Still in Strong

Good morning. Yesterday began a little concerning but ended quite peacefully. Joe was having trouble breathing in the morning but all day long and until 10 pm when I left, he was using his oxygen intermittently and his O2 stats were hovering around 93. So, it appears that perhaps he was having a panic attack or some other sort of anxiety causing the breathing issues.

He is still struggling to urinate and they've begun to give him some medication to help reduce his prostate if this is the problem. They have yet to send him for any scans or ultrasound - but then again - it IS the weekend at Strong Memorial! :-) Our shining star nurse Jack as 'browned the room out' so that his semi-private will remain private. This has helped with his confusion a bit.

I don't know what today will bring. His nose is not bleeding, his breathing appears to be good, and his appetite is a little better today than it's been. Not great, but better. He is walking around the nurse's station a few times a day which is encouraging and also talking about coming home. We need to get the urination issue behind us so that we can bring him home.

Plans are still the same for scans the 9th. If he is there much longer, though, I am going to see if they can do the scans before he leaves - no use dragging him out into the very cool autumn upstate NY weather for nothing!

Today Joe's cousin Dana is planning to visit. Tomorrow his brother Bill. Gina is home again for the weekend. I am hoping that he has some pleasure in these visits and it gives him more incentive to keep on fighting.

Thanks again for all the cards & notes. Thanks Fran & Rich for the fruit basket. Thanks Rose and Silvana for the food last night - you guys feed us all the time! And thank you again to the boys varsity and travel soccer teams. How blessed we are to have 30 more sons. I could not ask for more wonderful children. We love you all so much.

Vicki, Gina & Tom