"It is hard to talk about it because that means its happening"-Our Son. Sometimes the words of babes are so shockingly wise. So this is a post about why we have been so absent in the last year and why most of our progress on projects will be slow or halted. I will start with the bad and then share garden updates, plus some information our son wanted to share.
Let's dive in. The fall was kind of a rough time for us but we thought it would even out. This didn't happen. At the end of Nov. James got very sick. He had a severe liver infection leading to sepsis. He was in the ICU in a medicated coma for almost a week and half. Once they were able to wake him, he had a hard and long fight ahead for recovery. They believed he would be in the hospital for months. The doctors were amazed that by December 21 the infection was gone and his liver had somehow resumed its function from before he was ill (which was still not great). There was some severe scarring caused by the infection and the talk of needing a liver transplant became less a maybe and more it will happen. He made it home for Christmas and was back to work in early Jan. This was a rough time.
Unfortunately, this isn't the end to the rough. James and I went to his appointment in early May and learned that not only did we need to discuss James being listed for a transplant, but the process needed to be done now. His doctor wants him listed by Sept. which means he is going to have the next few months full of tests to make sure he is ready to be listed. We have meetings with the transplant team in Calgary and the transplant surgical team in Edmonton. The biggest worry is that due to the nature of James illness by the time he qualifies (a complicated math formula) for the general(full liver) list he will likely be too ill for the transplant. His doctor believes he has at best a year and half maybe two without a transplant, but less than a year before he is very ill. One more infection anywhere close to as bad as Nov./Dec. And he will not make it. His best bet is to find a live liver donor (partial liver). So here is the next hard part. If anyone reading this has ever considered being an organ donor, in Sept. when he is officially listed, we will be given a number you can contact if you consider being a possible donor. The only initial requirements is that you need to have O blood type (neg. or pos.) and under 50 years of age. I very sadly don't qualify as I have A blood type. I will post the number when we have it.
We keep thinking it will get easier telling people that he is dying but it never does. We were told that for a while yet he will look a lot healthier than he is, but soon his body won't be able to cover for his liver any longer. Our goals through the summer is to spend time as a family and try to do as much as his body will let us on projects. I will try to keep on here more and keep you up to date on everything.
I don't have a lot of updates for the garden though hopefully this weekend we will have more. James and his parents got two more garden boxes built. The potatoes continue to do well and so many plants are up. The haskops and raspberries are growing like crazy! I got the grass mowed and moved a bunch of rocks from around areas we don't want them and to the rock garden so I can use them there. We are hopefully getting seeds in this week/weekend and will go from there. We also have the wood for 5 more boxes just need to buy some screws. If anyone ever wants to come out and help with a project or anything we can pay in vegetables!
Our son also wanted me to tell you all that they have been jumping on the trampoline with the sprinkler set up under it! Which has been needed with all the plus 25 and above weather. Our sons favourite game is also guess who clue.
The first couple hours of mowing, We didn't get the tractor going so it took some time!
Tomato plants keep getting bigger! Just waiting for it not to be so hot to avoid shocking them.
The first tiny egg of the year. The bigger egg is the normal size that they lay.
Just a cute picture from a trip to Torrington Gopher Museum!
So that is the update for now. Hopefully the next few will be only good things. Talk to you all later!
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