Donnie continues to be at home.  He is still able to see family in very small doses, which brings him lots of joy.  His Mom continues to stay with us most of the week, just standing by to love on us when we need it.  It is so wonderful to have her with us.  Occasionally, I catch them both napping! lol

He is pain controlled with a PCA pump giving him Dilaudid 2 mg every hour.  He is able to give himself an extra 1 mg every hour, but he only needs to do that about once a day or less.  This just shows you he is very pain controlled.  His pain remains about a 2 on a scale of 10.  He is very pleased with this control (me, too!!).

He still battles nausea, and his tummy never feels good any more.  He wakes up at 10 am each morning to take his meds and eat breakfast.  He eats about 1/3 of the food he used to eat.  Some mornings he will eat 1/2 cup of grits with a few pieces of fruit.  The next morning he will eat grits and 2 scrambled eggs.  Some days, he just eats a bowl of cereal.  Every day is different for him.  He is able to stay awake for about an hour after breakfast, then he is back to sleep until 6 pm.  At 6 pm, he gets up and eats a cup of soup, or some vegetables and cornbread.  Once he eats, he is awake for about an hour or so, then back to napping.  Currently his weight is 151 pounds.

Beau, our oldest son, graduates from nursing school on December 14, 2016.  Donnie asked Beau several weeks ago if he would like to have HIS nursing pin from 2005 when Donnie graduated from Seminole Community College (now called Seminole State College).  Beau took Donnie’s nursing pin, and told his teachers about it.  He brought home a letter to Donnie on Thursday that his teachers wrote.  It honors Donnie.  He was so touched, and so blessed by the kind words.  The letter says:

This introduction will be read prior to Beau’s pinning (nursing school graduation):

Beau is an SSC School of Nursing legacy.  The pin that he is receiving was gifted to him by his stepfather, Donnie McFarland, who graduated from SSC in 2005.  His picture, along with the rest of the Class of 2005, hangs in the Nursing Lab.  More recently, Donnie McFarland worked night shift in the Florida Hospital ICU where he served as one of the preceptors.

Most noteworthy, however, was Donnie’s mentoring of Beau.  Sadly, he battled pancreatic cancer during the entire time Beau has been in the nursing program.  Despite that, he has encouraged and guided Beau throughout the program.

Today we are privileged to pass Donnie’s pin on to Beau as a symbol of commitment to his profession, his patients, and future of nursing.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

WOW!  Donnie was so honored and pleased!  What an awesome encouragement that letter was to him.  It made his face light up.  No one requested this of the school, they just did it on their on volition.  God bless them for caring.

 Today, I put together a bouquet of flowers for Donnie in a vase that my birth mother, Marion, gave to me years ago.  Marion was crazy about my Donnie!!  The vase was originally my grandmother’s, and Donnie and I think it is quite lovely.  He will be surprised when he wakes up from his nap today.  It’s good to have God’s beauty around!

Thank you for your prayers for pain and nausea control.  Those prayers are being answered.  Comfort is so important, and he is comfortable.  What a blessing.

Love,  Donnie & Tina