Changes

Tuesday, June 16 2009...

Niki and Lucas came out to visit for the day. And she was a great help while she was there. Russ and Niki had a good visit as well.

Russ needed to be shaved so Niki did it for him as he just can't do it all on his own anymore. I had shaved Russ on Monday (my first time ever shaving someone) as he hadn't been shaved for a few days. It hurt him while I was doing it as it had gotten too long. So I promised him we would make sure we shaved him everyday so he wouldn't have to go through that again....poor guy! Niki even put after shave on him as he said he wanted to smell nice for Deb =)

After Niki was done shaving Russ we left the front room and went into the kitchen. I came back into the front room to clean up and this is what I saw. It was the most tender thing I had seen...so I of course went and grabbed my camera. We had moved Russ into the living room on the couch so he could look out the front window and get out of his room for a while. So Deb had just sat down with him and started to read the Ensign.

Deb has been amazing with Russ and she has such strength with everything going on. She has been such a good example to us all! You could feel the love in the room as they were just there together holding hands...so nice! Russ gives her a hard time when she has to go out to get his medicine or whatever and is gone for a while ha ha. He will say, "Ohhhhh well look who decided to show up." ha He likes having her there with him at all times...comforting for him I am sure.


Russ also asks for Kent 2 or 3 times throughout each day wondering if he is home yet. Russ is a completely different guy when Kent finally does get home each day. It is like he relaxes and just let's go as he knows Kent is there to take care of him. With Deb and I or whoever is there helping him he doesn't quite trust us when we are moving him or helping him walk. He thinks we are going to drop him...which we wouldn't...but I understand why he is more comfortable with Kent.

Each day Russ seems to be getting worse. He now isn't able to really walk at all. We have to put him in the house wheel chair to get him to and from each room now as it is just too hard on him and us. Our backs aren't happy with all the lifting, but we are managing =) Russ says it is just too painful when we are trying to get him to walk or stand. I think it is because his muscles are deteriorating and his body is just so sensitive when touched.






The hair...

Russ's head has been SUPER itchy cause of the radiation treatment and now the hair loss. So after dinner Tuesday I was rubbing the cream on his head and then combing his hair to get rid of the loose hairs. I got bored so then I started to do different hair styles on him ha ha...he was a good sport. Nice mohawk eh =)

Wednesday, June 17, 2009..."the shave"

When Russ woke up Wendesday morning he told me he had thought about it and he thinks it would be best to shave his head as he just couldn't stand it anymore. Hair was everywhere and he was sooooo itchy. Wednesday was a hard day as Russ pretty much couldn't walk anymore. Everything is so sensitive on him and he is so frustrated that he needs so much help. BUT with that being said he is so good about letting us help him.

This is Russ before we shaved his head. As you can see it was really thinning and getting patchy.

This is me cutting his hair...look at the look on his face ha ha ha....what a guy!

This is the after shot. He was not sure about the whole thing and had yet to see it for himself.

When I wheeled Russ in front of the mirror so he could see it for himself he said, "holy doodle, that is awful" ha ha

I said, "whoa wait a minute you don't think I did a good job...guess I am not getting a tip then."

He laughed and said, "nope."

We reassured him we still thinks he looks handsome. Afterwards he wanted me to shave his face for him. Me thinking I had it all under control as I had done it before...I grabbed his electric razor and began to shave him...so I thought. He kept pulling away from me trying to look at the razor.

I asked him if I was hurting him and he said, "no, is the guard off the razor though?"

I looked and sure enough it wasn't HA HA HA!! He looked at Debbie and rolled his eyes...NICE, too funny! I am sure he thinks I am crazy =)

Since Russ was a good boy getting his hair cut he wanted a cupcake...not a great thing for a diabetic, but he deserves a treat every now and again =)

My sister in law Johanna made these yummy cupcakes for us along with so many other dinners and what not for us. Russ was so touched by them doing that for all of us and being so giving and helpful.

He said, "well why did they bring all of this food for us"

We told him they were being kind and trying to help us out with everything that is going on and being kind.

He sat there and thought for a bit and he said, "they don't even know me very well, that is so kind of them...do they remember me?" We told him of course they do and that is why they brought it all. He couldn't believe how kind that was of them to do that...we agree =) We too SO appreciated it all...THANKYOU!!! It was all so very delicious.

My parents came up for the day to visit with all of us. They wanted to see Russ and Deb. Russ was really tired on Wednesday so they didn't visit with him too much. But we were glad they were able to come up anyways. Bryn loves her Grandma! Whenever I talk to my Mom on the phone I will put it on speaker phone and my Mom talks with her and sings to her. Bryn tears up as she stares at the phone smiling and listening...it is the cutest thing ever!

Mom was helpful with laundry and Bryn as my poor house has been neglected lately...I have much more important things going on right now =) But I think I am doing a pretty good job with somewhat staying on top of things. I need a maid ha ha...that would be AWESOME!

Crawling...

When I went to go into my room Monday morning this is what I saw...Cole laying on the floor peeking around the corner telling Brynley to come to him. And she did! Cole was so shocked, but so excited! I have really tried hard to NOT let Bryn crawl as I didn't want her to yet ha ha ha...oh well it was going to happen sooner or later. She is just getting so big so quickly it seems.

I sat on the floor a ways away and this is her crawling to me. AWWWWWW!