Sad Day

                                                  Josephine [Jody] Shields

                                               1-27 1940       05-20-2012


                          Married to Glenn Shields 51 years 4 months 8 days


This has been the worst day of my life, but I am thankful that we had these many years together.  Who would have thought we could have such a good time together.  There are some some things that we didn't get to do, but I think over all she is happy with what we did do and the things we  accomplished.  She raised 4 great kids with  out the help she needed from me.  Seems like I was always gone working.  Some things just  can't be  done over.

She suffered so much the last week, but I know she is in a better place now.


I wish to think everyone for their concerns and prayers.



Glenn

Friday May 18th - The End

Since my last posting this morning, things have changed.  Mom passed away a little after noon.  There will be a viewing Sunday from 6:00 - 7:30 at the Kevin Brennan Funeral Home at 2801 SW Urish Rd.  The funeral service will be held Monday at 11:00 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 3611 Jewell Ave.

Friday, May 18th

It's Vicki again with another update.  Mom is still in hospice and still in a coma.  She has not woken up since Saturday.  She refuses to let the doctors and nurses tell her when she is going to go.  Last Saturday they said 2 or 3 days.  Yesterday, five days later, they said less than 12 hours.  Now today, over 24 hours later she is still hanging on!  Nevertheless, she seems to get weaker each day.  Dad is tired and somewhat frustrated over his lack of being able to do anything to help her and all the uncertainty about what is going on.  He very much appreciates all the friends who have stopped by to help and just chat with him for a bit.  Thank you for your support!

The End May Be Near

Dad asked me to post a blog for him (this is Vicki).  Mom had a seizure today -- Dad called a hospice nurse to come out.  She seems to think Mom had a stroke caused by the cancer having spread to her brain.  The nurse gave her some medicine to stop the seizure.  Mom is unresponsive right now -- she is sleeping and according to the nurse comfortable and pain free.  They have moved her to the hospice center.  They will continue to give her that medicine every six hours so she does not have any more seizures.  The nurse said she will most likely not wake up and will most likely not last more than a couple of days.

While we are all sad we know that this is what Mom really wanted.

I just read what I wrote last time   It was supposed to say it may be the 25th but it's not Christmas.  Oh well time goes by with a lot of pain.  It seemed as though the oxycodone was not working for her.  On Friday I called Hospice  to tell them something had to be done .  Their answer was to increase the fentalye patch to 100mg and to start giving her 2 oxycodone every hour.  Still no results.  Called again Monday and they suggested that we bring Jody into their hospice House , which is almost like a hospital.  They started her on morphine and steroids and Tuesday morning she woke up and said she did not have any pain. 

We came home late Wednesday evening.  But the bad news is she is not her self.  Sees things that is not there.  Mixed up .  I hope it is the morphine that is causing it.  Also her blood sugar was high today.  Must do a better job if checking it.  Don''t know if this could contribute to it or not. 

Starting Monday we will have a home health aid coming in to help her.  Three days a week..

Don't know what else to say other than things could be better.

Glenn

It may be the 25th but it's not Christmas

It has been one of those days.  Early this morning we got a call from the hospital about an appointment that we did not know we had. Some one dropped the ball and for got to call us.  A week ago there was some talk about putting in a catheter so we could drain the fluid from her abdomen here at home.  Sounds good except they whoever some one is for got to call and inform us.  The lady asked if we had had breakfast yet.  Since we had not she said she would check and see if it could still be done.  It could said to be there at 12:00.

We got checked in and they wanted to0 use the port from the chemo.  Good idea except they could not get blood to return through the port.  After about 30 minutes thy got it working and about 2:30 she was wheeled in to have the catheter put in.  Went real good.  Got back about 3:30. After recovery we got to leave about  5:00.  Home around 5:30.  Big day for such a simple procedure.

The hospice nurse will be out Friday to start training us on how to drain the fluid ourselves.  Doesn't look like it will be something we can't do.  The one main thing is to keep every thing sterile to keep things from getting infected.

PS  This catheter can remain as long as needed.

Glenn

18 April 2012

Well right now I am not a real happy camper.  I was writing and almost finished and was correcting some of my spelling and every thing disappeared.  Tough I guess .  Have to start over.  Now what did I write?

We had an appointment at the hospital today to have the fluid removed again.  They were able to remove 4.5 liters from her abdomen and 2.0 liters from her lungs.  We sorta got chastized  for waiting so long to call.  I don.t thing this was our fault this time.  We had called on Thursday and they didn't set it up until Wednesday.  I do think she will feel better by tomorrow.  Right now she has pain.  About Sunday she was in real pain.  She said on a scale of 1 to 10 she was about a 15.  Lots of pain pain pills takes care of that.

We are now signed up with Midland Hospice who wil take care of most things now prescriptions supplies.  They brought out 2 oxygen. bottles and an oxygen concentrator Monday.  Would have brought out a wheel chair but Vicki had already got us one.  Some woman was giving it away.  They can provide us with a lot of support that we will be needing.  They can send people out I think 3 times a week to help her bath and etc.  I have put a hand held shower hear in the show that helps her.  She does not use the bath tub anymore afraid she could not get out of fall. 

We do have ladies bringing in food a couple of times a week.  That helps a lot Gives her some different that I don't try to fix. I do breakfasst fairly good.  But I get lost after that.  Sherri was here last week and  Marcing is here now for about a week.  With her here  I can get out and do some things that I need to do.

Glenn