Facebook Updates on Jessica

I haven't had the time or energy to update my blog every day but I have been updating my facebook page almost every day. I decided to post the most recent posts so you all can get caught up on what is going on with Jessica. We truly are on an emotional roller coaster ride with her. We have surpassed what anyone expected time-wise but it is so hard to see her wasting away. I'm so glad that she isn't feeling hunger or she would truly be miserable. I'm so blessed with the time I've had with Jessica and thank my Heavenly Father daily. She has been such a blessing to me and my family. Below are the updates - I put the date above the facebook post so you'll know when it was posted. I truly appreciate all the comments of love and friendship. I've gotten a ton of spam comments so I have to moderate them but I get to them frequently.

From Sunday: 8-22-10 (morning):

Today is the dreaded day as it marks the 21st day since Jessica stopped eating. She can't eat. She feels left out when we eat food that she likes. She has spit out jello and soup as her stomach "says no". We've always been told that a person can only survive 3 days without water and 21 without food. She is surviving on soda.

She scared us when she had a visitor drop off some flowers and she didn't respond to me at all. After walking the visitor to the door I went back into her room and she barely shook her head "no" after I tried waking her up and asked her if she could wake up. I was rubbing her leg and shaking her a little while talking to her. She woke up at midnight and was more talkative but she didn't even remember that Renee (her aide) had been there for her shift. At least she slept through the thunderstorm.

She is getting rashes from not being up and about and sweating. We never know when she will be awake and talkative or when she will be sleeping for hours at a time. She could slip into a coma at any time - that's why we got so scared when she didn't respond.

My brother and his oldest son are coming into town this afternoon - so please pray for them to travel safely and that Jess is able to visit with them. She was wide awake when my brother called me and she even spoke to him on the phone and teased him. It did my heart a lot of good to see her so happy. I hope this visit goes well. Thanks everyone, this is such a hard road and I truly appreciate all of you for helping us through it.

From Sunday: 8-22-10 (late night):

Jessica had a good time visiting with her Uncle Brian and cousin Kevin who came in from out of town to see her. She also had quite a few other guests so it was a busy day. It was so good to hear her laughing. Please keep the rest of our family in your prayers as the boys go back to school and hubby goes back to work.... He's been off for 3 weeks and is using up all his vacation time. Thanks so much!

From Monday 8-23-10:

Jess had a rough evening yesterday. She decided to try a bite of mashed potatoes but immediately threw up afterward. She became very restless and was saying that her heart was hurting. We put the pulse-ox on and found that her O2 sats were high but her heart rate was only 39 - 40. She couldn't relax so I called the hospice nurse.

The hospice nurse had me give Jess some lorazapam sub-lingually and that calmed her down and made her feel much better. The hospice nurse (and doc) were afraid that she could be in what they call "terminal restlessness" and as her heart ra...te goes down she will become even more restless and to give the lorazapam. They thought that she very well could "go" that night. I called Karl at work and he came right home. He had gone to work since Jessica has been quite stable and energetic for several days. Karl's srg. came over to visit too. He has become very concerned since Jess got so sick 3 weeks ago. Karl was sitting with her and she rolled over and all of a sudden her heart rate went way up to 70! (Her heart rate has normally been between 70 - 80 but has been at 50 - 60 the past 3 weeks... so 40 was extremely low.) Her heart rate finally settled in at 55 - 65 and has been in that range all night and all day today. I took the pulse-ox off at about 1:30 this afternoon. She has been resting quite well since she had the lorazapam last night.

So Jessica is doing what she does best. Scaring the heck out of us and then coming back. LOL! The whole hospice team is amazed at her. We are very thankful for our hospice team, the home health aides (especially Renee - my best hug-giver!) and everyone who has been coming by to visit and bring food. I am so thankful that the Lord allowed us one more day with His daughter who he's loaned to us the past 22 years. And am thankful for such amazing sons who were still able to get up and go to school today and who are so Great to have around! My husband is the best husband I could ever ask for and I'm so thankful to him for all he does. He is off work again to be here to help watch over Jessica in case she has another restless event - which they tell us will probably happen. We are taking turns sleeping - he tried sleeping in his cot in the living room (which he has been doing for the past 3 weeks) but he kept getting woken up by different things - so when I got up I sent him to bed. I'll be taking a nap soon too. There is a thunderstorm brewing so I'm going to unplug my laptop in case of a power surge.

From Tues 8-24-10:

Jessica has been experiencing more pain so we finally got a higher dose authorized this evening. The pharmacist called me and walked me through the electronic pump and I reset it for more morphine to be given continuously and she can also have an extra push (bolus) every 10 minutes instead of 20min. She is resting more comfortably now. Karl is suffering from exhaustion. I'm worried that he is going to get sick so I sent him to bed as soon as I got up from my nap (and after we had family prayer). I hope he gets some sleep tonight. I'm tired but not nearly as tired as he... is. My fibro is really acting up though since it's been storming all afternoon/evening... but at least my Baby Girl is more comfortable so we'll all sleep better tonight.

Please continue to pray for my sons, especially my youngest. All this has really been hard on him. Justen & Ravyn (my oldest son & wife) seem to be doing ok, so that is good. Please pray that Justen can get a better job and that Ravyn will continue to get clients with her new job. Thank you all so much for your loving comments.