Hi Coleen-
Thank you Coleen for moderating this group, and thank you all for your participation.
A little about our "journey"....
When I was much younger, I watched in amazement as my father cared for my mother, who struggled with diabetes for 15 years, until she finally passed. I always was so sadenned by my mothers struggle with her illness that I guess it never dawned on me that the disease took its toll on my father as well. He never once complained!
Now, I find myself caring for my own wife of 53 years, who now has stage IV lung cancer. It may sound strange but her disease has pulled us closer together! We now hold each other more, while all the time dreading the thought of being separated! I guess, over 53 years of marriage we tend to take our lives together for granted.
I find myself absorbed in reading everything I can about cancer, particularly lung cancer. Our friends have also drawn closer, and have added that special touch of prayers and compassion.
Our journey has also strengthened our faith in God! We believe He has taken us down this path in our journey here on earth for a reason, and we can only accept it and try to make the best of it. One of our friends gave us a hand crafted sign that says "One day at a time". He is a recovering alcoholic, and says this sign given to him from a friend some 36 years ago, helped him get through some very difficult times with his disease. We now have that sign in the window of our sitting room where each morning and evening we look out onto our beautiful scape and remind ourselves that we will take in the day/night "One day at a time".
Yes, care giving is demanding and at times stressful. But it is rewarding to know that our journey has brought us closer together. Take a break from it now and then to recharge. But accept it as a God given gift that you are there to help your loved one.
I want to pause to thank the special people-doctors, nurses, students, and staff at Mayo Clinic. Without you and your dedication, my wife would not be here today. We were headed down a very dark path, relying upon local medical services, and that all changed when we turned to Mayo Clinic in Rochester - some 15 months ago. The clinical approach alone is so much more effective, speak nothing of the exceptional doctors and staff. We had spent 15 months with tests/procedures and even an unnecessary surgery trying to determine what was causing the pneumonias. When we finally turned to Mayo, it took less than two weeks to get the diagnosis and resultant surgery behind us.