Dad is holding his own for now

When Leslie and I spoke, everything seems about the way it was yesterday.  I tried calling Mary to see if Dad was up for listening to a another "hello," but I do not think that the phone was working.  I will try again later.

I think he is trying to save his strength to make sure he has a good visit with Lori.

Since speaking is so difficult for him, we all have been trying to do the majority of talking.  We are trying to remember wonderful stories…  Reminding him of his place in our lives.

We're all also a little bit tired.  Memories aren't coming to the surface as easily and quickly…  SO…

If you remember one of the good events, can you remind me/us?  When I last checked, he is more than aware.  They can't really drain more fluid from his lungs, so breathing is really difficult -which makes the entire situation more frightening.  He seemed to welcome minor distractions for a few minutes.

Death sucks.  Still, loving someone as they move from time into eternity is a rigorous privilege.

Dad's Situation for Today

A few people have asked me to update things here, not everybody likes facebook.

Just a brief run through for those who missed some of the information.

1. December 10, Dad went to the Emergency Room.  He had awakened with difficulty breathing and pain in one shoulder.  Diagnosis: 3 pulmonary embolism…  Embolisms…  Emboli.  Whatever the plural of embolism is.  He went home after a few days and we thought that that was that. 
2. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, he felt like his chest was a little tight.  His should have probably gone in to see somebody.
3. He went into one of those freestanding clinic/ER things.  They thought it was probably a bad case of pneumonia, started an IV, and got him into the hospital.
4. You don't really want the day by day and blow by blow, I think.  Cutting to the chase: cancer.  It is cancer of the prostate that has involved the lungs, spine, lymphatic system, and abdomen.
5. While he probably had symptoms earlier and wrote them off as "minor issues of getting older," I cannot convey how quickly things have moved since Christmas.  When we saw him yesterday, a few words send him into heartbreaking cough that lasts way too long.  If you know him and care about him, now would be a good time to tell him.
6. His pain is under control.  The face mask delivery for oxygen is turned up as high as it can go, and it really isn't enough.
7. Friday night and Saturday morning were rough enough that they suggested that any family probably wanted to be there this weekend.  His wife's children and grandchildren have been spending time.  Mom, I, and the Johnston crew spent about three HRS with him, drifting in an out of the room in small groups.  (After we all tried to fit in at once!)
8. He really rallied.  Don't get me wrong, this is serious.  We are not talking years or months…  Maybe not even weeks.  He just perked up for the visit.
9. Meanwhile, Lori was hard to get Ahold of until yesterday.  She has been teaching on an Air Force base in South Korea.  For Christmas break, she was on a tour of New Zealand.  She should be getting into town tomorrow evening.

My year of writing…

Most of my friends have heard me talk about National Novel Writing Month, and its spinoffs.  I have attempted it for several years, and technically won it this year.  The problem is that my grand opus is utterly worthless.  No, I'm not just saying that.  The novel that Johnny wrote in the movie, "The Shining" was better.  If I had randomly repeated letters, it would have been just as good.

BUT…  I still in the kernel of an idea that I want to attempt to do justice to.  I just know that 50,000 words in a month does not work for me.  Not in November.  Not in July or August for Camp Nano.

I found something that might provide a different framework.  It's an attempt to write a novel within a year. WriYe seems to allow a good kind of flexibility.  For example, in the able to begin my goals at a lower level and move up.  I'm starting at 50,000 for the year.  If that looks like it's too easy to reach, I can modify it.  If I get cocky and decide that I can do 250,000 words per year, after I attempt it and realize that I'm just being ridiculous, I can modify my goal at any time.

I don't have to adjust the finishing the first draft of the novel.  Novel planning counts towards the goal.  Short stories count.  Nonfiction books and articles count.

Blogging does not count, which is probably a good idea.

 

I will let you know how it works for me…

Happy New Year To You

I am having a wonderful beginning to this new year.  It is calm and quiet after the midnight volleys of the neighborhood firecrackers.  I did not hear any fire engines coming to the rescue, so maybe the neighborhood did not have a major disaster.

We have been having a soft and gentle rain of and on all day.  This is a good thing, we are creeping back into drought territory.  Plants and wildlife are thoroughly enjoying the precipitation.  Even in a suburb, and gentle rain is a blessing.

The news mentioned "fiscal cliff" a few too many times, so I went to SyFy Channel and watched old episodes of "The Twilight Zone. "

Spent time in God's Word this afternoon.  Talk about refreshment!

While I did not speak to Dad today, I got to talk to Mary.  She is…  Holding up for now.  This is the second time she has had to walk with her husband through cancer.  I don't really know when her first husband died, but she mentioned a resurfacing of waves of old emotions.

I set a few goals for the year.  I think I will use  http://chains.cc to help me term those dreams into daily habits.  They recommend sharing these goals with someone else, but I don't really feel like it. 

What is your favorite tool to help you achieve your goals and resolutions?  Feel free to share them.

Endings and Beginnings

HAPPY NEW YEAR!  May 2013 hold many wonderful things for you and yours.

These "threshold times" give us an opportunity to look back.  We see the things we did well and want to continue.  We see the things that we wish we had done differently.

This year, things are particularly poignant for my extended family.  It seems that my stepfather has gone way downhill between December 10 and today.  At the moment, we're waiting to hear the results of tests…  They withdrew 1200 CC's of fluid from his lung yesterday.  (NO, it is not a typo.  I sure wish it was.)

Waiting…

Waiting…

Regardless of the results, this signals the beginning of changes in the extended family.  We're all getting older.  Our parents are getting older.

Waiting…

Waiting…

Take time to speak the loving and encouraging words that are lurking in your heart.  Take the actions that you intend to "one of these days." Speak the things that are most important to you, speak to those you care about.

Do you have any book suggestions?

While Dad is in the hospital, he does not have a lot of energy.  Until we all find out exactly what it's going on, we're looking for things to distract him.  He loves to read.

History intrigues him.  He particularly enjoys books about Russia, Japan and China.  Of course, he also enjoys books about other places and exotic people.

He enjoys mysteries and adventure.  John Grisham and Tom Clancy have provided hours of entertainment.

I'd just sent him, "Life of Pi" on many high a recommendations.

It is your turn.  What works of fiction should my sisters and I think about getting for him?

REALLY short post today!

I'm quite scattered today.  My attention span is about the same as a squirrel on amphetamines, and I don't know how I will remember where I buried all the treasures in the yard.

Or not!

While I am waiting to hear from my sister who is with Dad while he goes through all these procedures, I am attempting to work.  I have joined the "stable of writers" at Internet Toolbox For Churches. The article I'm writing is due this evening.  The article itself is written.  I've edited it , run it through several grammar and spell checkers, including http://www.paperrater.com/ , and edited it again.  I'm at the point where I have to create tweets for probable use when the thing is published.

I just needed a quick break.  Now it is time to go back to work.