Change of Plans

Bill leaves today--not for Norfolk as planned, but to go up to Illinois to be with his father. Bud is having a G-Tube installed on Wednesday, and after much agonizing, Bill decided that while the company meet-and-greet in Norfolk was an annual event he could do another time, spending time with his dad is limited.

Bud's jaw tumor is growing aggressively, and his doctors fear that soon he'll be unable to swallow, hence the push to insert a feeding tube as soon as possible. It may already be too late--they will only know when they get in there and attempt to access his nasal passages with a scope to place the permanent tube in his stomach. Bill says that this will give his dad some options for the future. I have a deep sense of foreboding about this, but so far have just kept my peace. It is not my decision to make, but I am pretty sure that if I were in the same spot, I would forgo the G-Tube. My reasoning is that having it there makes it easier for the medicos to prolong his pain indefinitely while they continue their "extraordinary measures" to postpone the inevitable. While starving to death doesn't sound pleasant either, it's one of those end-of-life dilemmas where none of the choices are good. It is very hard for my husband right now, and I am glad he is spending as much time as he can with his dad, whatever the reason.

As soon as Bill gets back, he'll be leaving for his class in Florida for two weeks. I will fly down for the weekend in between, but for the next 3 weeks, it will be just me and Ozzy holding down the fort. There is plenty to do, as always.