Filled with Sorrow ....

 
Lisa and Al are with us at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art for the great Impressionist show

 

Mike is very present and enjoys your visits -- There is still much to talk about and to appreciate.  We want to see more visitors to bring out Mike's wonderful spirit that we know and celebrate.


Lynn and Glenn visiting


Yet last week, after a long hospital stay with CT and PET scans; the targets observed in the PET scan identified  "Innumerable avidly hypermetabolic mediastinal lymph nodes which are concerning for metastatic process." A biopsy was taken, and the conclusion was "metastatic disease."  

It was determined that the bladder cancer had spread throughout the lymph nodes on the left side and into some of the vertebral bones as well.

Talking with the oncologist about options and knowing that Mike did not react well to the aggressive therapy from last year, Mike told her he preferred to be comfortable.





Yesterday, we had the home visit for enrolling with VNA Hospice.  We learned about the program, the support and the advantages, and signed in to the system.  They will handle emergencies -- no more emergency room or 911. We just have to call.  We have a 24-hour help line that we can access for changes or concerns.



We are doing well. With our great supportive caregivers, they offer daily help with tasks that make life easier for Mike, as well as myself.  Mike still takes walks; they are shorter, and he picks up the mail.  The walk up our long drive is a challenge.

I still have my team ot the lab at UCSB and get out to campus at least 3 days a week. We think we can go to our Wrightwood cabin for the Thanksgiving week and plan to see Ceci and Donna there as they will travel to SoCal from Madison then.  
Something to look forward to.
 

  

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