New Horizon's

Yesterday, Wednesday November 26, 2008 my father was admitted to a nursing home in Ocala, Florida.

The place is called "New Horizon's" He will be there until he is able to be a little more independant. He is in Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy.

My father has a direct line to his room... if any relatives would like that number to call him and say hello... Just email me at lirwin@up.net and I'll pass his number on to you. I'm sure he'd like to hear from family.

Dad's Birthday 9/13/08

My Father's 73rd birthday was September 13, 2008. We had his Birthday party the next week due to everyone's work schedules.

I thought since he was home for his birthday... we should invite all his brother's and sister's over for some Birthday lunch and Cake & Ice Cream.

It was such a cold day... but, my Brother's Steve & Darren manned the grill and grilled us up burgers, hotdogs, even steaks! We had a feast... Dad enjoyed the day.

After everyone had eaten their lunch... and we sang "happy birthday" and the candles were blown out... we feasted on cake & ice cream.

And before everyone left... we got a group photo. And a group photo of my dad and his siblings (and Minnie my brother Sonny's dog)! Very nice!!!!!!

Back row left to right: Elma Heikkinen, Leslie Haataja, and Jean Juntunen.

Front row left to right: Severi Haataja, Mom, Dad, and Betty Holzman

Bottom row: MINNIE

Jacksonville's wonderful staff

I got a call this evening from one of the staff of Jacksonville's Mayo Clinic, her name is "Lois Hemminger" she's assistant to Dr. Wolfson from the Gastroenterology & Hepatology Department. Dr. Wolfson is the Doctor who initially treated my father for his Esophageal Cancer, where the "photodynamic therapy" was done on the cancer in the Esophagus.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/bio/10860380.html

Lois called to see how Dad is doing and how Mom is holding up, and also how the rest of the family is coping. But, her main concern is my father, she stated that she, Dr. Wolfson, and also Dr. Reimer (this is the Neurosurgeon who performed my father's brain surgery) are very concerned about my Dad.

I really love how this group of Doctor's from the Mayo Clinic have treated my father and mother and my entire family through all of this. They are so caring and concerned. They make you feel like the patient is the most important person ever!

Munroe Regional update

Dad is being kept in the Neurology Dept. at Munroe Regional until maybe Monday or Tuesday. ( could be longer )

I had a call from Cousin Howard last night, he stated he had just come from the hospital to see dad and "he does not look good" is the first thing Howard said to me. Dad is really confused and weak, Amanda stated to me that Grandpa can't even lift his leg off of the bed, so he cannot even walk. Amanda is trying to set up through the hospital 'home health care' for when Grandpa gets out of the hospital ... Grandma is NOT going to be able to care for him on her own.

I feel all the strength I've had throughout all this (since the Esophageal Cancer diagnosis) from the first Cancer diagnosis... through the Brain Cancer diagnosis... through everything I've tried to stay tough and strong... but, I feel all my strength is gone! Somewhere I've got to dig deep and try to find some more! Need to find it for my Dad.. and my Mom!

Update

Amanda called this evening, said her Grandpa didn't look too good, she said she didn't think he recognized her, and he didn't say too many things.... he seemed really confused.

Amanda & Mark went to Subway to get Grandma a sandwich (she hasn't eaten all day) and then they were going to take Grandma home, and Amanda will pick up Grandma in the morning to bring her back to the Hospital.

Grandpa is going to be kept in the ER through the night, Munroe's Doctors have seen him and said they don't have older scans to compare his brain to, to see if there is any differences to diagnose what is happening with him.

This is sooooo frustrating.... For all of us.

More updates when we know more.

Dad is in the Hospital

This morning my mother called while I was sleeping and spoke to my husband Mark on the phone. She stated that my father had fallen again and the fall was on the steps to the back entrance of their Florida home. Dad fell down the steps onto the brick stones of the patio, he hit the back of his head. Which has an open stop to his skull due to the Infection he had previously to the metal plate that Mayo Clinic had in his skull to cover the spot of bone that they had removed to perform the Brain Surgery, Dad developed a reaction to the metal so, that had to be removed, leaving this part of the brain unprotected. Apparently this fall had occured a few days ago, my mom stated that Dad had been in bed for a few days, and she felt he was not doing so good this morning.

Lots of phone calls later, to my brothers, my sister-in-law Lynn, my son-in-law Mark, my daughter, my dad's cousin Howard, Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville... And I am a nervous wreck!!!

My dad's cousin Howard, went over to my parents house to check on the condition of my father after the phone call I made to Howard. Howard called me from my parents house... said "your dad is in bad condition", and "the ambulance and fire dept. just left with my dad and they were bringing him to the Hospital". Howard also stated that my dad did not recognize Howard at first, until Howard told him who he was. This is not good... my dad and Howard are close.

It's been about 4 hours now... and I still haven't heard any news.

Munroe Regional Medical Center in Ocala, Florida is where they brought my father....
352-351-7200
is their main phone line.

I don't have any information on his condition as of yet... waiting to hear from someone down there ... if I don't hear anything in a few hours... I will call.
I am thinking they are running tests and procedures on him before they will get him set up in a room.

Back to Florida

I got a call on Tuesday the 4th of November right around noonish! It was my mother on the phone telling me "they were leaving"! "Leaving"? I asked, where are you going?? She tells me they are all packed up and leaving for Florida, and they were leaving in 5 or 10 minutes!!!!!! UGHHH - nice notice!! They had told my brothers and I "IF" they left it would be sometime next week! My brothers and I were NOT happy..
Pray they make it to Florida safe! And also they have a safe winter...!! I know my father wants to go see his "Jacksonville- Mayo Clinic" doctors! I know deep in my heart this is what "he wants" but, I still don't think it was the right time to go, only because of his diagnosis from the "Rochester - Mayo Clinic" and I don't think my father is either understanding what they told him... or he is NOT accepting it!

rare image caught on film!!

While out in Pikes Peak visiting my parents a few weeks ago... I was taking pictures of the Fall colors... and I caught this rare sighting on my camera... *** My father actually using his walker ***

Amanda & Mark Bloxton 10-9-08

Our daughter Amanda surprised us on 10-9-08 and eloped in Florida. She and her fiance (husband) Mark are residing in Ocala, Florida and have just this past week moved into their new house.

Mark and I wish our Amanda and her Mark all the happiness in the world.

So sweet.

This picture just touches my heart strings. It was taken in August '08, our daughter Amanda and her fiance Mark came to Michigan and we were out visiting my parents in Pikes Peak. We were all outside in the backyard snapping photo's when all of a sudden we didn't see my dad anywhere... then his head popped up from behind some weeds in my Mother's overgrown flower garden. He comes walking over to my Mom and out from behind his back he hands her this flower... it was such a sweet touching moment... and I caught it on my camera.

Dad

When a family member has an illness, the entire family can be affected. The way the illness is dealt with affects the entire family not only the member who is ill.

Try to get as much information as you can on the illness. As hard as it is to believe... an illness in the family can be a growth experience for the people involved if it is dealt with in a sensitive and mature manner.

I promised myself that whatever treatment my Father has to go through with his Cancer I would remain strong, not for myself but, for my Father and also my Mother. I am finding it ever increasingly hard to do. I lay in bed and pray to God that he hold on to my Father's hand and help him through this struggle as he is most precious to me... and to give us all the strength to stay strong.

Most of the time I cry myself to sleep... mostly because I feel so helpless, also because I see what my Dad's Cancer has done to him. I see the frustration in his eyes... because he still wants to do all the normal things he used to do before the Cancer started to destroy his brain, things you and I take for granted. I see him not wanting to give up his independence, he refuses to use his walker, sometimes he will use a cane (not all the time) even when the Doctor's keep telling him he must use a walker. Another fall could be more disasterous to him than the Cancer is. Still he remains defiant. I sometimes see this defiancy as a blessing... I want my Dad to FIGHT... I want him to FIGHT with all he's got but, then again... I am so scared because he is defiant that he will fall and hurt himself badly.

My brothers and myself want my parents to stay home in Michigan until he has another check-up in Rochester, MN at the Mayo Clinic, Dad wants to go back to Florida and see his Doctor's at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL. I am unsure of what is going to happen with this situation.