Tuesday, January 20, 2009

When you put your friends off long enough....

Lately, Brian has begun to have a few more issues. He is having some memory lapses. He doesn't remember things that have happened in the last couple of days. Then the next day he remembers them and doesn't remember that he didn't remember them and then it all happens again. He has little to no appetite and has been vomiting some more. He is incredibly sleepy. He has almost no energy. He has been having an issue with his hearing in the left ear (side of the tumor) where he will suddenly hear a strange noise, all other noises sound tunnel-like and then he doesn't remember that it happened a few moments later. I am assuming this is seizure-ish activity, but I can't be sure. Are these things related to chemo or are they as a result of cancer progression? We have no idea. He goes back in for the next dose of Avastin on Monday. He has an MRI on Feb 2 with results given to us by the surgeon on Feb 3. He is scheduled for chemo again on Feb 9. We will see how it all goes in the next few weeks.


So things are getting somewhat harder around here. Brian is kind of out of it more. He is walking with a cane, so he lost his only free hand making it difficult to do much of anything around the house, not that he was able to do much anyway. We have had extreme cold and more and more snow, so getting around town is complicated, too.


Also, we are having issues with radiology insurance claims from over a year ago. I have been on the phone a lot trying to handle that. I am now trying to appeal to the radiology practice itself to reduce the claims to a reasonable and customary amount so we can just pay them out of pocket since they have been denied by insurance despite our constant appeals. This one is very frustrating to us. We did not order the tests. They were ordered by specialists in the field. Brian just endured the tests. To have them denied for a reason of "unproven" is beyond frustrating. We would have assumed that if they were ordered by professionals who treat brain tumors for a living they would be "proven." Regardless, I am tired of fighting. I give up. I just pray we can get the amount reduced.
Grant was sick yesterday with a stomach bug. He is fine today.

Many of my friends have asked what they can do. Nothing yet. I really have meant it. Just support and love and company. I DID finally ask a friend to come over and help me clean my house tomorrow. So, today, I have to pick up and organize so they can help me clean, dust, vacuum, empty bedroom garbage, etc. I do need that help. But, mostly, I don't even know what it is that I could use help with.


So, today, at my church Mom's group, my table surprised me with some things. First, one girl came in and said she had dinner for me.



bbq pulled pork on buns, healthy chips and Caribbean Cole Slaw.





Then another girl came in and said she had something for me in her car.

Chicken and Rice with Hawaiian Rolls.



Then another girl asked me when I was leaving because she had a frozen dinner for me in her car.





Lasagna with salad and French Bread





Then one more girl asked me when I was leaving because she had just a "few" breakfast items for me in her car to help with the mornings.







blueberries, strawberries, cantaloupe, bagels, 30 small boxes of cereal, 24 cookies, 15 double packages of muffins, 12 breakfast biscuit sandwiches, 10 coffee cakes, 6 English muffins, 6 bagels, 1 bottle of wine, and a partridge in a pear tree (only not really.)



My favorite part: the bottle of wine since the theme of these "few" items is to help with the mornings. Now, THAT is a good friend!




Aren't these girls beautiful? Inside and Out?



KEEP BELIEVING

22 comments:

  1. Angie, I am so glad you have a wonderful support network of wonderful friends. They seem to know just what you need right now. With everything that is "on your plate" (so to speak) it is so nice to not worry about what you are literally putting on your plate, that dinner and breakfast are taken care of. I wish I wasn't so far away - that is one thing our LMO ladies are good at - showering people with meals and love. I got a kick out the wine with the breakfast items - maybe I should try that when I have stressful days, maybe they won't feel so bad!!!

    Angie, we continue you to lift you guys up in prayer and I am glad you are able to let someone help you with the cleaning - you CAN'T do it all, you have more important stuff than dirt to deal with.

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  2. Praise God for church community.. there is really nothing like it elsewhere. Also, these women are a definite answer to my prayers that people that are closer to you than I can be are there to help with whatever they can (and what you let them!) Still Believing!! :-)

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  3. What a wonderful group of women.

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  4. Angie,

    You truly have wonderful friends in your neck of the woods. Take them up on their offers of helping you, you need the break. I love you.

    Mindi

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  5. Angie, that is AWESOME!! AWESOME!! Thank the LORD you have been placed with such a terrific group of women who are there to help you. Even before you "need" it.

    Still praying and still Believing!!

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  6. Angie you are truly blessed to have such wonderful friends in your life. I wish I was there to help out. Thinking of you and sending prayers your way.

    Love Beth

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  7. Girlfriends are the best! When people don't know what else to do, they bring food and sometimes it's the perfect thing. You have more important things to focus on than worrying about what to cook every night. You are blessed to have such wonderful support. You and Brian both have so many people who love you and are pulling for you.

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  8. I am so glad you are surronded by such wonderful women! May they be blessed for their kindness.

    Sorry to hear about Brian's symptoms. You are always in my prayers!

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  9. I'm glad they're there for you. You're in my thoughts and I wish I was close enough to help too. Extra hugs for the woman who's coming to help you clean. She's my hero!

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  10. "The King is enthralled with your beauty..." Psalm 45:11 Never are we more breathtaking when we are the hands and feet of Jesus to someone else. Thank you, Angie, for sharing the blessing these precious friends were to you with all of us. Doesn't make the problems go away, but it sure does help to encourage our hearts in the middle of a difficult time. Love to you and prayers, Shawn from TN

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  11. What a blessing that you have such wonderful women, in your life! That is what girlfriends are all about! :)

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  12. By the way.....we are the ones blessed to have you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Your FRIEND, Shawn

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  13. I am so glad that you have a great support group. Awesome friends rock!

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  14. They are beautiful and so are you.

    KEEP BELIEVING!

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  15. This just goes to show you there is beauty to be found in every situation, no matter how terrible it is.

    You know that you would be right there for them if the tables were turned, right? It's killing me that you have to put up with this insurance crap.

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  16. God surrounds us with true friends when we need them. Bless your friends and you for the support that has been given and will be in the future. You are learning how to pass it forward for the remainder of your life.

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  17. Yup, Beautiful, and so are you.
    I think you are my hero.
    It makes me feel guilty that I get grumpy when my husband interrupts me....
    Oh, Golly, Please know that you are in my prayers.
    Pax Christi, Elizabeth

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  18. Oh, BTW, the wine for breakfast? Great idea!

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  19. That is so awesome! You are so blessed to have great friends like that!

    I've left a goodie for you on my most recent blog post.

    Have a great rest of the week!

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  20. You are so lucky to have such a great group of friends and you are ALL so beautiful too!! I'm praying for Brian - I'm praying for you!

    Kellan

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  21. Angie,

    You don't know me...but I've been lurking on your blog since you commented on mine when I posted on Rocks in my Dryer (about losing my mom).

    This post was just so moving to me, because during my mom's 3.5 year illness I lived 2 hours away and just hated that I wasn't closer to take care of some of the "daily" things. But, her amazing friends and our extended family never stopped caring for my mom and for all of us, much like your group of friends has. Those beautiful women are such a blessing!

    I just want you to know that every time a new post pops up in my Google Reader, I'm praying for you, your husband, and your boys (I'm mom to 3 boys 6 yrs and under!).

    Thanks for being so inspiring, and for letting all of us know about your blessings in this time of hardship.

    Nicole

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