Cancer/illnesses, and caregiver, support thread

[gnalan]

I finished up with physical therapy about a month ago, after around 45 appointments. I made so impressive gains in that time, and through this year in general.

I took my first steps on New Years Eve, with limited leg muscle left and very little flexion in my knees and right ankle. Through PT I've been able to get my left knee to bend 118 degrees and my right knee to bend 92 degrees. A huge improvement from the 53 and 58 degrees I started at. My right ankle I gained enough that I was finally able to get my heel on the ground, and I can lift it up past 90 degrees. That, combined with the improvements in my knees, has made it possible to walk without any pain. I was walking between 2 and 5 miles each day, but I've cut that back to about 1.5 miles with other leg exercises included. I'm very thankful that I'm back on my feet, and that I'm able to do everything I need to do even if I can't do everything I want to do.

I did sell my Volvo. After the last two years going through all that I have I decided I wanted a car that's a little more fun to drive and a lot easier to work on. I now have a Mustang, again.

[Krons]

I finished up with physical therapy about a month ago, after around 45 appointments. I made so impressive gains in that time, and through this year in general.

I took my first steps on New Years Eve, with limited leg muscle left and very little flexion in my knees and right ankle. Through PT I've been able to get my left knee to bend 118 degrees and my right knee to bend 92 degrees. A huge improvement from the 53 and 58 degrees I started at. My right ankle I gained enough that I was finally able to get my heel on the ground, and I can lift it up past 90 degrees. That, combined with the improvements in my knees, has made it possible to walk without any pain. I was walking between 2 and 5 miles each day, but I've cut that back to about 1.5 miles with other leg exercises included. I'm very thankful that I'm back on my feet, and that I'm able to do everything I need to do even if I can't do everything I want to do.

I did sell my Volvo. After the last two years going through all that I have I decided I wanted a car that's a little more fun to drive and a lot easier to work on. I now have a Mustang, again.

Great progress and congrats on getting your S60 sold. Maybe it needed a bigger turbo to be more fun?

I've looked at Mustangs many times over the past 20 years but the practical side of me could do it. I've fortunately been happy with my 2.5T S60, just enough power to keep me happy. Love how thay turbo pulls on the interstate when passing at speed.

[gnalan]

I've looked at Mustangs many times over the past 20 years but the practical side of me could do it. I've fortunately been happy with my 2.5T S60, just enough power to keep me happy. Love how thay turbo pulls on the interstate when passing at speed.

In the last 23 years I've owned 3 Mustangs. My first one was back in 1999 was a 1988 Notchback with a 2.3L 4 cylinder, second in 2018 was a 1995 with an LS engine swap, and on Thanksgiving I bought the 1996 with a 3.8L V6.

[gnalan]

I've been helping my neighbors out the past month or so running errands for them, and doing what I can for them around the house. He's currently in the ICU, and I've been going over and sitting with him for a few hours a day. I just checked on his wife, and took trash out for her. She talked to the doctor, and they told her that if they can't get his O2 level to stay where it needs to be that they'll have to put him on life support. When I left the hospital he was on 12L/min of O2, and when he was moving around in the bed his O2 sats was dropping into the high 60s to low 70s. He just turned 70 on Tuesday, and this is the first time he's ever been in the hospital. It's been rough watching him go downhill as fast as he has, but so far he's still able to sit up and talk to me, and we still joke around like we normally do. How tomorrow will be I don't know, but we'll take it one day at a time.

[gnalan]

Got a call early this morning that they had to put him on life support, as an emergency measure to help him breathe. I'm hoping it's only temporary, but I honestly don't know what's going to happen. Of all the people I've cared for over the years, this was the first time I've ever seen anyone on life support (other than on TV or in movies). If you all could keep him and his wife in your prayers that would be greatly appreciated.

(For those waiting on me to send your parts out to you, I'm hoping to get packages together this weekend and sent out on Monday.)

[scot850]

You are a good person, and your friend is in my thoughts. I hope it is just a temporary set back.

Neil.

[abscate]

Best wishes, Nick

[gnalan]

They were able to take him off of the ventilator this morning. He was still pretty groggy today from the sedation he was on, but it was good to see him able to move around in bed and to talk a little bit. Hopefully tomorrow he'll be more alert, and we can find out what the next steps are. He was still needing a lot of oxygen, 15L/min, when he was trying to do more than he's able to, which is scary. They haven't talked about getting him up and moving around, and with his lungs as fragile as they are I'm not even sure if it's feasible anymore. All we can do is hope things get better, and he's able to go home.

Thank you all for the prayers and positive thoughts. If you can keep them coming that will truly be appreciated.

[matthew1]

Ah, good news

[gnalan]

Unfortunately my friend lost his fight two days ago, and he passed away. He did make it to 70, which he was in the hospital for his birthday, but we were hoping he'd get better and go home. 31 days I sat next to him and slowly watched him fade away, but I wouldn't trade those days for anything. He was a great guy, a great friend, and he will be missed.

Both of my parents are in the hospital, in different cities, and for different reasons, so things have been pretty rough lately.

Mom had a kidney stone surgically removed, found out she has pneumonia, and is on oxygen working on getting better. They also plan to reevaluate her after the pneumonia is gone and she'll more than likely be needing oxygen at home full time.

Dad is on oxygen full time, and has been for the last five years. Saturday he forgot he was wearing it, somehow, and when he lit up his cigarette he ended up catching his face on fire. So far they've said he won't need any skin grafts, but they're still scraping away the burnt, dead, skin. He has 3rd degree burns in his nose, and 2nd degree burns on his lips and face. Thankfully he didn't inhale the flame or things would be a lot worse. I'm hoping he'll finally quit smoking when he does come home, but when I asked him today if he was going to quit he said he didn't know.

If you could all keep me and my family in your thoughts that would greatly be appreciated.