KIM IS VERY ILL

Nita and I went to Vanderbilt this morning to see Kim and to relieve Corinne, who had spent the night with her. We found her showered, lotioned, hair shampooed, clean pj's and resting. She has the IV with fluids, the morphine pump, a benadryl bag on the IV, and later on they put potassium in the IV. She was pretty swollen from the radiation treatment that she had yesterday. She would sleep very soundly and then she would wake up, sit up on the side of the bed to rest her back but not open her eyes and then lie back down. She is getting very good attention from the staff that is checking on her every 30 minutes or so. In fact there is a sign on her door with the letters LAMP which means "Look At Me Please" and they heed the sign with regularity. She will remain in the hospital with the same means of keeping her comfortable that they are doing now and then on Tuesday she will have a radiation treatment, a chemo treatment and they will insert a feeding tube. She cannot swallow so, therefore, she has had no food in several days. They bring a little cup of sherbet to her that has her pills crushed in it and she, somehow, has managed to get that to go down. She has much discomfort inside her mouth and her throat and neck are in constant pain. She has that wretched headache that she has had for so long that will not seem to go away, even though it may be a little bit better because of the morphine. It appears that she will be in the hospital through next week - at least that much we know and it may be longer. I thank God every day that she is there in that hospital where they can watch her, medicate and monitor the medications, and they do give her lots of tender loving care. Brad, Patrick, Nita, Corinne, Tracey, Jacque and I are just so distraught that it is hard for us to think of anything else right now. My friend, Nila Sherrill, came to my rescue the other afternoon when I had a complete "come apart" and she and I read scripture and prayed and I have been comforted and more at peace since then. I thank you, Nila, for being such a loving, faithful friend. During times of trial such as this I find that God is there for me to talk to but it is wonderful, also, to have somebody that can put their arms around you and give you human comfort. Tomorrow is Sunday and my dear friends at Madison Church will surround me with love and prayers and my girls will find solace at their respective places of worship and God will be receiving many prayers for Kim. I love the song that I have on my favorite CD "Somebody's Praying You Through" and I know that all of you that read this blog are doing just that for us and I thank you.