Jo and the Giant Peach (sized mass)
Donation protected
- I have rewritten this a bit since I have more control of my thoughts. My mom is notoriously private and also famous for displaying an incredibly limited range of emotion (anything from peeved to rage is allowed). We got a casual mention from her a couple of months ago that she had some abdominal pain, but that’s about all that was said. She left out a small but critical bit about not being able to get out of bed for four months to do small things like eat or bathe, or what are now insurmountable tasks, like laundry. We do know now that the severe pain is caused by a mass on her kidney, or in exciting doctor language, “a high grade sarcomatoid neoplasm with brisk mitotic activity” that has also set up an airbnb in her lymph nodes. Chest image appears clear, so we’ll take the wins where they show up.
- There are a million reasons that we would love to keep her at her own house while she enjoys the remainder of her days on Plizzanet Earth, not the least of which are the three charming indoor cats (Thomas, Merle and Izzy) and seven interesting and friendly-ISH ferals she’s cared for for decades (one of whom is named Dave). I am mostly over my anger about this very bad beat , and now I am dedicated to providing her the most comfort possible for as long as we have her, which sounds very much like weeks/months. The most immediate concerns are the ability to bring running water to the house, which is provided by a gravity spring, and seems to have a block somewhere. This is making bathing and particularly laundry take hours and hours. This will be much more problematic when she is released from the hospital after a kidney removal to recover in a home with no water. The little residence was unable to get heating oil delivered last year due to a natural spring that had bubbles to the surface (apparently quite vigorously) and washed out the driveway. French drains must be dug to give the water a place to go… this beautiful piece of land is occupied by two old sick people who do not have the physical ability or financial resources to rehabilitate the property, and while Uncle Lane’s house there seems to have water, he is as sick as mum. If they’re both earthside in October, heat will be a concern (100 year old windows is like not having windows. but they’re really pretty).
- This is a lot. We’ve had so much help so far, and I am deeply grateful and so humbled. I would unashamedly ask that you share this post in the hopes that it may resonate with someone who has experienced something similar and may be moved to help. Also, if you are in the area and know of any loal
- resources that may be helpful, please let me know.
- As always, we are very thankful for everything. Some of the rad carnival games that are available this year include
- What do we know of digging French drains?
- Gravel, Gravel, who has the 400 square feet of gravel
- How many groundhogs does it take to collapse a 110 year old bungalow?
- and that regular duck pond where you always win a pencil with a hairy troll as an eraser.
- love to everyone
Organizer
Stacey Boyer
Organizer
Emlenton, PA