The Doctor Visit - January 11, 2012

So I flew home to Atlanta this morning at 6am because I'm a daddy's girl and he WILL NOT be sick for long periods of time without me here.  He was in the hospital for a week and was released Monday night.  We (the fabulous four) went to see the oncologist today.  To save you from all the sad details, let's just say that this might have been the last doctor visit.  Hospice is coming to the house in the morning to begin at-home care. Bob sleeps most of the day and is on various medications to help with the problems he has due to a failing liver. He has stopped reading emails as he can no longer read them or stay awake long enough to read them.  He isn't really in the mood for visitors, as one could expect.  But please know that we as a family receive all of your kind words and emails and they fill us with joy to know that our father (her husband) is loved by so many people.  Hopefully the hospice nurses will be able to get him back to functioning a little more normally. And trust me, if that does happen...you all will be the first to know. Okay...maybe not the first, but you get my drift.   

Right now, I'm sitting in the living room and he is asleep in his recliner.  He has the blanket that I gave him for Christmas covering him (it has 30 photos of the family on it) and he is snoring. The rest of the Keegans in this house are about to have a drink!

Hospital Stay #2

Well, my dad is back in the hospital.  His first long-stay visit to the hospital a little after Thanksgiving can no longer be considered a fluke visit.  The new doctors at his new hospital think they have figured out why he has been unable to keep down food and has had several bouts with nausea and vomiting.  They did an ultrasound of his liver yesterday and found a blood clot.  The doctors say this clot is treatable and are keeping him in the hospital while they get "things under control."  He is very tired and taking a lot of medication. And if you know Bob at all, he's having a BLAST in the hospital (sarcasm).  I haven't spoken to him much, but my brother, Uncle Timmy, and my mom have been keeping me updated on his progress and his daily activities.  We are hoping he will be back home in a couple of days and once that happens I will be sure to keep everyone updated.

Share Your Best Bob Story (or two)

Please comment below and share a Story about Bob...your BEST Bob story...if you have more than one...that's okay too. Happy Holidays!

What I'd Like for Christmas...among other things

Life in Chicago is busy and hectic. I work 50 hour weeks and my days consist of putting out fires, dealing with angry customers, and motivating unmotivated employees. I'm away from my family during a time when I want nothing more than to be there with them.  Luckily, we all have so many frequent flyer miles that I get to travel home once a month.  I will be home again December 23rd and spending Christmas at home.

So, I bet you are all wondering...how's Bob?  Well...he's okay.  He finished ten sessions of radiation therapy for his bone cancer and the pain in his leg. This treatment wasn't meant to be a cure, but to help the pain in his leg. He will tell you that so far it isn't working very well. Hopefully, this will change in the next week or two.  He has helped pay for numerous salaries at his insurance company and at the local hospital that he spent a couple of days in recently.  Apparently one too many pain medications did not agree with my dad.  But not to fear, he is back at home and in good hands (with my mom and in his recliner).

For now, he is at home resting.  Which is probably making him mad since he has so much to do. Renovating the house, Christmas shopping, etc.  What can you do to help?  Send warm thoughts, nice stories, pray if you do, ... all of that stuff helps.  I asked my mom if she needed me to do anything this morning...and she said no. She thinks she's okay for now.  If we ever need anything from our big extended family, we will let you know.

What do I want for Christmas? I asked for an new iPod and some other stuff. But really, all I want is to be home, with my dad, and my family and to spend as much time as I can making more memories with them. 

Dear Abby/News is Usually Bad

So, as many of you have heard already, my dad's cancer has spread and grown to various organs, veins, etc. in his body.  He has started to have pain in his leg and is currently taking oral medication to alleviate some of the pain.  Bob has an appointment with the oncologist on Monday to talk about next steps for radiation treatments. I don't think he will be getting the chemo Dr. Allen recommended, but who knows.  He now has a noticeable limp in his left leg, but his hair has fully grown back. The alternative treatment in India has fizzled out, and despite all this bad news...his spirits are still high. He is painting and renovating the house with help from his neighbor, Harold, and some really good contractors. 

I flew down from Chicago for Thanksgiving and we had a good family Thanksgiving eating, playing Farkle, and singing old songs that my dad used to sing to/with us on his guitar. In that spirit, I created a new verse to the song Dear Abby. I think only the Keegan family will get this, but who knows:

Dear Abby Dear Abby
My cancer has spread
It's gone to my liver
but not to my head
The doctor from India
said "no" last night
what's a man to do
when this shit ain't right

Signed, Has Cancer

Has Cancer Has Cancer
you have no complaints
you are what you are
and you ain't what you ain't
so listen up buster
and listen up good
stop wishing for bad luck
and knocking on wood

Signed, Dear Abby

-------

I know most people don't know what to do or say during this difficult time for Bob and his family. Your words of support, kind emails, etc. are always appreciated.  My dad is so lucky to have a support system like this.  We love each and every one of you.

I will try to post more pictures in the coming weeks.

Bob's Doing GREAT!

I have been horrible lately at keeping up this blog, and for that, I do apologize.  My dad is doing GREAT!  He stopped chemo in early August; he flew up to Chicago to visit me; he went to New York to visit family and the Baseball Hall of Fame; he went to D.C. for "work"; he visited family in Louisianna; and he even managed to remodeled the house!  The cancer is still there, but he is too busy living life!  The next doctor's appointment is coming up soon and hopefully we will have some positive news.  I promise to post more details and pictures in the next couple of weeks.

I just recently returned from Atlanta and I spent time with my family. My dad's hair is growing back and he's very proud of this.  We played football (Marcus, Dad, and I) in the front yard without managing to break a window.  We are no Manning family, but we are darn close!  We watched football, played Farkel (the new family favorite game), and we had a lovely meal together.

Chemo Free Days

So, where did I leave off?  I went home on August 11th to visit my family for two really quick days. My dad picked me up from the airport Thursday night and I was greeted at home by my mom, my Aunt Alicia, and some freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. What more could a girl ask for?

There were two things that my dad seemed really excited about: (1) the new windows in the house (I must admit they are nice) and (2) his new bird feeder with the upside down cone to prevent squirrels from climbing up it and stealing all of the bird seed.  We talked about these two things in great detail.

Friday night we had dinner at Marcus and Stacey's house and then had a rousing game of Farkel.  I almost won, but my mom came back and beat me at the end.  My dad however was Farkeling out of this world. If you have ever played any kind of game with him, you should know he is quick to give you advice...on how best to lose.

I left Saturday evening, but not before enjoying a nice dinner with the family at a neighborhood Mexican restaurant. It was a quick visit, but it served its purpose.

So how is my dad doing??? He's doing pretty good. He loves not having to go to doctors for chemotheraphy and other unnecessary activities involving needles. He has started biking again, with my mom of course, so I'm sure he's happy about that as well.  He is still pursuing alternative treatment methods, but some of the options may take longer to materialize than he had originally hoped for.

Oh, a belated shout out to our family friend, Carla, and her quilting group at St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church. They made two lovely quilts for "strength and support...with love, hope and prayers" that my mom and dad now keep on the sofa in the family room.  They make great napping accessories I might add.

Also, here's a belated picture of my dad and his new BFF (best friend forever), Abbott.  It was taken back in April.  Enjoy!