August | 2021 | That Woman's Weblog

Archive for August, 2021

Back to Houston:

The family all gathered back at Nikki’s on October 3rd. Jim and Chris were leaving early in the morning on the 4th. Misty, Chris’s dog who now lived with us, due to the situation we all found ourselves dealing with , came along to Nikki’s to see her master. She was a loopy dog and reminded me of Dino of the Flintstones . However, with Chris she was all business, a totally different animal , obeyed him and loved him. To see her reaction when she saw Chris that day brought tears- I dare not shed -to my eyes . Chris and his dad and Misty , who wouldn’t leave his side, walked into the woods behind Nikki’s. I didn’t follow, my husband hadn’t had many alone times with Chris in the preceding months , I instinctively felt I should not follow.

We were loathe to leave that day. Somehow my gut told me this was the last time we would all be together . Photos were taken, laughter was tried. Gavin, his nephew, was now nearly 8 months old , Chris had missed those early months and I so hoped he would be there as Gavin grew. He wanted to be a great uncle to Gavin take him four wheeling and after riding the horses in Texas decided he would buy some land and get Gavin a horse, or at least a pony. I wanted that to happen with everything that was in me. Chris , bought Gavin a Texas belt buckle, it was almost as big as him.

Jim and Chris were on the road from Cleveland to Houston stopping every so often to take in those sights that Chris wanted to see. They also arranged to go wild boar hunting on the way and stop off at a couple of shooting ranges.

Although they tried to have a normal “man-cation” Jim told me when they arrived back in Houston how worried he was. Chris, was in a lot of pain and was popping pills the whole journey. Jim wasn’t sure what they were but that I should try and see if I could take a look at the medication bottles.

I had arrived back in Houston on the Saturday morning. I had just arrived when the phone rang and it was JD’s secretary. JD had once again been there for this family. His secretary made arrangements with me to pick me up, go to lunch and pick up staples I would need until Jim and Chris arrived back on the Monday. Bless her heart , we went to an English pub-like restaurant. The Black Labrador Pub.

The food was delicious and I was at my ease . We then went to a British shop also in Houston where I carted off “English sausages, tea bags, favorite biscuits, ( cookies) and snacks a quick stop to a convenient store for bread and milk etc. I was set for the next couple of days until Jim and Chris arrived. Thinking about it I am not sure what I would have done for temporary supplies over that weekend…. called for Pizza I suppose.

I had just put the groceries away when Jim called they would be arriving at the apartment in a couple of hours. They decided to cut the “man-cation” short. After they arrived and Chris was showering , Jim told me Chris was not doing well the drive had really taken it out of him, the pills, and he could see Chris , although he didn’t say anything, was in pain. They had a supper of omelets and English sausages that evening , I know Jim “suffered” the sausages, as they are somewhat bland compared to American sausages. Chris, I don’t think cared what he was eating. He just wanted to sleep so Jim and I went to do a grocery shop. Chris looked awful , dark circles under his eyes, the trip and driving certainly had taken its toll on his health and any energy he had.

Later that night I was able to look in Chris’s shaving bag for his medication . There it was a number of bottles of Oxycodone 30 mg. I know he didn’t get it in Houston as the Doctors treating him wouldn’t prescribe it , especially when he was filling out the forms weekly stating his pain was at level 3.

I couldn’t ask him why he had them without letting him know I had spied on him. I looked at the label and recognized the name of the Dr. at South Pointe Hospital where Angela was doing her residency. I was in a bad position and didn’t know what to do. I would just keep a closer eye on him and hope to hell these “medical marvels knew what they were doing”

This medication is used to help relieve moderate to severe pain. Oxycodone belongs to a class of drugs known as opioid analgesics. It works in the brain to change how your body feels and responds to pain.

Since they were two days adrift Jim changed his flight back to be with Nikki and the baby. It was agreed I would keep a close eye on Chris , as much as I could.

Once again, we were on the treadmill of tests, infusions check ups . His heart rate had been high a steady 114 and he had had a procedure done but they thought his heart was alright considering what it had been through in the previous months. I was scared they would show the drug ( oxycodone) was in his system when they did the tests. No one said anything but he was taking quite a few in a 24 hour period. He would keep tablets in his pocket and surreptitiously take a couple. As the days went on I notice the hand going into that pocket more and more. I knew categorically by taking those drugs it was tantamount to being taken off the trial. The trial that was his last chance of a “cure” . I had to keep quiet and watch……

To be continued …

August 3, 2021 at 12:40 am 3 comments

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Archive for August, 2021

August 3rd- NO LIMITS- Chapter 19- Chris Ritchey

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