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But to be honest, I'm scared of those things. I knew a whole group of people who were killed when one crashed. I also didn't know these other people but a hot air balloon crashed near us and burst into flames and everyone was killed. So yeah...kinda got the heebie jeebies about that.
It is seriously cool fun. I'm not much for heights but I will suck it up & my spouse is just a big old baby about them. Once I double dog dared him into climbing in the darn basket, we had a wonderful time.
It is seriously cool fun. I'm not much for heights but I will suck it up & my spouse is just a big old baby about them. Once I double dog dared him into climbing in the darn basket, we had a wonderful time.
If you do it, I know you will not regret it.
OK but just know I'm not going to do it! I'm sure it's a lot of fun though.
I just got back from visiting my brother and his wife in Ohio. To refresh, my brother has been battling pancreatic cancer and while that is very serious, they did catch it early initially and he is tough as nails so he even worked full time AND took chemo and it seemed to have worked - his scans at the end of all that (including the horrible Whipple surgery) were clear. AMAZING.
Unfortunately it all came rushing back with a vengeance just a few months later and even his team of specialists were surprised at how aggressive it was.
Now it has spread to lymph nodes and it looks like one lung and his liver. He finds out Wednesday what the full prognosis and plan of action is. Meanwhile, he is in excruciating pain and on morphine as well as some other type of pain killer - and they are barely holding the pain at bay. I mean BARELY - well, not really, just making it possible for him not to rock back and forth moaning or screaming in pain.
It was horrible to sit there with him and watch him literally sweating in pain, curled up, unable to stand up straight. My god, he looks terrible. And as I was leaving, he actually said to me, "I'm sorry I wasn't more fun for you." My heart nearly broke. I said, "I didn't come here to be entertained, I came here to be with people I love and that's what I did."
I feel so terrible for his wife and for him. He takes about six baths a day because laying in a warm bathtub eases his pain a little. So when he was out of the room for a bit, his wife turned to me and whispered, "This is how he is all day every day. I can't seem to do anything to ease his pain."
I know the feeling. It's terrible to love someone and not be able to do a thing to ease their suffering. Not a thing.
They are both still talking though as if this can all be fixed. I really don't think they are facing other possibilities together - I mean, they are not talking about other possibilities. I wasn't about to bring it up - I have already said what I felt needed to be said about wills, paperwork, etc. and it was hard enough to say it earlier in all this when he had a better prognosis - I'm sure not going to say it all again now.
I caught myself thinking, "Well at least Mom and Dad don't have to deal with this," and that IS a relief. I can't imagine trying to tell my mother this. I mean, she was still asking about my brother up to the very end - with vascular dementia vs Alzheimer's, it's not unusual for a person to retain their memory and understanding of relationships and especially close loved ones (my mom did forget things like old friendships, places she had lived, that sort of thing). Watching my brother suffer would have torn my parents up.
While I was there, my brother received a sizable check from my mom's estate. The sad thing is, I don't know if he will ever get the chance to enjoy that - doing something like paying off his house, or doing upgrades like he and his wife have been talking about doing (remodeling the kitchen, adding a big front porch, that sort of thing that makes life fun and more pleasant). I just hope he doesn't end up spending it on medical bills.
Oh Kathryn I wish I had seen this sooner When my hubby with pancreas cancer had pain like that I made up several rice packs and just kept them coming at him to put on the painful spots. Does not cure anything but he said it soothed his pain. Like the hot water bath. Big hugs to you and your brother and his wife. I sadly can say I know how she feels. It is so hard for them and on us the caretakers.
Again sorry I was not here sooner I was caretaking myself after a bad fall and issues arising from. Starting to surface again finally feeling somewhat better. Been a long two weeks.
Oh Kathryn I wish I had seen this sooner When my hubby with pancreas cancer had pain like that I made up several rice packs and just kept them coming at him to put on the painful spots. Does not cure anything but he said it soothed his pain. Like the hot water bath. Big hugs to you and your brother and his wife. I sadly can say I know how she feels. It is so hard for them and on us the caretakers.
Again sorry I was not here sooner I was caretaking myself after a bad fall and issues arising from. Starting to surface again finally feeling somewhat better. Been a long two weeks.
Gosh I hope you are feeling better and healing well.
Thank you so much for your thoughts and for your advice. I will definitely pass this along to my brother and his wife!
Yes Kathryn. Pain levels are way down from what they were. Thank you for asking. Go back to doc for follow up Tuesday. I am far from over this but I hope I am improving. Rice packs are easy to make. Google online. Just rice in a bag. I usual sew channel or two to keep the rice from all shifting to one area. Also do not tr to put too much rice in each one. you want it to be able to slide around some. I also made them for his hands and feet as after the whipple and so much chemo hands and feet were always ice cold. And best to have enough packs around so you can just keep them coming and not have to reheat the same ones before they totally cool I would wrap them in dish towels to be sure they did not burn him.
Yes Kathryn. Pain levels are way down from what they were. Thank you for asking. Go back to doc for follow up Tuesday. I am far from over this but I hope I am improving. Rice packs are easy to make. Google online. Just rice in a bag. I usual sew channel or two to keep the rice from all shifting to one area. Also do not tr to put too much rice in each one. you want it to be able to slide around some. I also made them for his hands and feet as after the whipple and so much chemo hands and feet were always ice cold. And best to have enough packs around so you can just keep them coming and not have to reheat the same ones before they totally cool I would wrap them in dish towels to be sure they did not burn him.
This is a great idea that I will definitely pass on, because like you said, chemo can really make a person's hands and feet perpetually cold and he's struggled with this. When I visited him, they didn't have the AC on and frankly, I thought the house was hot but I figured that he is so cold natured now that he probably couldn't bear AC.
I keep remembering things. The hot packs also seemed to help the chemo nuropathy of the hands and feet. So so sorry you all are going through this now.
Yes Kathryn. Pain levels are way down from what they were. Thank you for asking. Go back to doc for follow up Tuesday. I am far from over this but I hope I am improving. Rice packs are easy to make. Google online. Just rice in a bag. I usual sew channel or two to keep the rice from all shifting to one area. Also do not tr to put too much rice in each one. you want it to be able to slide around some. I also made them for his hands and feet as after the whipple and so much chemo hands and feet were always ice cold. And best to have enough packs around so you can just keep them coming and not have to reheat the same ones before they totally cool I would wrap them in dish towels to be sure they did not burn him.
I have been making these for years....buy one pair mens knee high tube socks & some cheap plain white rice. Fill up one sock so you can easily tie it in a knot & shift rice around...then stuff in other sock & knot it.
I "nuke" it for 2 min 30sec & it is hot but not too hot. The 2 layers prevent rice from escaping. After using it for awhile it will get scorched rice smelling or sock will look cruddy-- just toss it out and make new one.
If you have trouble sleeping, put hot rice pack under your feet on pressure point & you will go right to sleep. Rice packs are good for sore muscles, cramps, backaches. children's stomach aches etc. & cold feet!
I keep remembering things. The hot packs also seemed to help the chemo nuropathy of the hands and feet. So so sorry you all are going through this now.
Oh thank you and I will definitely pass all this along. I will talk to my brother probably tomorrow. I bet he will be glad to hear this.
If you want to get him a nice present, there are electric glove like hand warmers and feet warmers and also electric lap rugs of all kinds. Mom uses the gloves for her arthritis. Saves her having to deal with the microwave and they keep a constant temperature.
Amazon has a huge range of each item and you can have them shipped directly.
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