Good friends keep encouraging me to keep it real. I by default am an optimist. I am an under-reacter, and slow to frustration or anger. So here’s a tale I can tell through the keeping-it-real lens. And real is, this is frickin’ hard in about 18 different ways.
I woke up at 6 am after a terrible sleep. I left at 6:05 am and picked up Mark from his senior living home at 6:20 am. He told me stories about him being 65 (off by 9 years) and other odd tales on the way to the hospital. CT scan, followed by neurosurgery appointment. All is fine. Except a little air in the brain (umm…what?). His surgeon was pleased that no cerebrospinal fluid had leaked from his nose (umm… did you mention that concern to us?). While waiting at the hospital, the short-term benefits org called Mark and after he couldn’t answer a couple questions, he fortunately was willing to pass the phone to me so I could make sure his short-term disability benefits are extended. Mark also explained that when he looks at me with his right eye, he sees a fuzzy grey blob. This is fairly accurate to how I feel.
Left the hospital and headed to the grocery store per Mark’s request so he could stock up his little (cooking-free) kitchen. We were back to his little apartment by 11 and napping by 11:05. At 11:30am, we wake up to a knock on the door by the intake nurse for the home-health team. Yes, he has blood pressure and a pulse and needs PT and OT. Oh, he has a 99.2F fever? Didn’t know that. Then, kiss goodbye and off to pick up Matthew early from school for a pediatrician apptointment. Then a phone call with neuropsychology about two appointments scheduled for October.
I talked to a dear friend who is going to call the oncology nurse navigator to follow up on a few things. Like getting free rides to cancer-related appointments from the American Cancer Society. And getting a more detailed pathology report to send to another oncology doc at Memorial Sloan-Kettering. She’s also going to try to find a mobile notary for me. That’s really helpful. I’m grateful.
I’m trying to find someone to be with Mark for his 10/4 chemo appointment. Striking out so far.
Plan for tomorrow – phone call with social security to start a disability claim process, check with his home to see if his transport is set for Wed’s ophthalmology, make sure my beloved folks know where to meet him, make sure Matthew has a ride home from Speech & Debate team and a ride to and from fencing. And work a full day.