5th Heat Wave of 2012

We are in the 5^th heat wave of the summer, very uncommon for us here in New England. The heat and humidity are taking their toll on me. I am glad we have A/C on the first floor.

It is interesting to learn that the pain medication that I am taking for my cancer does not seem to do anything about the pain I have in my knees. My right knee use to be the bad one, but since this past spring it has been my left knee. Today I had a great deal of trouble trying to bend it when I woke up. The pain was so bad that it caused me to go into dry heaves. Thankfully I have medication for vomiting that I can take.

Today the visiting nurses called me to check on my pain medication pump and decided that it was too low to wait another day. About lunch time a nurse stopped by and changed the cassette so I should be all set for about a week. I really appreciate the things the nurses have taught me about how much the machine holds and when to call and request that the come and change the cassette. For me the important number is 15. If the machine only has 15mg of medication than I have enough for just 24 hours and I need to call. Today when they called it was at 11, I expected their call that is why I had not called them. Yesterday my nurse had set it up, however, if I had not had a call by noon I would have called them.

I am so blessed with having my Mom. I was discharged from the hospital with a book on how to eat before, during and after cancer treatment. I think she has read the entire book. She is using what she has read when she prepares my dinners. Not everything works but she sure is trying to help me. Today she made potato salad this book says I should have egg salad instead. So she made me a small bowl of egg salad. 

Over a year ago while working on one of my temp assignments I meet a young lady who’s sister is a very serious diabetic and her father won’t change any of his cooking to help her with this problem. While I was working with the sister, she learned that the other gal had woke up blind. But even that would not change their father’s outlook. I think it is very sad that their father won’t help his own daughter get better.

Knowing that there are parents like that in this world makes me more grateful for my Mom who is trying to help me. The sad part is all anyone can do for me is to make me comfortable.