Don and Eli - Master Ramp Builders; Chemo on Monday

Before I even had a chance to look at Angie's List for a ramp-builder, two friends offered to build it for us. It's hard to bemoan buying our house at the top of the market when it came with such great neighbors. :-)

Building the ramp was magical. Don H came by at 8am to measure the space and design the ramp, and then spent the morning getting the supplies and cutting the boards. Shortly after Don had to leave to go to work, Eli B. came by. He cut a few more items and then put all the pieces together. Don and Eli made a wonderful team without ever even meeting each other, and the ramp was done by 2:30! The ramp works very smoothly, and Graham was so relieved to be able to get outside of the house easily. Thank you, Don and Eli.

Graham continues to surprise me. It's nice when a spouse can still surprise you after 20 years. The man can't even feel his feet, can't walk, can barely stand for more than a few seconds, but he insisted on getting on the exercise bike today. And he rode! Not quite a mile, but he rode. Hey, it's more than I did today!

The good news is that the lab results are back and Graham's white cell count returned to a decent range and he can have more chemo on Monday. If we're very lucky, maybe the chemo will reverse what's happening with his legs.

Today was exhausting for everybody. We had several nursing agency people over to advise us on how to best make Graham comfortable. We stocked up on all kinds of cool medical supplies, like a hospital bed and a shower seat. They have an infinite number of clever devices to help make life easier if mobility is a problem.

But there's just no easy way to "transfer," that is, to get someone from a bed to a wheelchair, or from a wheelchair into a regular chair. If Gary hadn't been here to help, it would have been really hard.

Starting tomorrow we're having a home healthcare aid come in for a few hours a day. She'll help us with the transfers. Not quite sure what else she'll do, but no doubt we'll think of something.

THANKS:

Sarah J and Barry W, your chocolate chip cookies were sooo good. And Hannah W, we love your artwork. It's hanging on our refrigerator.


Hannah W's artwork for Graham

Thank you so much, Joel F, for your wonderful note and stunning flowers. They were a real day-brightener. Your florist is an artist.

Teree F, how delightful to receive a jar of honey from your husband's bee hive! And the Hebrew prayer plaque is lovely.

Jerry and Marie, thanks so much for the very pretty and exotic flowers. Graham really enjoyed their beautiful scent.

Ella, we couldn't resist your apple pie. It's almost all gone already!