A note from the Duke
Well, Sawmill Broad is not really my name!!! But that is what the Duke tagged me with some 25 years ago as a joke! It stuck. It’s endearing. He is the only person to ever get away with calling me a broad!
I have been to see Duke often the last while and he asked if I would post a note to all. He is in a considerable amount of pain and due to the pain meds and sleeping aids is usually in a fog when he isn’t in too much pain. He has lost so much weight now that he must barely be 90 lbs I would guess. It’s hard for him to eat; he just doesn’t have the capacity any longer. The nausea takes over and he can’t even talk or listen to others talk about food at all. He is on oxygen now and also requires an IV for hydration. He has good days and bad and it seems the good days are getting fewer. When he does have a good day it only lasts a few hours at best. While the cancer has ravaged his body, it cannot touch his mind or his soul. I am trying to be as honest as I can here because that’s who he is, and that’s what he wants me to tell you.
Duke’s doctor – bless his soul – comes to the house to see him at least every couple of days to re-set the IV as his veins keep collapsing. He even came over on Christmas day in between church and dinner just to check on Duke!
Duke’s wife is pretty awesome and looks after him like she had been a nurse all her life. The home care nurses taught her how to look after the home IV system and she’s a natural. There is no way he could get better care anywhere else but home. Duke’s a lucky guy.
Both of his daughters were out visiting just recently and I know they had a wonderful visit with their Dad. I know it meant a lot to him too to be able to spend quality time together with them.
He loves to write and has so many stories to tell, and I truly wish he had the time to capture them all on paper. He is extremely frustrated with the muddle the morphine leaves his mind with. He will get at least one or more story out – I know because he talks about the subject with a sparkle in his eye!
So stay tuned, pray for pain relief, and a few more good days for Duke. I’m sure you will be rewarded with yet another tale woven as splendidly as only he can weave. He really enjoys reading your comments as much as any artist who loves his audience!