Hello to our family and friends,

This blog is so difficult for me to write anymore.  Myron is now home from the hospital, following his bout with pneumonia over Christmas. While the pneumonia is not cleared up, it is responding to the antibiotics, and the medical staff felt that he was well enough to return home. Unfortunately, the cancer is still raging full force, and Myron is getting weaker each day. Myron did decide to give up on the chemotherapy as the doctors felt that the cancer was not being defeated by it, and it was just making Myron feel much sicker than he already is. As a consequence, his PICC line was pulled from his arm and it at least will have a chance to heal. Currently Myron is suffering terribly from mouth and throat sores caused by the chemo, and it makes eating and drinking very difficult for him. Within the next couple of weeks hopefully this will clear up now that he is no longer taking chemo.

Because Myron has lost so much weight from the cancer he is very weak, and stairs are very difficult for him. We have set up a bed for him in the family room, and our friend Tony installed bars in the bathroom and shower for him. He is mostly living on that level as we don't want to take the chance of his falling while manipulating the stairs. He has a walker to help him get around since his legs are so weak, and we have oxygen on hand in the house in case he experiences breathing difficulties (although he hasn't needed it so far). According to the doctor, he doesn't have a lot of time left, so we are simply trying to spend our time together, enjoying each other's company while we can. We're still praying for a miracle, but the attack of this dreadful disease is becoming more apparent each day. A nurse is coming here three times a week to check Myron and see how he is doing, and is available for more frequent visits if we need her. It's only been two days since he has been home from the hospital, and we are slowly adapting. It's not easy for either of us, it's frustrating for Myron because he is unable to do what he wants to do. I myself am very tired, but I am doing my utmost to see that he gets the best care possible, and that he is surrounded by my love at all times. The kids and grandkids are dropping in for short visits whenever they can. I took down the Christmas tree and decorations yesterday, as we are trying to optimize the family room into the most workable space we can for Myron. Our Heidi came over this afternoon and vacuumed the place for us to get rid of all the tree needles, etc.

Myron tires very easily these days, but he still wishes to see his family and friends. We just ask that you keep your visits short so that he doesn't get too tired. Today his nephew Francis from Yellowknife came in for a visit (along with his niece Leona from PEI), and the neighbourhood men's coffee club met here for a brief get-together this afternoon. Father Mark from St. Justin's Parish also dropped by to visit with Myron this afternoon. I just took a quick photo of Myron and I so that you can see us as we are today.

That's about all the news I have for now. Please keep on praying for that miracle for Myron, and definitely keep in touch with us. Your love and concern mean so much. I'll keep in contact and update this blog as the days go by.

love,
Wendy (& Myron)

Greetings All,

Sorry, I didn't manage to get this posting out before Christmas as I had promised, but Myron's health took a turn for the worse and he was having difficulty breathing and we rushed him to Emergency early in the morning of the 24th. He was diagnosed with pneumonia and immediately put on oxygen and admitted into the hospital. The good news is that he has responded well to the antibiotics, and he is going to be released and come home tomorrow morning. God is still looking after the Dennis Family. While the pneumonia will take quite some time to be completely gone, the medical staff believe that he will be fine at home. We are just so happy that he is coming back home, and that we can be together again.

Myron in Emergency early on Christmas Eve morning

 

 

Visits from the family at the hospital Christmas Eve

 

Myron and I are so fortunate to have such a wonderful family as we do. There was not a word of complaint from anyone that our Christmas plans all had to be changed. Everyone just wanted the best for their father/grandfather. All of the kids and grandkids went to the hospital and spent some time with him, both on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We all met here on Christmas morning, everyone opened their gifts (except for me, I'm saving mine until Myron is home and we can celebrate together) because Myron didn't want them to have to wait for their gifts. Following that we had breakfast and then I went to the hospital to spend the day with my Myron. Chris and family cooked Christmas dinner here and brought a plate up to the hospital for me later in the day - Myron didn't want any, but he can have a turkey sandwich tomorrow when he returns home.

 

 The Christmas tree on Christmas morning

Heidi, emotional over her gift of a photo of herself with her Dad

 

We are currently doing some furniture rearranging in the house to make things easier for Myron. Because of the pneumonia and also the chemo, Myron's breathing difficulties make getting around a split-level house very difficult. As a consequence, we are taking both a bed and a table and chairs to the family room level, so Myron can both sleep and eat there, on a level that has a bathroom, and yet he can still be a part of family life and not shut away in a bedroom. He can spend all his time there, and yet still be a part of things. Life is definitely not easy for Myron these days, but with his unbeatable spirit and sense of dedication to his family, he is still hanging in there doing everything he can to enjoy his time with his family.

 

Chris and his family visit their Dad/Grandpa at the hospital on Christmas Day

 

During the last couple of weeks prior to Myron's medical emergency, we had many visits from both family and friends. Myron's brother Larry and his fiancée Linda were down from Cambridge, his niece Shirley and her husband Jim from St. Thomas, his niece Leona and her other half Roddy from PEI, and most exciting of all, Myron's brother Phonsie came from Yellowknife for a few day's visit.

 

Myron with his brother Phonsie

 

While this year was not exactly the Christmas celebrations we had hoped for, we are just all so thankful that Myron is still with us, and is coming home tomorrow. Telephone calls, text messages and Facebook messages between members of both the Dennis and Sanderson families, and our many friends have kept the wires busy over the past few days as everyone has rallied in support of our beloved Myron. We thank you all for your love, your support, and your prayers for Myron and our family. It means the world to us. I will try to write again within the next few days after Myron has settled in, back at home. Right now I need to go finish my laundry and get the bed downstairs made up and readied for Myron's return home tomorrow morning. Then it's sack time for me, I need to be up and at the hospital before 8 am tomorrow to meet with Myron's oncologist before she leaves on vacation for a week. Once again, thanks for everything and love to you all.

 

Wendy

 









 















Seasons Greetings to Our Family and Friends,

From our home to yours, we wish you a Merry Christmas! Keeping you up to date, here's the next installment in the Dennis Family blog.

Myron is currently undergoing sessions in his third attempt at chemotherapy. He has had two sessions of it to date, and so far it seems to be going quite well. This chemo is one that is normally given once every three weeks, but Myron's doctor felt that he might tolerate it better if it was divided into smaller doses, so we go once a week (every Monday) for his treatments. There have been no major side effects to date and Myron is feeling quite well. We are hoping that the doctors have finally managed to get the correct level of painkillers established for him so that he no longer suffers the constant pain he was enduring. This past week or so has been much more comfortable for Myron, so we remain hopeful. Of course, Myron still tires very easily, so we must plan our day's activities accordingly so that he doesn't become completely exhausted. But, Myron being the man he is, we have accomplished a lot in these past few weeks. The house is decorated for Christmas - both inside and out, most of our Christmas shopping is complete, and most of that is already wrapped.

Myron standing in front of our house

Myron's brother Junior and his other half Bernie were up from Newfoundland last week and they came to visit with us. While here, Bernie made some homemade bread for us, so Myron has been in seventh heaven.

A visit with Junior and Bernie

We have been keeping busy both inside and outside of the home. We attend Mass at St. Justin's most Sundays, we still bowl on Monday evenings, and we have had dinner with friends, both at their homes and at ours. We held our third progressive euchre of the fall here a couple of weeks ago. Last Friday evening we participated in our neighbourhood's annual "Lighting of the Lights", our home being one of the stops in the evening's fun and fellowship.

 Enjoying our annual treat of "Moose Milk" outside Derrick & Miriam's home

 

Last Saturday evening we attended a Christmas party at the home of our friends, Reuben and Mary, and this coming Saturday evening we plan to attend the Elgie Bus Lines annual Christmas party, and from there go to another Christmas party at the home of our friends Chris and Gina. This upcoming Friday evening, our friend Derrick has tickets to the London Knight's hockey game, and Myron, Chris, and our friend Tony are attending the game with Derrick. This past Sunday, the Sanderson family came to London and we had a visit here and then we went out for lunch at Crabby Joe's.

 



The Sandersons out for lunch at Crabby Joes

 

As you can see, life in the Dennis household remains busy. In addition to those activities we have already mentioned, there are of course Myron's myriad of medical appointments, the annual Christmas baking, and our daily chores of meal preparation, housework and the never-ending laundry. As we have stated previously, we are trying to live our lives as normally as possible within the constraints of Myron's illness. We basically are living a day at a time, trying to live life as fully as possible. We set mini targets for ourselves, giving us something in the near future to look forward to and aim toward. Right now, we are joyfully anticipating Christmas, looking forward to spending it with our children and their families. We pray daily that Myron's health will remain good, and that we will reach each mini target we have set for ourselves.

 

That's about all the news for now. We'll attempt to get one more posting of this blog published and out to you shortly before Christmas. Please continue to keep us in your prayers. Love to you all.

 

Myron and Wendy