A.M. Update

I went to the hospital this morning to get an overnight update. Gene had an "episode" of a lower respiration rate early this morning. She wasn't breathing enough. They gave her meds to have her muscles relax so her involuntary breathing didn't have to fight against those muscles. She's sleeping right now and her breathing has returned to a relatively normal rate and her blood/ox level is great. That means her lungs are still exchanging gases (taking in oxygen, releasing carbon dioxide) in a great way. She's back to having to sit up all the time, including when sleeping. When she's conscious she appears to be doing better with the "here and now". Confusion still comes and goes.

We also talked to the doctors this morning. Gene has been doing so well with the first round and the cancer has caught us by surprise with the speed of its growth that we all agreed that we need to go forward with the next round of chemo treatments. The cancer is growing so rapidly that it has pressed in on the right lung. The fluids are relatively low so that is not as great of an issue now. In fact they are so low that they are not ready to drain. With the muscle relaxant and the fluids low we have Gene stabilized enough to go forward. They will start later this afternoon/early evening with the first two drugs of this round being applied and the third drug will be applied sometime tomorrow morning. Friends and family are sitting with her non-stop. Anne is with George non-stop.

The speed at which things have continued to change had George bring to mind what Jesus said in Matthew 6:34.

Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Pray for healing. Pray for comfort. Pray for strength. Pray for the staff.

In God's sheltering hand,

Dane