April 30

It is 4:20 pm. I just got back from seeing Judy. Mary and Haley were with me. Judy is sitting up and her voice is much stronger. Today's accomplishments: 1. Judy has been up sitting in her chair for short periods. 2. She has walked a few steps around her ward. 3. Her catheter is out, but going to the bathroom requires a mass disconnection from all the hoses she is sporting. 4. The surgeon was up to see Judy today. He is pleased with her progress. 5. The drain tube from her chest is causing discomfort, but discomfort goes with the territory. The girls moved into the lodge where I am staying today. They stayed in a nearby hotel for their first 2 nights. The girls have found a gym one block away;therefore, they are keeping up their fitness routine. We also walked to Granville Island today for lunch. Judy's brother, David, amazed us by eating a 2 pound donut. I helped him eat part of the donut and we had the help of two starlings and a sparrow. The three birds were having difficulty achieving lift off. Judy's mother continues to decline. She was not able to open her eyes today. She hasn't eaten in 2 days. The staff at St. Paul's have been keeping her comfortable. Friends and family have been stopping by to say their good-byes. The plan for this evening is to see Judy for a short visit. She tires easily. An advantage of having an operation in a distant city is: the chance of too many visitors is less likely. It has been a good day.

Evening April 29

Haley, Mary, and I had a chance to see Judy around 5:00pm today. She looks great, but if you thought she was a quiet talker before, you should hear her now. Of course, she had a tube down her throat during the operation so her voice is pooched. The girls were telling her they had a pedicure and a manicure today. Judy was in true form asking the girls to see their toes so she could see the colours they chose. She is in a private room now. I am on my way up to see her around 8 pm. Thank you, everyone, for your prayers, well wishes,and love for Judy, the girls, and the King.

April 29

The time is now 1:40 BC time. Judy's surgery ended shortly after 1:00 pm PST. In total, the operation was 4.5 hours. Dr. Nasir, the surgeon, said the operation was very involved, but he felt the goals for this operation were met. Remembering every detail shared with me by the surgeon is a challenge, then framing the information in a way that does not cause undue pessimism or false hope is a bigger challenge. I shall try to follow the example of Joe Friday...the facts, Mam, just the facts. The following is what I believe are the facts. 1. The surgeon operated on the right lung only(as per plan). He had to take more than the expected 20% of the right lung. In fact, 50% of the lung was removed. 2. The surgery did not follow the minimally invasive plan. The surgeon made a 10cm incision just below the right rib cage. He was able to go in and actually feel the lung. He removed the 12mm lesion as well as some nodules that were present on the lung. One nodule was scar tissue from a fungul infection perhaps as a result of a collapsed lung Judy experienced in the late 70s. The other nodules that were removed will be checked to determine whether they were cancerous. 3. The surgeon will likely follow the same strategy on the left lung. That is to say, a 10cm incision will be made below her left rib cage. The next surgery will likely be in 6 weeks. 4. Judy is in recovery at this time. Mary and Haley are busy relaying information to friends and family. The girls are doing well and staying strong. We will be going to the hospital in one hour to see whether she has been moved to a ward. 5. Judy's brother, David, has been with us for the last 2 days. He has been a wonderful support to Judy, the girls, and me. In other news, Judy's mother's condition continues to deteriorate. She is awaiting a room in Palliative care. After David feels Judy is stable here, he is going to Saskatoon to support Audrey and Judy's mom. If anyone has any questions, please feel free to text me at 306-371-6563.

April 28

We arrived in Vancouver on Sunday. Judy and I had our first experience on the Sky Train. No problem. On Monday, Judy had her CT scan and pre op. Everyone at Vancouver General was very helpful. Our room at the hostel is quite nice. We are only a ten minute walk to the hospital. Judy's surgery will be early tomorrow morning. We have to be at the hospital by 5:30 am. The surgeon called Judy today to inform her that he will likely do an open chest surgery rather than going the laproscopic route. Unfortunately, Judy's family is dealing with another issue at this time. Judy and I took Judy's mom to the hospital on Friday. She is in decline with congestive heart and renal failure. She will likely be moved to palliative care in the coming days. I will update the log tomorrow as news comes in. Judy is doing very well and confident there will be a positive outcome.

April 25

Well, we are off to Van City tomorrow.  We are all packed.  Included in our luggage are hundreds of well wishes, a ton of hugs, and countless prayers that family, friends, and acquaintances have sent with us.  Our girls will be joining us on Tuesday in Vancouver.  Hopefully, I will have a post on the blog by early afternoon on Wednesday.

April 2

Judy had chemo on Monday, March 30.  As usual, she was feeling rough for three days, but she is back in action after 4 days of being off.  She has had a lot on her plate in the last two weeks because her mother has been ill.  Fortunately, Judy's mom is being moved into transitional care in the same facility where she now resides.  There will be staff to keep an eye on her; therefore, Judy won't need to worry about whether her mom has fallen or has had a heart event.  We should have Judy's mom moved by April 15.