Monday, 2/1/16 – We got confirmation on our Trans-Atlantic cruise and can now really start planning.  Congratulations to our cruise mates, Casey and Joe McClash, on the birth of their granddaughter last evening.  Vanessa and I had supper together at the combination Long John Silvers and Taco Bell in Palmetto before going to choir practice.  Tuesday, 2/2, JP called and asked if we could watch Emma until Kellie got home from work so that he could go meet with his running group.  We were thrilled to do it.  Even though it was only about 30 minutes, we were rewarded for our efforts by a video of Emma singing while accompanying herself on pots and pans. 

Wednesday, 2/3, we drove north to Clearwater, Florida, where we dropped off a pump at Depco Pump Company to be repaired.  From there we continued north up to Ocala.  We stopped for just a few minutes at the rehab center and then went out to the cabin.  Dad had an appointment with a cardiologist on Thursday, 2/4.  The rehab center arranges for a medical transport to take him to his doctor’s appointments.  He is too weak now to use a walker, so must stay in his wheelchair.  The transport company has a two-hour window before the scheduled appointment in which they can pick him (or I should say us, because I ride with him) up.  His appointment was scheduled for 1:00.  I arrived at the rehab center before 11:00 to make sure that he was dressed and ready to go.  Shortly after Dad was dressed, he received a visit from a friend of his in the Eagles named Gus.  While we were waiting for the bus to come, he signed some forms to be given to the doctor when we arrived and we also filled out his menu choices for next week.  He has been refusing to eat anything this week.  We arrived at the doctor’s office around noon and sat until nearly 2:00 before they took him back and immediately did an EKG on him.  At 2:45, I stuck my head out the door of the examination room and expressed my concern that the transport bus might stop running at 3:00.  The nurse immediately picked up the phone and told the dispatcher that he was ready to be picked up.  I said, “but he hasn’t seen the doctor yet!”  The nurse said she would apprise him of the situation.  Not too long after that, two doctors came into the exam room to talk to Dad and me.  They had reviewed his records both from the hospital and from the rehab center.  They prescribed three medicines and said that they wanted to have a couple more tests run on Dad.  They told him that the best thing he could do for himself was eat and move around.  He said that he would try.  We got back to the rehab center shortly after 4:00 and I returned to the cabin in a pretty good rain storm.  It had been raining since about 1:00.  We drove into Ocala on Friday, 2/5.  While Rick went to put gas in the car, I visited with Dad.  I tried to remind him of what the doctors had told him yesterday and what he had said in reply, but the more we talked the more depressed he seemed to get.  He told me that he absolutely was not going to eat anything and did not even want it brought to his room.  I talked to the speech therapist, Carole.  She said that she would stop in to see him on Monday.  I also spoke to the nurses about a new idea for trying to get him out of bed more often which I thought might appeal to him.  I will find out how that went when I return next Thursday.  In the afternoon, I sent an e-mail to my two brothers and one of my nieces (who is planning to see him next week) telling them about his visit with the doctors and his visit with me this morning.  On our way back from Ocala, we went to Clearwater to get a new pump.  The repairs that were needed on our old one would have cost almost as much as a new one.  We got a call from Ruth.  She said that a couple from St. Pete that we had gone to dinner with a year or two ago was staying at the Twin Dolphins Marina for the weekend and they were coming over to the Blu Mangrove for dinner.  We made plans to meet them for dinner and then to go to the yacht club for drinks after dinner.  We all had a very good time.

We awoke to rain on Saturday, February 6, 2016, and stayed on board all morning.  I got an e-mail from my brother, Rick.  He said that he plans to drive up to Ocala to see Dad tomorrow and be back home in time to watch the Super Bowl.

According to our local cable TV station, Bay News 9, “Tens of thousands braved the cool, rainy weather Saturday for the 2nd Annual Bradenton River Regatta.  Turnout was likely not as high as the estimated 80,000 who attended last year. The weather did get the best of the racing as rough swells on the Manatee River canceled the rest of the day’s races at about 3:30 p.m. In between the raindrops, race fans lined the Green Bridge to watch Formula 2 powerboats race around the Manatee River at speeds up to about 100 mph. The activities along the riverfront also included Jet Ski racing, BMX stunts, X-POGO and flyboarding.”  Of course, Rick and I didn’t see any of it from the comfort of our boat, but we did see a very nice fireworks display over the river around 6:30 p.m.

We met Ken and Jackie at the bar in the Bradenton Yacht Club around 5 p.m. on Sunday, 2/7, for the Super Bowl watching party.  There were about 100 people there to enjoy the game, the food, the drinks and commercials.  The club also gave away some free door prizes including t-shirts, hats, cups and some alcohol.  A good time was had by all, even though we weren’t all hoping for the Denver Broncos to win.

On Monday, 2/8,  the weather was rainy, cold and blustery, so it was a good day to stay inside.  We received a call in the afternoon of Tuesday, February 9, 2016, asking that we meet with Diana Lima, the clinical trial coordinator at Moffitt Cancer Center,  tomorrow.

We left the boat before 7 a.m. on Wednesday, February 10, driving on I-75 north to the Moffitt Cancer Center on the University of South Florida’s Tampa campus.  We met with the clinical trial coordinator, Diana Lima, and Rick signed a release authorizing them to procure some of the biopsy material that was harvested last April when he was in the hospital.  This material will be tested to see what level of mesothelial cells are present.  If there are enough of these cells, then Rick will be asked to participate in the trial.  This new drug is drawn to the mesothelial cells  – that is why he has to have a certain level.  Diana said that the results will most likely be available in about 2 weeks.  If he gets into the trial, he will be told on the first day whether or not he will be getting the new drug or chemotherapy.  About one third of the participants will get the chemotherapy so that the trial can test the difference between the two.  The selection is totally random.  When we finished at Moffitt, we drove across the State of Florida to Rick’s mother’s home in Ormond Beach.  Today is her 91^st birthday.  We took her and his brother Edward out to Mario’s Restaurant for dinner and then enjoyed her birthday cake after returning home.
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On Thursday, 2/11, we left in the morning while Mom and Edward were watching the neighbor boy from next door, Jackson.  His mother suffers from migraine headaches, so Mom is always glad to watch him to help her out.  In the afternoon, I went in to the rehab center to visit with Dad and to meet with an attorney who has drawn up an amendment to his trust naming me as co-trustee.  This will make it easier for me to take care of some of his business for him.  While I was in town, Rick was at the cabin meeting the pest control fellow.  It is nice that Dad had an annual contract – one less thing for us to worry about.  We returned to Palmetto on Friday, 2/12, afternoon, stopping by JPs house to pick up our mail and have a short visit with him and granddaughter, Emma, before returning to the boat.  We spent the rest of the afternoon taking care of our own business and then met Bill and Ruth at the Riverside Café for supper.

On Saturday, 2/13, we wished our sister-in-law, Tammy, a happy birthday.  Rick surprised me with a dozen red roses.  I worked around the boat while Rick ran some errands.  We attended the Sweetheart dinner dance at the Bradenton Yacht Club in the evening.  We stopped by JPs on Sunday, 2/14, after church to give him and Kellie a small box of valentine’s candy and a new little purse to Emma.  Vanessa is staying with a friend, so I will give her a box of candy later this week.  I am so fortunate to be loved by such a wonderful man.  Rick gave me roses, candy, a card, took me to the dinner dance and then cooked a simple supper on Sunday.  On Monday, 2/15,  we went to the local auto parts store to pick up a new battery for the boat then to Sam’s to buy a few things to take with us to Compass Cay on Friday.  We had supper with Ken and Jackie at their house to talk about our vacation plans.  On Tuesday, 2/16, we finished up our shopping for the upcoming trip.  I went to choir practice in the evening.

We drove to Ocala on Wednesday, 2/17.  I had a nice visit with Dad.  We worked on a couple of crossword puzzles in the afternoon.  Rick and I went to the local BBQ place for supper.  On Thursday, 2/18, we got to the rehab center about 11:00 a.m.  I visited with Dad while Rick filled the car with gas and then waited in the parking lot for me.  We left Ocala just before noon and arrived at JP’s house in Palmetto about 2:00.  Rick had asked JP to order him a Kindle Fire and it was delivered to JP’s yesterday.  JP and Rick got it all set up and they went into the backyard to mark where there are underground pipes as JP is having some “tree guys” come to the house to remove the Australian pine trees in his backyard.  He sent us the following picture.  This is the area where Emma would be playing, so they feel it is important that they get the trees removed.  Obviously, these falling limbs are dangerous for anyone.

At the time of this posting, we are all packed and ready to go.  We are going to meet Bill and Ruth for supper tonight at a local Mexican restaurant.