Okay, friends and family! I am hearing from you that you are wondering how I am. I mostly disappeared after the insertion of a pain pump for my new diagnosis of terminal pancreatic cancer.

On June 19, I had a Medtronic pain pump inserted into a “pocket” incision made into my right upper abdomen. The coils from the pump were threaded under the skin around my body to my spinal cord for insertion into that area.

I was looking forward to having the pump inserted that delivered a steady dose of Dilaudid (narcotic) into my spinal cord area (T5). The implanted pump would enable the narcotic to bypass the brain and the stomach, thereby softening or eliminating the side effects of the drug in those locations. I should have fewer episodes of memory loss and fewer bouts of pain in the belly.

Finally, on July 12, I experienced relief worth mentioning. For over three weeks, my belly had responded vociferously to the incision made for the pump and the wider binder, secured with velcro. I had to wear these to avoid drainage from both incisions (the pocket in front and a second one where the coils had been inserted into my spinal cord area).

I was warned not to let the incisions get infected. We do not want pus-filled drainage to leak from the pocket incision, nor do we want spinal cord leakage from the insertion site on my back.

NO, we don’t, do we?

During those weeks of getting used to the pain pump, I was mostly uncomfortable and mostly went from bed to couch and back to bed again.

Then, just as if the surgery never happened, I felt almost back to normal. I should add that during all that time I had other medication I could take for the pain. So there was no reason to suffer. In a situation like this, I weigh how sleepy I want to be versus being alert. I’d rather be alert, but even then fatigue governs my body. So there is no going back to normal.

To add to my bodily adventures, I blacked out one night staying at a friend’s. My best-guess added diagnosis for that now is a TIA. So any diminishing of DVT (deep vein thrombosis ) side effects with them, is no longer valid. Plus, a TIA is related to having blood clots in one’s leg. I now hop between diagnoses to determine what problem takes priority that day. And, after having a blood clot or TIA, I can no longer drive.

Rounding up health concerns, hypertension and DVTs seem to be cousins of pancreatic cancer. So I think when I decided to call this cancer episode an adventure, I was right on target.

I give a huge shout-out to Avera-at-Home-Hospice personnel. More about that ongoing care next time. Keep the cards and visits coming! Call my daughter first, due to boundaries I have set. (Kathleen@caringlessons.com) I am ready to meet my Lord! According to hospice, it may be tomorrow or up to six months. Until then, I check my eyes each morning for jaundice, because yellow is the most frequent change in the eyes when this cancer moves on to the liver.

I hope to meet you here again! Just know I haven’t forgotten you. I am trying to get my side effects under control, so I have gotten off the couch and am continuing the last blog of Adventure on Holy Ground #6. Any questions? Send a note to Kathleen@caringlessons.com.