[mannythedog]

This was a bad week for pop. Saturday I was planned to go out of town for a work function, but decided to stick around and take pop to the hospital Saturday and Sunday for his Candida albicans treatments so mom could have a break.

Well, on with the story, good thing I stuck around. While I was stacking wood for mom and pop, pop decided to take a trip down the stairs. He has gotten so weak and unsure of his footing, and after an inventory of his body, broke bones, bleeding or not, he seemed to be o.k. I lifted him up, but first made him promise that he now has to use the facilities and shower up stairs. Mom had me outfit the shower and she moved his shower chair up stairs.

This has been an ongoing thing w/ pop. I had asked him before to do this, but never pushed. He liked to check on the fire, and while down there, use his bathroom. I never really pushed because it was the last thing he had. He is now confined to the main floor {stairs go to a walk in basement} and that really was not what he wanted.

The treatments for the Candida albicans do not seem to be working. This weekend pop and I spent about 3 hours each day at the hospital. That takes a lot out of him. Yesterday, mom took him in for treatment 7 of 10. He has had some bleeding from the pick line, so they took a blood test. His whites are at 40, hemoglobin at 8.4 and platelets at 13. He is also blasting now. 42. He looks tired and the intravenous meds make him ill. He goes in today for treatment #8, blood and platelets.

I asked pop if it was worth it, if he wants to stop and be comfortable. He said he would love to see everyone at Christmas, and wanted to try to kill the bug so he could eat one last good meal. The thrush has taken him to soups and potato's. He gets an occasional shake, but it all tastes bad when he is done.

I have spent a lot of time with pop over the course of his journey. I made sure he was not feeling sick last night, he has been vomiting severely, and took Belle {she is almost 7} to see him. She talked, he listened. When we got back to the house she said she knew he was going to die soon, and was glad he could see his mom and dad again. I told her that after that, they were all going sailing. His second love after mom.

Out of the mouth of babe's. She is a great kid.

Pop is, if anything, stubborn; however, he has met his match. He understands that, and is not sad he is dieing, just aggravated that the way he is going is making mom sad.

I will keep all posted. Thanks again for the thoughts and prayers. Mom can use them right now.

Scott
Son Of Bob