I was gently reminded by more than one person that it has been a while since I posted an update on Suzanne. Well, I could blame the weather; how about the time change; or maybe the full moon. Actually, it’s the fact that things are going pretty smoothly and our regular life has taken over.

We operate on a three-week calendar now that the PATHway trial has started. On our last visit to Chicago, Suzanne had her ‘arch nemesis’ the Trach removed. That night she got the best night’s sleep she had since her surgery at the end of February. Although she still struggles some with mucus, we are attributing that to allergies and it is nowhere even near the issue as it was when she had the Trach.

Yesterday was her third PATHway infusion. It’s pretty much standard procedure now with lots of hurry-up and wait. The routine from here on is: Leave home around 6:45 am, sit in downtown traffic, arrive around 9 am, Blood Draw, wait an hour for results, meet with the doctor, wait on pharmacy to mix drugs, infusion, wait for afternoon appointments to start, meet with her Surgeon, head home around 3:15 in time to wait on the rush-hour traffic. Doesn’t matter how much we hope it will be different, it never is.

Her PATHway doctor was very happy with her blood panel results yesterday except for her sodium level, it was way down. There were two factors that are attributed to that. First, her nutrition source is Ensure+, a low sodium product because it is geared for seniors who need less sodium. Second, Suzanne has been spending some time out in the flower beds these past warm days, so that too would deplete the levels. The solution, add a 1/4tsp of salt to her Ensure a couple of times a day. Tell your doctor that you’re adding extra salt to your meals and see what they say.

Her surgeon was ‘over the moon’ with praise for how well she was doing. He scoped her throat and made reference that this was her new baseline. Looking at her arm, trach, and throat, he shared that the three-month milestone was a big mark. He finally placed us on a six-week schedule and again couldn’t hold back his excitement for the progress and success so far.

These past few weeks, we’ve been shopping a couple of times, started to attend Church, re-started our Sunday visit to her dads to bring him a meal and get groceries. Suzanne has been going to the Cissna Sewing Group on Thursday mornings, working outside, and busily changing the house decor from winter to summer. We are trying our hardest to feel like life is back to normal, even though it’s a new normal.

My involvement in taking care of her keeps becoming less and less all the time. Won’t be long and I’ll be out of a job and have to go back to work!

And you shall rejoice in all the good that the LORD your God has given to you and to your house,

Deuteronomy 26:11