Yanking the Rug Out

This is the hardest post for me to write yet.

Mom and Dad got back from SA yesterday, but she has been in unbearable pain. To the point of yelling out loud "ow ow ow!!!"

Dad took her to the ER in Fort Worth last night, after they had been home about 6 hours. They moved her to a different hospital becuase her surgeon could get her in this morning at the second one.

The decided to open Mom up to pinpoint the cause of her constant unending pain.

Her cancer has completely spread. It is covering nearly every single inch of her abdomen. There is a total of about 40 cm (just over 14 inches) of unaffected colon. She had a previous rupture of her intestine (I think) which had healed over. However, the rupture had let all the yuck out into her body. There was pus everywhere, and her intestines have become all matted together. They are completely blocked.

The doctors got her all cleaned up, but the prognosis is not good. She is in ICU for several days, and they will try to start weaning her off the ventilator. She now has a TPN for nutrition, she cannot eat solid food, except maybe yogurt or thin mashed potatoes. There is also a vent in her stomach to let out the pressure. Not a colostomy, just a vent. Mom has been very adamant about not having a colostomy bag.

Dad was given 2 options. The first was the colostomy bag. The second was the one he went with, the TPN port and pressure vent. Mom specifically doesn't want any crazy extreme measures taken to extend her life. She merely wants to be kept comfortable.

The doctors told us we have 3-6 months.

Not nearly enough time.

Currently, she is still unconscious, and will be for the next few days. Dad is meeting with a hospice nurse on Tuesday so that they can discuss setting everything up at their house if possible, rather than putting her in a facility.

I know I'm keeping this pretty clinical, but I hope everyone can understand that.

We are choosing to keep our vacation plans. My parents told us to. Frankly, I need a break, emotionally, to be able to make it through all of this. I know that the worst is yet to come. If things go downhill, I will be on the first plane out of Orlando. But right now, Pete and I both need this.

Pray for my Dad. He is so fragile right now. Mom means everything to him. I never imagined I would have to sit there and hold his hand while the surgeon told him that his wife will die, and soon. Please just pray that Mom won't be in pain.

I will obviously NOT be updating this week, but I will post again after we return.