My classmate, Dr. Ronald Q. Moore, at Holmes Bible College in the late 50s, is still my close friend after all the decades since we met. He sent me something in an attachment this past week that has helped me greatly.
It goes like this:
Faith is not about
Everything turning out okay;
Faith is about being okay
No matter how things turn out.
It is a touch and go everyday with Melvine. Since she was released from taking any more chemotherapy, the aftermath of the destruction that the chemo has done in Melvine's body is now taking its toll.
Pain . . . confusion . . . temporary memory loss . . . lack of orientation . . . fear . . . uncertainty . . . uneasy . . . are some of the emotions I have been able to get Melvine to tell me.
Then, there are physical effects from the chemotherapy. She has tremors in her arms and hands. Sometimes it is difficult for her to hold a cup of coffee, or her thermos with water. The left side of her body hurts. She sleeps a great deal during the day.
She doesn't like to leave home. Although she has a deep desire to attend Sunday school and church she is far too sick to try to attempt it.
I have sought answers from the medical profession. Medications have been changed several times to correct problems I have detected from taking Melvine's vital signs.
I gave her her medications for the evening at 7 p. m. and took her vital signs. Two hours and fifteen minutes later she wanted to go to bed. I was allowed to give her a sleeping pill after two hours when I gave her a pain pill. She just woke up and came and asked me to give her her sleeping pill. I said, "Honey, I gave that to you when you were going to bed." She responded by saying, "I don't remember you giving me a sleeping pill."
It is my responsibility to reassure her over and over again that I am like a charge nurse and everything is under control. I am keeping the records, and I am doing my best to follow the instructions of your oncologist.
I don't like what I see happening to Melvine. She has lost much of her beautiful hair and wants our hairdresser to shave her hair. When Greg comes home for his Spring Break, I know he will be delighted to take her all the way to Arnoldsville to get that done for his mother. She hopes it will come back thicker and more of it. We will wait and see. Whatever the case, I still love her, hair or no hair. She has three wigs to wear. She bought a cute hat at Cracker Barrel to wear when she wants to do so.
I have an appointment with my ophthalmologist today, Monday, March 18 at 2:30 p. m. I have asked Jeanette Phillips to stay with Melvine while I am gone from home. Those appointment invariably take an hour, plus the drive to Athens and back home. I am eager to do all the tests they can give you. My eyesight is better than ever, and I believe I can see every little light even before it starts in the peripheral vision test. I am convinced that if I could still play golf, that I can count the number of ripples in the water when my ball lands in a pond. Wow, what an eyelid surgery can do for peripheral vision. However, we will wait and see. My major concern that the diabetes in my body has not effected my eyes. Thus far, it hasn't. For that, I am so grateful.
I am thankful that I can still take showers, put on my clothes and socks and shoes. I am very slow at the age of 86.
Well, enough about me.
Please continue to pray for Melvine, Greg, and me.
Our mailing address is:
Hugh & Melvine Morgan
17 Sweet Apple Lane
Winder, GA 30680
My email address is: hugh@hughsnews.com
It goes like this:
Faith is not about
Everything turning out okay;
Faith is about being okay
No matter how things turn out.
It is a touch and go everyday with Melvine. Since she was released from taking any more chemotherapy, the aftermath of the destruction that the chemo has done in Melvine's body is now taking its toll.
Pain . . . confusion . . . temporary memory loss . . . lack of orientation . . . fear . . . uncertainty . . . uneasy . . . are some of the emotions I have been able to get Melvine to tell me.
Then, there are physical effects from the chemotherapy. She has tremors in her arms and hands. Sometimes it is difficult for her to hold a cup of coffee, or her thermos with water. The left side of her body hurts. She sleeps a great deal during the day.
She doesn't like to leave home. Although she has a deep desire to attend Sunday school and church she is far too sick to try to attempt it.
I have sought answers from the medical profession. Medications have been changed several times to correct problems I have detected from taking Melvine's vital signs.
I gave her her medications for the evening at 7 p. m. and took her vital signs. Two hours and fifteen minutes later she wanted to go to bed. I was allowed to give her a sleeping pill after two hours when I gave her a pain pill. She just woke up and came and asked me to give her her sleeping pill. I said, "Honey, I gave that to you when you were going to bed." She responded by saying, "I don't remember you giving me a sleeping pill."
It is my responsibility to reassure her over and over again that I am like a charge nurse and everything is under control. I am keeping the records, and I am doing my best to follow the instructions of your oncologist.
I don't like what I see happening to Melvine. She has lost much of her beautiful hair and wants our hairdresser to shave her hair. When Greg comes home for his Spring Break, I know he will be delighted to take her all the way to Arnoldsville to get that done for his mother. She hopes it will come back thicker and more of it. We will wait and see. Whatever the case, I still love her, hair or no hair. She has three wigs to wear. She bought a cute hat at Cracker Barrel to wear when she wants to do so.
I have an appointment with my ophthalmologist today, Monday, March 18 at 2:30 p. m. I have asked Jeanette Phillips to stay with Melvine while I am gone from home. Those appointment invariably take an hour, plus the drive to Athens and back home. I am eager to do all the tests they can give you. My eyesight is better than ever, and I believe I can see every little light even before it starts in the peripheral vision test. I am convinced that if I could still play golf, that I can count the number of ripples in the water when my ball lands in a pond. Wow, what an eyelid surgery can do for peripheral vision. However, we will wait and see. My major concern that the diabetes in my body has not effected my eyes. Thus far, it hasn't. For that, I am so grateful.
I am thankful that I can still take showers, put on my clothes and socks and shoes. I am very slow at the age of 86.
Well, enough about me.
Please continue to pray for Melvine, Greg, and me.
Our mailing address is:
Hugh & Melvine Morgan
17 Sweet Apple Lane
Winder, GA 30680
My email address is: hugh@hughsnews.com