Ensure On the Rocks with a Twist

The last few days have been an exercise in creating tasty Ensure bevies. So far, chocolate and banana are a hit, but the test kitchen continues to crank.

Our mom has been over the moon about being back home since Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday were packed with visitors, business, to-do lists, and perhaps not quite enough down time. We've been very productive over here at Camp Talbot. No one expects that there life will be so profoundly interrupted smack dab in the middle, so for the last few weeks, spare time has been dedicated to helping Mom just get a handle on all the pieces of her life, so the rest can just be gravy.

Our good friend Marilyn D. recommended my mother spend some time with a man named Richard P. Jackson. He considers himself a "psychic medium" and is well versed in a laundry list of healing techniques. Understandably, there is a very wide variety of beliefs from one person to another when it comes to healing techniques, but continue reading with an open mind. My mother has always been a very strong believer in meditation, yoga, thoughtful breathing, and recently started attending group sessions at a healing retreat in Hartford. One has to be very thoughtful when entering this world of alternative therapies of course. Around ever corner someone is trying to sell us on coffee colonics and raw food diets- not judging- just saying it could be a full time job just trying to navigate through the overwhelming number of options that exist. Richard appealed to us for a few reasons, the first being Marilyn's referral, because her husband survived cancer several years ago after being given a less than cheery prognosis and is healthy today. Richard himself has also battled cancer, and understands first hand the importance of mending modern medicine with alternative healing practices. A lot of their first session was chit chat (man likes to talk), but when it came to the actual healing portion of their encounter, Mom was visibly calm, her blood pressure went down, and she described herself as almost being in a euphoric state.

Now whether you're an eye-roller or a believer, what is most important to keep in mind is that alternative therapies have always been important to my mother, and she believes in the power of true healers, and that is enough to sell me. If it is important to her: boom. Done.

Over the course of the week, her swallowing has improved remarkably. Her vision remains double in the left eye, but she is able to perceive color and objects unlike the week before when she felt nearly blind on that side. Yesterday she went in for intrathecal chemo and Dr. Donadio felt that by touch alone the mass on the left side of her neck had reduced. Regardless of whether the chemo is doing its job, or she is being "healed," or it's the tasty cocktails I'm constantly shoving down her throat, something is working. She is weak, and gets fatigued easily, but she feels really good, and that is what is most important.

She did not end up receiving chemo yesterday because her platelets (clotting) and white blood cells (immune) counts were low, instead she received a platelet transfusion and some fluids. Her counts will be re-checked on Tuesday and if they've improved she'll resume chemo then. This is hardly uncommon. Chemotherapy works by really testing your immune function and throws all sorts of things out of whack, so it is actually surprising to me that she hasn't needed a day off yet. Systemic chemo was also scheduled for next week, but they may postpone that a week just to let her body catch up with white blood cell production.

The G Tube discussion remains on the table still, but every one's ultimate goal is for Mom to maintain her nutrition by eating/drinking, so we continue to persevere. Today, I master butternut squash puree (with obscene quantities of butter and cream). Will report on the outcome later. As for fluids, little Miss Gwennie has gotten and crash course in administering IV fluids through Mom's port so that she or I can give Mom 2 liters of normal saline while she sleeps. I re-access Mom's port once a week (that's the needle part), and then whoever is on overnight Mom duty maintains her fluids. Gwennie is doing so beautifully, taking on new tasks each day, but she still isn't sold on nursing... keeping my fingers crossed.

As for the rest of the household's nutrition status, we received the most WONDERFUL treats from our Helping Hands rock stars this week. Lynn, that chocolate cake, just quit it. I would eat a sliver, then glance at the cake, and it was as if there was an aura around it chanting "yes yes yes." And Judy H, you are still feeding us, three days later. Every one's generosity materializes in to more delicious treats that seems to find their way here, and we are eternally grateful. You are keeping us happy and full.

On the schedule this weekend: Mom spent a quiet day today with her sister, our uncle is delivering white bean puree and serenading us with his classical guitar skills, and Sunday is Mom's at home spa day. Mani, pedi, facial, massage. The works for the ultimate fighter.

Hope everyone is having a restful and safe holiday weekend!