Topics in the Coming Months

Daily Journal

Dave's journey from March 2024 to November 2, 2024. And then to January 11, 2025.

Angels Amongst Us

Dave's mCRC

KRAS mutations. FOLFOX and FOLFIRI chemotherapy. Radiation.

Insurance and Legal Stuff

Life Insurance. Health Insurance. Will. Power of Attorney. Medical Directives.  Physician's Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST). All the stuff you really don't want to deal with. HINT: If you buy a 20-year life insurance policy when you have your first child, GET YOUR COLONOSCOPY before your child turns 20 and the policy lapses.

WA State Death with Dignity

By the time we thought of this, it was too late. Dave was on extremely high doses of fentanyl (200 microgram patches) so legally he was not able to "make and communicate an informed decision". https://doh.wa.gov/data-and-statistical-reports/health-statistics/death-dignity-act

TPN (Total Parenteral Nutrition)

Remember when you were young in your 20s and thought, "I never want to be on a feeding tube. Just kill me." Well, when the choice becomes the feeding tube and more time with your loved ones, or a week at best, you head down this path you never imaged you would have to take. Dave told me often how lucky he was to have me care for him. The TPN prep and pump were an easy task to distract myself. https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/patient-education/home-total-parenteral-nutrition