Marcy's Daily Updates

Last night was unusual. I noticed a faint, odd smell when I got home from errands with Darcy at 5:30p. When Matt came home just after 10p, it seemed to come in stronger with him. And when I let the dogs out at 10 and came back in the kitchen, it was strong and I started looking for the source: trash cans needing emptying, toilets needing flushing, disposal needing to run, etc.

When I got to the basement, the smell seemed strongest next to the furnace, directly underneath the kitchen. Both kids were still awake, so we sent them and the dogs to Mapco to hang out for a little while, just in case it wasn't safe at the house. I called the gas company about 11:05 and an employee arrived about 11:30. After 45 minutes of testing and searching all he could find was a slight gas leak in the valve to our gas logs. And when the valve was closed there was no leak. The kids came home about 11:45 and the smell dissipated over the next hour or so. The gas man left us with warning, saying we need to have that valve repaired.

All that to say that bedtime for me and Marcy was 3 am. Marcy seemed to have an uneventful day leading up to last night. Kara was here to care for her and fix her hair and she always likes that. She didn't have any breathing episodes and she couldn't smell the gas although Sunny coughed, sneezed, and wheezed a lot yesterday and especially last night. (I'm thinking from the gas.) Marcy asked for Oxycodone at bedtime and woke at 6a again today asking for Oxycodone - it probably seemed like it had been overnight, but it had only been a few hours, but I gave it to her. I'm guessing she didn't rest last night.

Darcy and I went to Columbia State to follow up on Matt's financial aid (they said they were missing a tax document that I mailed weeks ago, so I faxed it later yesterday,) to Franklin High to try to get her class schedule (they told us all freshman schedules had changed and she has to wait until school starts Monday,) to Ben & Jerry's, to the library to renew her book, and to fill the car with gas.

We came home at 3:30 and found that Jo could then go do what Darcy really wanted to do yesterday - and several days prior - go to antique stores, try on old clothes for the fun of it and take pictures of themselves in the clothes. She wanted to go to the antique mall in Nashville, we stopped at REI in Brentwood on the way to get a part to repair the backpack I use on the back of Marcy's chair, but we finally made it to Nashville and had about 40 minutes for them to play.

Here's a sample of the fun they had. Darcy really enjoyed it and wants to do it again soon.

Matt worked from 2-9 yesterday and stayed home last night.

Daily Prayer for Marcy: Rest today. Total relief from pain and discomfort.

12,363 signatures on the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition petition. I plan to keep asking for signatures until we hear from producers of the show. It only takes 30 seconds to sign. Our extreme wish list here.

Openings in August's Dinner Calendar. (click to see.)

F:4, J:2, I:1, Y:4, B:20, A:2, O:2 IV Ceftazadine:3, Levaquin:1 Key

We made it out yesterday. Marcy was in her chair from about 1-6:30. She needed suctioning only once - after we were home and she was still in her chair. But she has been totally exhausted ever since. She asked for Oxycodone last night before transferring from the chair to bed. And even though she took a sleeping pill at bedtime last night, she was awake and in excruciating pain (she blinked that word to me) this morning at 6 & asked for Oxycodone then, too. At her 8a IV this morning she was awake again and asked for more medicines. Also, her trach secretions have been moderately volumous since the transfer yesterday.

Kara was scheduled to work yesterday but is still having car trouble and couldn't get here.

Marcy was was very excited to go out yesterday, but seemed drowsy and sometimes unresponsive on our errands. We (Marcy, Darcy, Cricket, and I) went to the bank to make a deposit, to downtown Franklin to see if a gallery would buy a couple of numbered prints donated to the yard sale (they didn't,) to Wal-Mart and Staples for school supplies for Darcy (she starts Monday,) to Costco for juicing supplies, and to Linens and things to return some curtain rods she bought last week.

Matt did a few chores yesterday morning then worked yesterday from 11-6. When we were in Staples for Darcy's supplies, he helped us find things and didn't seem embarrassed by his Mom & Dad being at work like he did when we visited him at Office Depot last year. Matt came home for supper then went out with friends and spent the night at Michael's.

Daily Prayer for Marcy: Rebuild strength from outing. Total relief from pain and discomfort.

12,363 signatures on the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition petition. I plan to keep asking for signatures until we hear from producers of the show. It only takes 30 seconds to sign. Our extreme wish list here.

Still some openings in August's Dinner Calendar. (click to see.)

F:4, J:2, I:1, Y:4, B:20, A:2, O:1, T:1, IV Ceftazadine:3, Levaquin:1 Key

Yesterday Marcy rested from Sunday's outing. She was very tired, tried to sleep but couldn't. She had 2 breathing episodes last night and moderate trach secretions. She asked for Oxycodone yesterday afternoon and at bedtime. Garland came over to pray for us for almost 2 hours last night.

Kara was off yesterday. I paid bills, put Darcy's scooter tire back on, put up some valances in the kitchen, cleared a blockage in our downstairs air conditioning unit, worked on our next fundraiser, and cleaned.

Darcy was on the computer catching up with friends. She and Jo went to the park to take some still pictures.

Matt was awake at 8 and went to Paige's house to hang out before working from 2-9, then went back to Paige's until home at 11:30. Paige is leaving today for a week.

Daily Prayer for Marcy: Strength for possible outing today (Kara is still having car trouble and may not be here as planned today. If not, Marcy wants to return some items.) Total relief from pain and discomfort.

12,363 signatures on the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition petition. I plan to keep asking for signatures until we hear from producers of the show. It only takes 30 seconds to sign. Our extreme wish list here.

Openings this week in August's Dinner Calendar. (click to see.)

F:4, J:2, I:1, Y:4, B:20, A:2, O:2, IV Ceftazadine:3, Levaquin:1 Key

We made it out yesterday. She didn't feel great, she just felt driven to go. Marcy was in her chair from about 9:30a - 1p. She didn't need suctioning and trach secretions were minimal. No breathing episodes (see next paragraph.) She was very, very tired, asked for Oxycodone at 2 pm and slept the entire afternoon. She asked for a sleeping pill at bedtime.

We (Marcy, Darcy, Matt, Cricket, and I) made it to church and were almost on time for the 10a service. It was great to see everyone and the message was great. During the service, Marcy actually asked me to turn her vent settings down (below normal) - she's never done that. Marcy was tired and didn't want to go anywhere afterwards.

It was unusual for us to have the whole family there together. Unknown to us, they were taking pictures for the church directory, so we got in on that. Matt and Darcy rode separately from us so Darcy could see Matt's car for the first time.

I haven't posted much about his car because he got it during my Update crash last week. He got it 7/29 when we (Marcy, Matt, Cricket, and I) rode out to Carnival Kia to see the owner Chris Bostick. Nashvillians know him from his commercials in which he always has his family and ends each with, "Don't you leave until you see me." We saw him, explained our situation and he found Matt a demo on which he put a full 10 year warranty and gave Matt a low monthly payment. It is a Spectra - black, 4 doors, with gas mileage rating of 35 mpg. Matt wanted great gas mileage, Marcy wanted something dependable. I think we got it. Though it took about 4 hours, the whole experience was great - everyone was very nice to us. The sales manager even prayed for Marcy and prayed over the car with us before we left the lot.

Darcy loved the car and Matt and Darcy washed his car and the van for us after church yesterday. Paige came over after supper and they (including Darcy) hung out in our basement.

After getting Marcy back from church and comfortable, I washed clothes and started working on Marcy's next fundraiser idea. We haven't heard final results from the yard sale yet. It is estimated to have netted $4,000 - $5,000. The money went into the "Men of Acts" bank account and will be used in their work on needy homes in the area - including ours.

Daily Prayer for Marcy: Rest & recovery from 2 days out in a row. Total relief from pain and discomfort.

12,362 signatures on the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition petition. I plan to keep asking for signatures until we hear from producers of the show. It only takes 30 seconds to sign. Our extreme wish list here.

Openings later this week and month in August's Dinner Calendar. (click to see.)

F:4, J:2, I:1, Y:4, B:20, A:2, O:1, T:1, IV Ceftazadine:3, Levaquin:1 Key

Marcy enjoyed a day out yesterday. She was in her chair from 10a - 5p and didn't need suctioning the entire outing. Her trach secretions were minimal - not nearly as much as the five days out in a row last week (Fri: Encores Sale, Sat: Yard Sale & downtown Franklin, Sun: Encores Blessing Closet, Mon: Take Darcy to Aunt Laura's, Tue: Car dealer for Matt to buy Kia.)

We (Marcy, Cricket, and I) went yesterday to Clarkesville to meet Laura almost halfway to pick Darcy up from her 6 day visit. Laura, Danny, Alex, and Adam met us at a Dollar Tree store and visited for an hour or so. It was great to get Darcy back - and they said they were going to miss her.

From Clarkesville we came back to downtown Franklin to the antique store to return the clock I bought Friday. The clock Marcy wanted was still there, but the owner wouldn't discount the price enough to satisfy Marcy so she left without it. We also went to Ben & Jerry's - I think the first time Marcy has been with Darcy and me. We weren't the only ones who had the idea for ice cream on a hot Saturday afternoon - it was crowded and fairly difficult to navigate the chair through the stores and sidewalks.

After all that, Darcy was ready to get home to see the pets. It was a very happy reunion. Last night Darcy started catching up on her favorite shows that had been TiVoed: Project Runway, Shear Genius, Monk, Design Star.

Matt worked from 1- 9:30 and came straight home after work. Marcy asked him yesterday morning to wash his car before work. Last night he told us he had decided to wait until today when he had Darcy home to help him.

Daily Prayer for Marcy: Strength for outing today. Total relief from pain and discomfort.

12,362 signatures on the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition petition. I think the site's being down for almost a week stalled additional signatures. I plan to keep asking for signatures until we hear from producers of the show. It only takes 30 seconds to sign. Our extreme wish list here.

Lots of openings later this week and this month in August's Dinner Calendar. (click to see.)

F:5, J:2, I:0, Y:2, B:20, A:2, IV Ceftazadine:3, Levaquin:1 Key