Happy Easter!! On Easter Sunday we took the boat into San Diego Bay and watched the Redbull Air Races.  It was a beautiful day on the water, filled with great memories and happiness. 

– xoxo Victoria

As Duane’s ALS progresses we changes his medications in an attempt to keep as comfortable as possible.  We do this with the help of our Hospice nurse and doctors.  Two weeks ago we tried a new med. We were hopefully that if we were able to successfully get him on it, we could ween him off of 5 other ones and be able to make him more comfortable and, because it was a liquid, choking and swallowing issues would be eliminated.  

Well it didn’t go well.  He reacted very badly to it.  The first three doses were great and then the fourth dose was too much.  The nurse thinks that it is possible that the ALS has progressed to a point where that medication is too strong.  We had a real rough 48 hours getting it out of his system, Buddy never left his side.  He is back on his old meds and is once again as comfortable and happy as he can be!

– xoxo Victoria

BUST!!!! 

Going to Lake Havasu was something I had been looking forward to for two weeks.  We were going to leave on Friday, have a nice night alone, I could eat my favorite meal in the world, his brother and family would arrive Saturday and we would go to the waterless boat races. Nothing like that happened. 

Duane decided we were not going on Friday. So we got up at 4am on Saturday, I loaded all 4 bags, a wheelchair, a lawn chair, towels, special pillows, blankets, a special chair cushion, dog food, snacks, Buddy and Duane into the car. (Remember we were going for 24 hours). 

The short version – a 4.5 hour drive turned into 7.5 hours – Duane can’t hold his head up, he can’t swallow, he can’t talk.  We get to Havasu, he spends 2.5 hours trying to nap, me rolling him ever 20 minutes.  He wakes up, wants to eat, chokes, lays down, tried again, chokes.  Leave late for the waterless boat races…they are sold out.  Back to the hotel tries to finish his lunch, can’t hold his head up, can’t swallow.  Goes back to bed – spends all night with me rolling him every 30 minutes with a 1 hour gap at 2am where we are up to do meds.  Get up at 7am – go to the beach, get on the road for home at 10am.  Stop so he can have a date shake. Keep driving – I doze off while driving, almost kill us (not really about the killing part but true about the dozing part).  Get home at 5:30pm, get Duane in the house, unload the car, try 2 times to take a nap but kept getting interrupted.

That was our last road trip. 

On a plus note – I got to eat a blackened scallop salad…my favorite.

– xoxo Victoria

I thought I was done with ice and healing ointments when I stopped competing in sports…I was wrong. Welcome back!  I forgot how wonderful these things are…a heating pad is also one of my new friends. 

I wish we were ordering pizza!  Now all our deliveries come in this form.  We are super lucky that our hospice works with a pharmacy that delivers!!  I never have to leave to go get Duane what he needs.  They do same day delivery and will even come out at 11pm.  It is such a stress reliever not having to either load Duane into the car or have someone come over and sit with him just so I can go get his meds. Once a week we get a delivery of 3 to 6 meds depending on what he’s running out of.  All I have to do is let his nurse know and knock, knock!! It’s the little things. 

– xoxo Victoria

Buddy loves seeing anything jumping in the ocean.  He stares at the dolphins thinking they are tuna.  He watches them jump and then runs downstairs to see if any of the rods are bent over.  He loves it when we catch fish, he sea sickness just disappears.  I think Duane loves watching Buddy run around just as much as he likes catching fish!

– xoxo Victoria

Two weeks ago we went out fishing for the first time this season.  We got a late start, we had a few things to fix on the boat, systems to test and decisions to be made.  Once everyone had their crap together we left the slip.  We were out for about three hours trolling before the waves started to be a bit much for Duane.  He had a great time and that’s all that matters.  Hopefully we will be able to go out a few more times this year. 

– xoxo Victoria

There is no better friend than a dog.  And Buddy is the BEST! He is so in touch with Duane and me.  He knows who needs what and when they need it.  For the last few days he has been calm and loving and has not left Duane’s side.  When Duane naps, so does Buddy, when Duane is awake so is Buddy, when Duane is in pain Buddy is right there with him in his lap.  He seriously just gets it.  

Dogs really are man’s best friend. 

– xoxo Victoria

I seriously have the greatest friend.  This week she loaded up her kids and drove into town for a long awaited visit.  It was great to see her and her girls; we had a great time hanging out in the house, riding bikes out front and taking little trips across the street to the beach.  

She did the greatest thing ever!! While I was feeding Duane and trying to get some work done.  She grabbed her car seats, her two girls and took my car to wash it.  (It is against city code to do it at home.)  No one has any idea how amazing this was.  My car was DISGUSTING!!  There was dog hair matted in it, bird poop all over it, dirty and just gross.  It hadn’t been washed since January.  

I have very limited time out of the house so I use it to grocery shop or go to Costco.  I don’t have time to stop and wash the car, let alone take it to a car wash.  I don’t think she understands how appreciative I truly am of her.  She did something that desperately needed to be done that I am unable to do and too embarrassed to ask some one to do.  

Please also note the fabulous chalk drawings in my parking spot! 

-xoxo Victoria

About a year and half ago I started cutting Duane’s hair for him.  It is always a fun, messy time!

– xoxo Victoria