Cancer Crisis: Counting Down the Hours.

It is 11:20 in the morning Tuesday May 11.  I am sitting in the chair that I have basically occupied for the past 48 hours.  Yesterday Virginia’s dietary intake went from solids that she couldn’t eat on her own, to fluids, to liquid, to nothing as of this morning.

Her last (as of now) spoken sentence was to the boys last night.  She told them goodnight as I held the phone to her ear.  Sometime between that phone call and 6:00 am, Verizon decided to shut down our phone service.  I’ll admit that I had promised to get them some money last week, but God forbid that I be given any slack because I’ve sitting in the hospital.

/begin rant/ I couldn’t call anybody this morning.  My daughter was en route from Colorado without a phone.  I couldn’t call the boys this morning so they could tell Mommy good morning.  I couldn’t call Virginia’s family to let them know to get here sooner rather than later.  I spent three hours jumping through Verizon’s hoops before I actually got to talk to a real live person.  (No I don’t have my blasted account info handy.  I wasn’t expecting to be in Iowa City for 72 hours straight.)  Verizon compassionately informed me that for only $15 per line they would have my cell phone service reconnected in about an hour.  *sigh* /end rant/

I’ve called her family.  I’ve called my family.  Pvt Black Spartan is on her way and should be here about 8:30.

Virginia is not eating.  She is sleeping most of the time and will occasionally open her eyes.  Her breathing is somewhat labored but not the “Death Rasp”.  I asked the doctor about an IV for nutrition.  Imagine my surprise when I was told that food and water is counter-productive at this point.  Apparently the body works harder to process the intake and hastens the body’s demise.

We’re waiting on the ambulance to take her Hospice care at the home where my sister works.  It’s in the same community where I work and is only 10 miles south of the house (as the crow flies, call it a fifteen mile trip).  I’m on FB when I’m in the room (until the ambulance picks her up).  I don’t know what kind of coverage I’ll have at Hospice.

I appreciate all the kind words, prayers, buddy pokes, IMs, phone calls, text messages….  My eyes are currently dry but only because I’m cried out.  I’ll close off this update with the lyrics to a song that has been constantly running through my head these past three days.

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: “My God, how great Thou art!”

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!