Over the last week...

On Friday, the 17th, mom was lucid enough to try and get out of the bed. She climbed up, and in a flash had fallen out of the bed, hitting her head, shoulder, and hip. Michele had stepped out of the room long enough to go to the mailbox, and came back in to quite a fright...an empty bed. An ambulance was called, and the scans at the hospital showed some bleeding to the brain. This could improve or not over the next while, but the signs for trouble there are the same as the conditions we are already seeing.

This morning, the hospice nurse told us that we are near the end, and that the breathing patterns (slowed, apnea) combined with the swallowing signs (aspiration) and heart rate (increased) show that Mom doesn't have much longer with us. We have been mourning for some time now, but this is what the Father has been preparing her (and us) for. Mom still recognizes us, and will react when we come in the room, but is losing weight and coherence daily. Your notes and letters have been such an encouragement, as has the food and company.

We have returned time and time again to Psalm 103, a favorite of Mom's. She will still begin to speak along with scripture reading, which is a great encouragement. Those words from the Father are etched too deeply to be erased by such as delirium or disease.

The next few days will be the climax of a great work. God has redeemed our Mother, and is bringing her life to a close. The final notes are sweet, and we are straining to hear each one of them. What a wonderful life to have watched. What a wonderful song to have listened to. There have been bitter and scary sections, terrible to behold, but there has been resolution and peace in more measure than (she would say) she deserved. We are full of thanks, crying and singing.

Pray with us for Michele, as she is at home with Mom, and for the rest of us as we rotate in and out in the night watches.

We love you, as does Mom.

But mostly, the Father loves you.

-n

The Home Stretch

I apologize for not posting sooner. A great deal has happened since our last post. Directly after our last post, I came down with pneumonia, and was then laid off from my job.

In the last week and a half, Mom has taken a serious turn for the worse. It has been like the flip of a switch, as her liver has begun the final stages of failure. On Wednesday, a week and a half ago, she suddenly began dry heaving and crying out. It has been a struggle since then. We are now employing hospice care, and she is requiring around the clock care from us. There are stages where she is lucid, but largely, her time is spent resting. We have structured some time for us to exchange care, but Michele is taking the brunt of the time.

They have given us a time frame for the home stretch for Mom. The doctors and hospice nurses are telling us two months is the maximum time to expect her to live. We feel that this is an overgenerous estimate, and that it will be much sooner than that.

Emily is setting up a rotation through a website for the bringing of food, because the mean time doesn't allow her visitors. I will put a link up later today. Mom still loves getting notes and messages, and we shoot for her most lucid times to share them.

Feel free to email me with anything, or questions. My email is householdbirds@gmail.com.

We love you all. Thanks again for following, irregular though it may be. The posts will be closer together, as time is quickly passing.

The last few days...

There has been some swelling in her extremeties, both hands and feet. Mom was in the hospital for 3 days over the last weekend, having some testing and taking a course of diuretics to reduce the pressure in her limbs. We are praying that the swelling continues to go down, though her body isn't responding quickly. Pray with us as the next few days unfold, and we hope to see improvement! She is discouraged, but puts on a good face, being willing to face whatever comes along. How like her to plod ahead.

We love you all,

N

From Rebecca - Again!

Just a note to all the wonderful friends of Momma's .... if you would like to send her a note, she enjoys reading her mail and looks forward to the mailman every day! Please don't necessarily expect a formal reply or a returned call; but a reply in thought and prayers from Momma will surely be sent.
She is taking each day as it comes and water retention on the extremities is an issue at this point in time. Not only is she dealing with her health, but we are attempting to rearrange her home to better accommodate her, Michele and the boy's future needs.
Bruce was able to spend a night at home with her and somewhat coordinate plans for arrangements of the accommodations to follow. They both enjoyed the time together.
I have to remember that if it was simple, we sure wouldn't know what it was to climb a mountain. Welcome to the mountain, we love it here...Grateful to know what a mountain is and I would climb it any time for her!:)
Thanks to all!

From Rebecca...

Momma says "She met with the oncologist day before yesterday and the went over the latest CAT scan. It showed the cancer is slowly moving but with a density in her left upper lung which is more defined."
We apologize if calls are not answered or returned, Momma is most consumed with maintaining and just taking each day as its own. We surely thank you all and we do mean ALL of our friends and family for your prayers and efforts in lifting Momma up to God. Who could we better deliver her to!!!
Thank you so much,
Rebecca Elaine Jordan

Looking for some stability.

Mom has been handling some pain as of late, and trying to sleep and rest more and more. We spent the week of her birthday in Sanibel with Michele and the boys, and she got to play with Laurel, go to the beach, eat banana pudding, and rest. Unfortunately, we missed the flight to Florida and had to drive. We only lost a little while, and arrived safely.

Enterprise is a great company to rent from.

Don't ever stay at the Ramada Inn in Warner-Robbins, Ga.

The report from the Radiologist states that the current masses are slow growing. There are some new spots, but they are faint, and the old ones have barely changed. There is some concern that there is spreading, because of the pain that she is feeling--but, for now, we wait and are thankful for each day. Here are some pictures from the beach:

And on to some R&R...

These past few days have been a challenge. Mom is feeling badly, with a bladder infection. Everyone else is well, though unrested, and we are anticipating some good solid rest in the next couple of weeks. Pray for rest and for the infection to go down, and that she will experience less pain.