Tsunami in Hawaii- and Ken's sisters

So Ken's Mom , Debbie, and Alison are here. Mom/Gma  is going to the awards dinner and ceremony. And what are we doing before leaving  for the event? Watching the news about the tsunami coming for Hawaii.

 Ken's other 2 sisters, Marci and Cynthia live on Maui. Cynthia's house is up high, so that's where family and friends are congregating. Marci's house is by the water. She likes to swim with the dolphins.

Mixed Signals...and a Courage Award

So Ken has been perking up a bit this weekend. He finally got his physical therapy yesterday and loved it!!!. I have only been asking for the physical therapist and occupational therapist for over 4 weeks now! I do not want to go into how his Dr. drags his feet about writing orders for the Hospice people. Suffice it to say that it has been very frustrating.

The physical therapist remarked surprisingly about his strength in his legs and overall. I have seen this and told everyone. Also, he has been rectifying a cold. Interesting, don't you think?

I have found a new Oncologist, but have to talk to our Hospice Nurse on Mon. in order to make the transfer. This man is so very gentle and peaceful- wow, and taking on Ken to write orders, out of the goodness of his heart. Just amazing.

We have been so very blessed in so many ways, I could write a book about them all! God certainly works in mysterious and non-mysterious ways:)

So tonite, Ken is receiving the COURAGE AWARD from the Mid-Atlantic Tennis and Education Foundation, along w/some descent people being honored into the Tennis Hall of Fame. The dinner and award ceremony will host a whole entourage of K-G supporters! More on this later.

...so he is still plugging away! Me , oh, my.....

If you'd like to come and visit Ken, come now.

Ken has been dehydrating, and slipping in and out of things. If you'd like to come and visit, please give a call, and a very short visit can be arranged.

He said that it would be nice to see friends and family.

So last night he didn't sleep well, and when I came and checked it was already necessary to help clean him up. One of those times, he was at the end of the bed. He told me that he wanted to go home.' Did I have a car so we could go home?' I told him that we were home. He insisted further, and I told him that we were already in our home, as the tears dropped out like pudding from a bowl. It was so hard, and I was so tired.

Putting the sheets and clothing into the washer-the middle of the night- I sobbed , while in the laundry room, that I just wanted my Ken. I asked him where my Ken was, and he told me that he didn't know. Then he asked me,' well, if we were home, who was that girl'- and he pointed to the wall and ceiling- 'over there?'

We have had lots of times like this. With dehydration, comes confusion. And he has been dehydrated a few times. Hopefully, they will get the orders to hydrate him tomorrow. It always takes so long to get doctors to order things- whether in the hospital, or through hospice. Over the weekend, the only way is to bring him to the hospital, and that would just be too traumatic for him, wearing him out even more. His comfort is our top priority.

Ken right before Thanksgiving

A Visit from his Mom...and the battle to eat and drink

Ken at his Mom's on Thanksgiving. The day before his stroke,etc..
High Point,NC where the hospital was- also the furniture capital on the East Coast. I think it is an actual building.
Kiska looking very cute. He and Puma have been keeping Ken company on the bed. But , it took Kiska 3 days to cozy up to Ken. He snubbed him for being away from us for so long. He just missed him so much.
So Ken's Mom came in yesterday from NC. It's been a great help to have her here. First thing she said was Hi Ken-Ken. That's what she called him when he was a very little guy. But it has been a struggle to get him to eat and drink, and he gets upset with us for trying. The kids tell him he has no choice. But it is still difficult. He is skinny. Very skinny.

We make him these shakes that he loves, yet he gets full quickly. But, he's survived on shakes and ginger ale before. Serge made him eat his dinner. Ken said that he was going to hit someone, because Serge wanted him to eat. His blood pressure was fairly low tonite- the systolic , that is.

Lord have Mercy on us all.

Just Like a Family is born , a Blog is Born

17 April, 1983
I wanted to give Ken his own blog, away from my art blog and the outside world. Ken came home for Hospice on Fri., 5 February. They recommended hospice, because he started to lose a lot of weight. At this point, it is not evident if he is here to get better, to let go, or to 'hang on'. He still may need to go to another facility, at some point. But, for now, he is home with us. It is very tough work, but we are thankful for this time, where we can care for him.

Sometimes he is very lucid, and other times he is lost in his right or left brain/hemisphere. He told me today that he would like to forget about everything and hide in his brain. He told his childhood friend, Greg, yesterday, that every day he was getting better, ever so slowly, a little tiny bit each and every day.

So, why K-G Flake? Well, his initials being KG, makes sense, and everyone at work, I am told, calls him K-G. As for Flake, well, who has a nickname like that growing up, and doesn't mind it? I guess someone pretty comfortable in their own skin-back then. I don't think so right now. But, it was his nickname, and he wore it as a badge of honor. He approved of the blog title, so here it is-K-G Flake.

Welcome to our world.