Vern: pharmacist, bookkeeper,caddy, or all three?

So here's Vern; doling out a lot of meds, as many as ten of one, on rather rigid schedules, and varying day to day.

We have little zip lock baggies for morning meds, lunch, supper, bedtime, 2am regular meds, and the 6 am meds. Then there are the as-needed meds. We have a pill cutter when a whole pill is not needed. We have spreadsheets, notepads, doctors orders, color-coding,patient itineraries that are modified thru out the day. We have appointments.

Squeeze in normal living including food, laundry, drug store,grocery store, transportation, sleep, cooking, clean up,changing bandages, bills, rest.

Add to all these: we are now 24/7 hooked up to this dual portable infusion pump. It is connected to two of the three lines surgically implanted into Deb's upper neck area. The connectors must be kept dry and very clean as infection is a terrible enemy. Deb must bear the lines and pain and awkwardness of wearing a medusa-like dangle of tangled lines and I must remain within a step of her and her walker as we travel around campus and the apartment.Deb is limited to several pounds. It seems to weigh about 10-15 pounds and has two pump systems, two containers of chemo, and a chemical spill and cleanup kit within.So,Vern the caddy is here.

Then tonight we added the drug thalomid. Yes, the drug that caused so many birth defects in the 1950's. As the paperwork says, scientists do not understand why it helps Multiple Myloma patients: it just does. Man, are we grateful for it and the other brews!

This particular drug has contracts and a raft of paperwork in order to obtain it.

So, that's what life in Little Rock is like. With daily labs, Deb's immune system is being killed off. At a certain point in her chemistry, the access port will be changed to an even bigger port and she will spend two days have her blood cycled thru a machine that will separate out her stem cells to be frozen and later put back into her body to restore her marrow. Then home for a season, then back to repeat the cycle.

Deb had a pleasant choice today: which side of her tummy did she want a new shot in?

One of my challenges is responding to Deb's hallucinations. Just a few minutes ago, she called out to me from the bed wanting to know why Amanda was here. She sees things that aren't. She hears things that aren't. Some are gut-busting funny; but, I can't laugh. I must swallow hard and give a kind response. Sorta challenging! She is obsessing over her port. She is convinced it is not right. We've repeatedly had it checked by medical personnel. She is also fearful that I will be giving her medical treatment thru the port.I may have to while we are home, depending on how the chemo goes.I understand that fear because I have it also.Messing with tubes that are attached almost into her heart is scary.

In spite of the rigidity of life as it is right now, I am very grateful for the opportunity to be here with Deb. I appreciate the insurance.I appreciate the time we live in and the technology we have. The housing and transportation are as convenient as could be. The fellowship with other patients and care givers is unique.The medical staff is outstanding! The support from our followers, the cards, packages, phone calls, all mean so much.

Thanks to each of you!

Vern