Relay For Life

I signed up to participate in the local Relay For Life, a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. You can check out my fundraising web page at http://main.acsevents.org/goto/darcy.rocha. Thanks!

Oh Happy Day

Even though Palm Sunday is a solemn day, I have fantastic news to report. Mom and dad have an accepted contract on a home here in Rockwall. It's even WAY better than the one they were supposed to get a few months ago. This house, and the neighborhood, couldn't be more ideal. I know they are going to love it. There will be so many things to keep dad busy, too. It has a nice yard with a big covered deck, a creek that runs behind the house, an adjacent green belt, walking paths through the neighborhood, parks, a community pool, and access to the lake. It's in a private neighborhood that also is home to a local private yacht club. It's only 4 miles from our house. The house is just the right size and the floor plan is perfect. Attention Oregonians, start making your travel plans now! It will be so great to have visitors!

A-ok!

MRI today was clean as a whistle, including perfect arteries in the brain. Hygroma is holding steady, but is no worse. They don't anticipate any treatment for it. Dr. said he was doing amazing and he won't need another MRI for 4 months. Way to go dad!

In other strange twist, Bo, mom and dad's 14 year old Bichon, is having seizures. Maybe dad will have to share some of his anti-consulsant drugs with him...

Stumble

Dad had a little stumble yesterday when he was out front by himself. He tripped and fell into the gravel in the front yard. And even though he is now better able to get himself up when he kneels down (or falls), since he was in the gravel he couldn't get up. He fell on the ring of keys he was holding, which included the truck key with the panic button. Apparently it made the truck horn start blaring, so mom came out to see what was going on. I kind of imagine dad like a little beetle stuck on his back, not able to right himself. So mom, with all her might, was able to help him up. He wasn't really hurt, although he has a little bit of a sore back. When I called today to check in, he told me the story. He is much easier to talk to on the phone now, except for the long pauses when I wonder if he's checked out of the conversation. I have to remember to be patient and let him finish because now he will, whereas a few months ago he would stop mid-sentence and just kind of check out, forgetting that we were having a conversation. For most of the past 20 years, I remember him being kind of slow in conversation. But I can definitely see how that's been exacerbated by the last 2 surgeries.

On another note, I forgot to mention that our wonderful family friend Caroline took almost a full week out of her busy schedule to go to Phoenix to visit with mom and dad. I know that dad holds a special place in his heart for Caroline and it meant a lot to my folks that she came. She was very motivating to my dad and was able to give them lots of pointers about selling the house, since she is a PRO realtor. :)

Therapy Graduation Day

Today dad was "graduated" from the out-patient rehab hospital. We had just integrated him back into their system and he went through all the evaluations as necessary to start back up. Apparently he scored very well on all of them and the therapists felt that his needs had been served and he can keep up his daily therapy activities himself at home. Frankly I was a little surprised that they wanted to cut him loose, but we can certainly add this to his list of accomplishments.

Still no word from Barrow's interdisciplinary tumor board as to what they found on his last CT. Supposedly, Dr. Short-on-Words Neurosurgeon was not at the meeting, so they were not yet able to review his case. (Don't worry about Dad people...take your own sweet time.....*sigh*) His next MRI is scheduled for Wednesday and will include an arterial scan. This will be immediately followed by an appointment with Dr. Neuro-Oncologist who will personally review his scans and hopefully report more good news.

In other real estate related news, mom and dad have had another offer bottom out on their house. As with the last, the potential buyers lost the sale of their own home, bringing everything to a halt. Fortunately, this happened early on this time. A final counter offer had yet to be executed. One of these days they'll get out here to Texas....

Status report

Still no definitve word about the finding on the last CT, but we're on the countdown to MRI on the 12th. Hoping all is status quo. On the bright side, he's been integrated back into the rehab system.