot. At some point Calvin told him that he had just had enough pain and suffering. More chemo would just result in more suffering, with no hope for improvement. Calvin also said he didn't want any more radiation either. He just wants it all to stop and for him to be allowed to die, the pain and suffering has gone on too long. Dr. Chay respects Calvin's wishes and understands. There is nothing more he can do for Calvin now anyway. This cancer is incurable and very aggressive, which we were told at the start, back in June 2006. Dr. Chay said he would have Hospice contact us and they would care for Calvin's needs from here on out, but that he would always be available for Calvin at any time if Calvin wanted to see him or talk to him. I asked him what he felt Calvin's life expectancy might be. He said it could be weeks, maybe a month. So we left there in tears, even though Calvin has been feeling that the cancer has gotten worse, we didn't expect the one month prognosis. So we will prepare as best we can and leave the timing up to God.
So, everything has been cancelled: chemo, radiation, and an appointment with his urologist.
Hospice called Tuesday and set up an appointment to come see us. Wednesday morning we were visited by a Hospice social worker and a Hospice admissions nurse. They were wonderful. Calvin signed some paper work and everything is set up for Calvin to receive Home Hospice Care. They gave me their phone number and urged me to call them at any time if there is anything Calvin needs, or if some problem occurs. It is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If at some point he needs more care than can be given here at home he will go to their Solace Facility in Asheville.
On Thursday the Home Hospice nurse who will be Calvin's permanent nurse called and came over to meet us and talk to us and get Calvin's meds all organized. The plan being to get Calvin's pain under control. She made some adjustments to his oxycontin and oxycodone. She will be back Monday and see how Calvin did over the weekend. If need be she will continue to make adjustments, and perhaps some changes in pain medications to get the pain managed better. They also delivered a walking cane, and walker, and a shower chair for Calvin. He is very weak and wobbly when he is up walking around.
Today my brother/sister-in-law/& 3 nephews are coming from the Atlanta, GA area for a short visit. Calvin is up to short visits. Tomorrow my son is driving down from Michigan to help me out. There are several unfinished projects in Calvin's workshop in the basement that need to be finished up, and there is some strenuous yard work that needs doing that I can't do. So he will be getting some odds and ends taken care of for me. He will be here 3 days, then drive back up to Michigan. Calvin's mom and brother are driving out from Arizona and plan to be here by Wednesday night. They will have a short visit of a few days here. Starting next weekend Allison will be coming home from college at SVU in Buena Vista, VA, every weekend. My other son and daughter-in-law in Pennsylvania will be bringing her home on Friday and taking her back to college after church Easter morning.
Calvin is still not using a computer, but I will print any emails for him so he can read them. I will try to keep this blog updated on a weekly basis.
posted by Calvin | 6:07 AM
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