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In 2007, I began my original website, Sonshine's Haven. In 2007, it was turned into a blog and used to keep family updated on my first husband's fight with liver cancer. He passed away November of 2009. We were married for 34+ wonderful years and this journals some of that grief process I've gone through.

I have since remarried another widower, but Mike is missed dearly, and will always be a big part of my life.

At times, all of us will be called to act as witnesses to the suffering of another. We will be unable to affect the outcome physically. Words will fail us. Prayer will seem futile. And yet, the act of bearing witness to someone else's trials is a sacred sorrow that offers and astounding glimpse of eternal joy." by Ginger Garrett

"Being willing to stay with a loved one throughout their travail, can be difficult....YES! But offering yourselves as faithful companions on a dark and dreadful journey can be an unmeasured blessing." (paraphrased by me)

8.28.2009

Mike isn't well. They almost put him in the hospital today. I think they changed their mind knowing there really wasn't much that could be done over the weekend, and as a cancer patient on chemotherapy, a hospital is probably the last place you should be.

The fluid in Mike's body has built up so much, that the oncology nurse felt Mike needed intervention. The only problem is that Mike started back on his Coumadin (blood thinners) Tuesday. They drew a INR, to see if the procedure could be safely done today. This tests how thick Mike's blood is. If it was 1.4 or under they could proceed with the procedure. We then went to the Oncology office and waited with the RN, to see if the Paracentesis could be done. Mike's level came back as 1.91...which meant NOPE! So, the doctor has worked it out where they can do it possibly on Monday, if another INR returns that he is in a safe zone.

Mike was given a Vitamin K injection today, and that is suppose to speed up the process and allow him to have the procedure done Monday, instead of next Wednesday. Normally, it would require five full days of being off Coumadin to have the procedure. Mike has begun taking the Lovenox injections into his stomach to help this along as well.

On Monday, he will be having a Paracentesis (a tube inserted into his abdomen to drain fluid), and they plan to leave this tube in, since it will likely need continual draining. Of course, Mike isn't happy about getting another tube.

His left arm has swelled up double the size of his other arm. They believe the clot he had in June never dissolved, but must have been under control until he recently got off therapy. So these injections are to also help keep him safe with that, until he can resume the Coumadin. I believe they are planning to do an ultrasound of that arm on Monday, just to see if it is the same clot.

Anyway....Mike went to bed for the evening at 5:00 p.m. Relief lately for him, only comes by sleeping. He had an Ensure before going to bed. I think he is going to accept a feeding tube if it is ever offered again. I believe he's realizing the only chance he has to continue this fight, is to get some nourishment, even when his body is telling him it doesn't need it.

We would be grateful if you would pray for our strength to endure, to fight, and to live with this cancer.
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