Audrey's Lung Cancer Story

Life goes on. Time flies. Things change

Here it is, August 6, 2005. It is a Saturday. Time has been going by so quickly. I can't believe I had the patience to keep a diary when I was a teenager. (April 1971 until 1980). I appreciate having blog here. I just have to learn to use it right.

It has been a hot, dry summer. Even worse than the summer of 1988. The cornfields are drying up and we haven't had to mow our lawn since June. What I find interesting is the white clovers that cover the lawn are brown yet the shell of the flowers are still standing. The grass crunches when you walk on it. The weatherman says we are over 12 inches behind what our precipitation should have been for this year.

But this blog is suppose to be about my mom, Audrey. These are just my observations, of course. Her story would be much different. It is easy for me to say that she hasn't ate very much in the last month and has lost nearly 20 lbs. But only she knows how it feels. She says that a lot of food just doesn't sound good and what does sound good ends up not tasting good.
I had thought this would be a side affect of chemo therapy and by not having chemo she would be able to enjoy food more and not be as sick. But apparently, the disease itself affects the taste of food and her appetite. I have read that food has a metallic copper like taste. Mom seems to agree.

It is amazing how much love and caring is associated with food. I never realized how much our phone conversations were about what food we ate, what we were having for supper, and what we would like to cook in the future. Now even the simplest foods are not appealing to Mom so I try not to mention food at all.

On July 6th, Donnie and I went to see Mom and Dad. We sat around talking with them and Aunt Kate. Later Mom remembered that Aunt Barb Perry's Daughter, Karen, was visiting from Minnesota. Karen's oldest daughter, Alexis, has been battling Lukemia. Mom thought it would be fun to show Alexis her bald head so Dad got Mom's bottled oxygen ready to go and Mom and I got in their van, and I drove her to Aunt Barb's which is actually just catty-corner from their yard but we drove to their driveway. Mom went in and showed Alexis her balded head. It meant a lot to Mom but Alexis was more worried about the pool they were filling in the back yard. So Alexis and her sister Rachel went out back and Mom and I followed with Barb and Karen. Donnie had already walked over and was sitting talking to Uncle Buster and Karen's Husband Jeff. Aunt Kate had also walked over. We just stood around for about 5 minutes and Mom was ready to be driven home. Donnie walked back to Mom's and we left soon after that.

posted by Cindy @ 10:25 AM