Dad enjoying a little time out at my brother's for our
Mother's Day gathering. It was good to see him in a
non-clinical environment for the first time in a month.

The following is my sister's (pictured) Friday update:

Last Thursday, dad was moved from Baptist Hospital to Richland Healthcare Center. Dad has settled in nicely at Richland. They definitely keep him more active. He has to get dressed every day. He has daily visits to physical therapy and occupational therapy. The staff makes him walk the halls several times a day! Being in bed for over 2 weeks has weakened him. The radiation treatments and steriods also weaken the muscles. So, PT is so important in helping him keep some strength! He's looking forward to the sun coming out so he can go outside to the courtyard (for those not in Nashville, it's been raining here for what seems like the last 2 months!). Tuesday he asked me if one day we could go for a drive so he can see all the pretty things blooming.... you can take the landscape gardner out of his garden- but you can't take the garden out of the landscape gardener!



He has progressed so well. They take him every day for his radiation treatments. Yesterday he got his first Rituxan treatment as well as the radiation! This is the chemo drug they give him through an IV. He was supposed to start this when the radiation started. But, they had to postpone it until he was stable and could sit for an extended amount of time! This was an all day ordeal. He had to sit in a recliner for 5 hours while they slowly gave him the drug and monitored his vitals. He didn't experience any side effects that would have delayed the dose being administered- but he got confused on why he had to sit so long in that chair. He kept wanting to get up! Even told mom he was just going to get mad. Mom responded saying "You aren't mad, you're 'bumpy'" (Something Will ALWAYS says when he is grumpy!). That produced a laugh- and distracted for a bit! Pray that he has strength to handle any side effects that might come with the Rituxan. MOST IMPORTANTLY, pray that the Rituxan along with the radiation will shrink and completely get rid of his lymphoma! Pray that dad will regain strength daily. He so wants to walk on his own (without a walker). right now, it's just not safe. He sometimes forgets he can't do it without assistance... and has fallen a couple times without injury! On Sunday, we are taking him out of Richland for the afternoon to do a Mother's Day cookout at Stuart & Krissy's house. Pray we pull that off without incident! I think it will do him good to visit the 'outside world'!


I'll update in a week or so- or if there is news to report- Sarah