It would appear the October is a time for adventure. My phone brought these two photos to my attention this morning:

So I looked to see what was happening one year ago (see below). October seems to be a time for adventure. It is one of my favorite times to travel – we don’t have to worry about the garden, families have children in school, it isn’t too hot… an ideal time for adventure. So I checked my phone and found photos from around October 11th – October 14th for the past many years. (The dahlias represent 2023 – an adventure in our garden. Jackie sent the photo today.)

Of course, this year we not only grew dahlias, we also removed a six inch tumor. Here are a few updates on this most recent adventure. Mark is still in the hospital. The leg is doing great! He is using a walker but can do laps around the ward several times a day. There are three drains that will be coming home with us. Those drains will be our companions at home for about five more weeks.

Remember that along with the tumor, Mark’s adductor muscles were also removed. So, while he will not be waterskiing or horseback riding, he is finding that recreation is not the only purpose for those muscles. Think of it this way – relax your hand and look at it. You’ll see the fingers naturally curved inward. Now extend your fingers and notice that it takes more effort. The two muscle groups work in opposite ways but those curling muscles are stronger. Well, without the adductor muscles to counterbalance the abductor muscles… his left leg tends to drift off to the side. And he needs a little help to get it back into place from time to time.

Why are we still in the hospital when things are going well? That silly chest tube – it has been a mystery to everyone. It scarcely drains anything – just enough fluid out to keep them guessing. This morning’s X-ray showed that there was a lot of fluid building up… but not draining? It is a weekend so service is a bit slow around here.. but this afternoon we finally had an awesome pulmonary team come to our room and they meant business. They finally determined that the tube is probably not in the pleural space – who knows what it is actually draining?? A CT scan just now should tell us soon.

While trying to figure out the chest tube – they decided it was time to get some of that accumulated fluid off the lungs. His second thoracentesis is less than two weeks produced another 1,800 ml of fluid from that left lung. It was good to meet with the team that has taken quite an interest in him. They work closely with our oncologist.. So we will probably have plenty of interaction in the future. We were sure glad to see them today!

October is for adventure. It is getting late but perhaps that chest tube will come out tonight. We hope to be home tomorrow!

(By the way – I have a photo of this week’s adventure – the actual tumor that they removed. I decided the flowers were nicer for today. Maybe later…. )

Along with the photo of the dahlias Jackie wrote, “God is good.” Indeed He is.