Genies in a Bottle

It has been eleven days since Kevin came home from the hospital, and oh, what a week it’s been.  Fortunately for us, our burdens have been made bearable by the people who have become an important part of our lives.  Remember wishing you could have a genie in a magic bottle to grant you all of your desires?  Well, we have TWO!  They go by the names of Suzanne and GG.  Suzanne is Kevin’s home health nurse, but really a genie is the better description.  Anything that Kevin needs - Poof! - Suzanne makes it happen.  Even things that Kevin doesn’t know he needs - Poof!  “Are you comfortable?” (Please read any quotations in the most charming English accent) Poof! A hospital bed, commode, shower chair, even the bedside table on wheels appears in our master bedroom and bath.  (I pulled Suzanne aside and told her we might not want to make the bedroom so comfortable that he doesn’t want to leave it!) “How is your pain?” Poof!  Suzanne makes phone calls to the oncologist,  the pain specialist, the pharmacy, but only after plumping Kevin’s pillow, covering him with a blanket, and placing a cool washcloth on his forehead. (I think I am to model her appropriate behavior - kind of like “super nanny” - whom Suzanne shares a close resemblance with) Suzanne brings with her an amazing arsenal of resources.  Every day is a different visitor - a physical therapist to teach Kevin how to flap his arms and march his legs, an iv nurse to draw blood to run labs from the comfort of his bed, and a social worker, who I think was pretty much there to make sure I hadn’t completely lost it.  (fooled her) Watching the magic of Kevin’s needs being met, I decided to throw something at her.  WIthin 24 hours I had an actual hard copy of a form allowing me to engage in exhilarating discussions with our health insurance on behalf of Kevin.  That was real magic.  My personal Genie is GG, also known as Grandma Gayle.  The great thing about GG is she knows all of the correct appearing and disappearing acts.  She makes all dirty dishes, laundry piles, unwanted tupperware, rattling washing machines, squeaking dishwashers, cluttered cupboards, and obnoxious weeds - disappear.  At the same time she makes delicious meals, needed grocery items, school supplies, and happy children - appear.  In the week that GG has been here I counted 15 trips she made to the soccer field to drop off Ben and Sam.  And almost as many trips to the tennis courts with Sophie. GG brings to our family a full bag of talents and tricks.  Josh and Sophie are especially grateful for GG’s unfeigned enthusiasm for mythology, The Great Gatsby, and US history (read = summer homework!); Sam loves GG’s willingness to work on puzzle after puzzle (after puzzle); and Ben scored when his mom allowed him to watch a PG-13 Harry Potter movie because GG said she would watch it with him.  A quote from Nanny McPhee was, “When you no longer need me, then I will be gone.”  If my mom adopted this quote she would never be able to use her return flight.  Maybe my dad will fly down and rescue her some day (I just hope it’s after the summer homework has been completed! ha)

An update on Kevin’s condition: The first week was crazy trying to manage the pain. Friday afternoon we finally turned in the Fentanyl patches and lollipops and upgraded to a dilaudid pump.  Twelve hours later we spent a lovely 2 hours (midnight to 2 am) with the oncall nurse trying to increase the new medication to a level that would decrease the pain.  I completely agree with Kevin that God must have a special place in heaven for nurses (especially those that come to your home at midnight, with their makeup on!) Kevin finished his final (10th) cycle of radiation on Friday.  I told him we are going to have to think of another date we can have every day at 2:30 pm. Just having a difficult time trying to think of something that would be enticing enough to walk down the stairs and allow me to drive him crazy with my driving.  SO, we now hold our breath, cross our fingers, and pray that Kevin can remain “radiation free” for the next 2-3 weeks so he can start the CoQ10 study in L.A.  Hoping for a miracle.  (I’ll get Suzanne and GG on it immediately)