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#11742 - 08/18/04 12:18 AM Now I am the mommy.......
Micki Offline
Member

Registered: 10/30/02
Posts: 144
Loc: Linthicum, MD
I don't know how many of you knew it, but my father was diagnosed with esophogeal cancer in January and was given only a few months to live without any intervention, which he had decided was what he was going to do. Our GP doc talked to him and told him that without treatment he had just a few months and it would be a really bad few months, with the cancer blocking access to the stomach and literally starvation. The tumor would also slough dead cells and poison his system to boot. So, he had chemo and radiation, then surgery, and currently is having another round of chemo. He almost died from several complications during the first chemo/rad round, then again after the surgery (they removed his entire esophagus and 1/3 of his stomach, then pulled his stomach up into the chest and hooked it to where the esophagus had been), and now has a paralyzed left vocal chord and had just started eating food in the past two weeks since May 13th. I have rented out my house and moved here with him to care for him. So, that's the beginning of this story in a nutshell...

I have had such a deja-vu experience this week. I went back to work full-time while Dad is OK alone during the day, so I am not here to do all the little things all week. I have to shove everything into the weekend, so I don't really pick up after either of us much until Saturday mornings. Dad goes to breakfast with my uncle and some others at around 7 and comes home from my uncles' house around 1. I had planned to scrub the floors and vacuum, change the beds, do laundry, cook some things for the following week for dinner, dust, straighten up, etc. on Saturday. Dad mentioned on Wednesday evening that the kitchen floor needed to be washed, and I told him I was going to do it Saturday. Well, when I got home Thursday from work, he had scrubbed the kitchen and bath floors, vacuumed the whole house, done all the laundry and cleaned the fridge and stove, taken a shower and had dinner on the stove. When I said something about it, he told me that I would have found something else to do Saturday (which I ultimately did...take him to the doctor!) and if I didn't, (and I quote here!), "Your room could stand to be cleaned." Horrors! 40 years immediately dropped away and I was 16 again, being chastised for not keeping my room straight! Deja-vu all over again!!!

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#11743 - 08/18/04 01:45 AM Re: Now I am the mommy.......
jawjaw Offline
Da Queen

Registered: 07/02/03
Posts: 12025
Loc: Alabama
Oh Micki...that sounds sooo much like my Mom and Dad. I hope you can see the humor in all of this. No matter what age we are, we are still their children, eh?

To me it is a miracle that your dad can do all of those things after everything he has been through. Bless his heart...and YOURS too!

Love ya gal,

JJ

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#11744 - 08/18/04 06:36 AM Re: Now I am the mommy.......
meredithbead Offline
The Divine Ms M

Registered: 07/07/03
Posts: 4894
Loc: Orange County, California
Micki,

I'm sure it brang him joy to be able to do something for you, after all you've done for him. Love gives us surprising strength.

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#11745 - 08/18/04 02:59 PM Re: Now I am the mommy.......
Dotsie Offline
Founder

Registered: 07/09/08
Posts: 23647
Loc: Maryland
quote:
Originally posted by Micki:
"Your room could stand to be cleaned."

Micki, as you know you and your dad have been in my prayers forever. I'm glad my dad was able to hang out with him the other day. [Wink]

The above quote is a classic! I bet you did feel like the little kid all over again.

I believe I said those same words to my 16 year old daughter this morning.

Just wondering...did you clean your room yet? [Big Grin] [Razz]

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#11746 - 08/19/04 08:33 PM Re: Now I am the mommy.......
chatty lady Offline
Writer

Registered: 02/24/04
Posts: 20267
Loc: Nevada
What a heartwarming account of your dads comments and asll he managed to get done. Like JJ said, we are their children no matter how old we are. I wouldn't have it any other way either, would any of you? God Bless them all.

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#11747 - 12/20/04 07:00 PM Re: Now I am the mommy.......
Kristin Offline
Member

Registered: 11/27/04
Posts: 37
quote:
Originally posted by Micki:
I don't know how many of you knew it, but my father was diagnosed with esophogeal cancer in January and was given only a few months to live without any intervention, which he had decided was what he was going to do. Our GP doc talked to him and told him that without treatment he had just a few months and it would be a really bad few months, with the cancer blocking access to the stomach and literally starvation. The tumor would also slough dead cells and poison his system to boot. So, he had chemo and radiation, then surgery, and currently is having another round of chemo. He almost died from several complications during the first chemo/rad round, then again after the surgery (they removed his entire esophagus and 1/3 of his stomach, then pulled his stomach up into the chest and hooked it to where the esophagus had been), and now has a paralyzed left vocal chord and had just started eating food in the past two weeks since May 13th. I have rented out my house and moved here with him to care for him. So, that's the beginning of this story in a nutshell...

I have had such a deja-vu experience this week. I went back to work full-time while Dad is OK alone during the day, so I am not here to do all the little things all week. I have to shove everything into the weekend, so I don't really pick up after either of us much until Saturday mornings. Dad goes to breakfast with my uncle and some others at around 7 and comes home from my uncles' house around 1. I had planned to scrub the floors and vacuum, change the beds, do laundry, cook some things for the following week for dinner, dust, straighten up, etc. on Saturday. Dad mentioned on Wednesday evening that the kitchen floor needed to be washed, and I told him I was going to do it Saturday. Well, when I got home Thursday from work, he had scrubbed the kitchen and bath floors, vacuumed the whole house, done all the laundry and cleaned the fridge and stove, taken a shower and had dinner on the stove. When I said something about it, he told me that I would have found something else to do Saturday (which I ultimately did...take him to the doctor!) and if I didn't, (and I quote here!), "Your room could stand to be cleaned." Horrors! 40 years immediately dropped away and I was 16 again, being chastised for not keeping my room straight! Deja-vu all over again!!!

ROFL! That is a dad for sure.

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#11748 - 12/21/04 06:28 PM Re: Now I am the mommy.......
chatty lady Offline
Writer

Registered: 02/24/04
Posts: 20267
Loc: Nevada
Micki how is your dad doing. Rereading this made me wonder.

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#11749 - 12/22/04 08:38 PM Re: Now I am the mommy.......
Micki Offline
Member

Registered: 10/30/02
Posts: 144
Loc: Linthicum, MD
Hi everyone...thanks for keeping track of us!

Dad is doing as well as can be expected right now. He is still at 159 pounds and cannot seem to gain any weight at all. He did decide to stop all the chemo and we will see what that leads to when he has his scans in January. He is eating very well (many small meals very often)and is taking the dog we have at home now on a 2 mile walk every day.

I had surgery on November 29th and he has been sort of watching out for me right now. I can't drive yet (and that is driving ME nuts.....his driving skills are not what they used to be and it scares me to death) so he is the designated driver for everywhere we go.

I am scared for him...he just isn't himself. It makes it much worse living here with him, because I see every little nuance that changes. My strong, tough, fighter of a father is now becoming a little old man and it makes me so sad.

So, the story continues.......

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