There’s been some changes…. My friend Linda on Big Pine Key sent me a message telling me about the sudden collapse of her neighbor whom she loves… Barbara was carried to Marathon hospital and then air lifted to Miami as there is no neuro surgeon in the Keys (air lifting is free from Monroe County to Miami if there is no adequate medical service). Joe McCarthy, Linda’s husband, suggested maybe Sue could put the family up as they were in a hotel. Of course I answered…. The Miami house is just the gift to give away as God’s goodness so I contacted Mickey (Barbara’s husband….) and finally as they began to realize this isn’t going to be "in and out" as Barbara had 3 cancerous vertebrae removed and the doctors see a lot of cancer in the lungs …. This will be a long haul. I am grateful to be able to "pay it forward" as many people helped me when Chuck was sick….
So…. I opened my house and I am in Miami until August 9 (leaving to go to Orlando to help our friend Renee on Aug 9). Chuck stayed in Keys to host a mini season party (Andy Bate and his son and friends) and Chuck has doctor’s appt to draw blood in Big Pine Key and jury duty in next two weeks on Big Pine… I have given my home to Mickey and Barbara, her sister and daughter. Barbara is healing under hospice care and she will have radiation under hospice. She will receive 10 days of radiation in Miami, when the incision heals, and then if she can move (which she wants to) she will return to Big Pine Key. With a neck brace supporting the incision (I think 4, 5, and 6 vertebraes were removed) Barbara spends most of her awake time on the sofa and looks out the windows.. She walks with help to the bathroom and she just had her first shower!!!!! I just heard cheering and laughing. The family loves the rockers, and we pretty much all sit in a circle around Barbara and talk…. She is beautiful and joyful and probably a little bit (lot) scared… but she is very well taken care of and loved so much by her family. Mickey shares with me and I keep him busy and I am kind to everyone.
Hospice covers radiation as palliative so the family is fortunate. There is a hospital bed, a potty chair, a wheel chair, and other patient comforts where the dining room table used to be. We took leaves out of the dining room table and stowed them under the guest room bed which is now my bed. I looked around today and quivered a little as they have thoroughly taken over as I told them to do… Pillows, blankets, pills, equipment, supports all over the place! I’ve given the ladies (sister and daughter) the master bedroom with the walk in shower and the master bathroom is convenient to the living room that has now become patient room! … I’m in the guest room with the guest bathroom and Mickey is on the sofa bed in the library with the middle bathroom! Dave Johnson came over and moved the big exercise bike, air conditioning friends Steve and Norm Larrabee came to fix broken hall air conditioner, and Kathy and George from next door came over with puppies and put them on Barbara’s bed while George fixed my broken guest room toilet. Thank God for friends Dave, Larrabees, Kathy and George.
During this time before I go to Orlando, I am going to work very hard to clean up the art room which is beleaguered with piles of paper and stuff!!! and I’ll do some paperwork… and I started a painting using a little wabi sabi. I took Mickey to Fairchild Gardens today and to Target because the ladies gave us a list! The family has purchased food and toiletries and insists on paying water and electric bills. Daughter Leigh was a police officer and now works in insurance investigations in a small town in North Carolina and her husband is a canine officer. She is a lovely very strong girl! Barbara’s sister Lindy is a very strong and loving sister to the patient. Husband Mickey speaks great Spanish and taught Spanish and special ed among other colorful careers!!!! I go to church every day!!!!! I have asked people to pray for me so I don’t get in anyone’s way…. they are in charge and I only show them things like how to unlock the back door, where to find gardening tools, screw drivers etc etc. Mickey is going to wash the windows and help me weed all the flower beds. Pray for Barbara’s healing… I’m off to church; the vigil Mass. Love and kisses and God bless you! Sue