Friday, October 20, 2006

Friday, October 13, 2006

Good day, bad day, good day, worse day.

Penny slept well all night Wednesday after the tub, and when she woke up Thursday morning she smiled at me and said, ‘I have some plans.’
She wanted to get out of here for a couple of days. Go home for a visit, book a luxurious hotel room with a jet tub for two. Mostly just get out of here for a while.
By Thursday afternoon, she was experiencing side effects from the drugs that included shaking all over uncontrollably, unable to speak, feet curled up and unable to straighten them. And that lasted until almost lunchtime Saturday. The last thing she said on Thursday was to the doctor, and that was to refuse any more tests or medications that would prolong this struggle. From Thursday lunchtime until Saturday afternoon she behaved as though she had suffered a stroke, unable to speak.

Sunday, October 15, 2006

Slept all day today. Was up at 5 am for a little while, and then slept the day away.
She is not able to get out of bed anymore because of her feet and lack of strength. Tried last night but couldn’t make it. The shaking has stopped with the change in medication, and when she is awake, she is lucid and can talk a little, but she can’t get out of bed. Becoming bedridden so closely on the heels of her plans to escape this room for a couple of days has been hard on her. I don’t often see her upset, but this one upset her a great deal.

Monday, October 16, 2006

Don’t remember much of the weekend. Penny seems to be up all night, and then sleeps all day. Had another hot tub last night for an hour. She wants another one this morning. Just said she could stay in there all day.
It is getting harder for her to find a comfortable position. I guess that is why she likes the tub so much. She is also congested but does not have the strength or lungpower to cough enough to clear her lungs.
She has mentioned several times in the past few days that she thinks the cancer has also gone to her brain. And she may be right. The drugs have not been changed for several days, and a tumor would produce the stroke like symptoms. She just keeps mentioning that something does not feel right, in reference to her thinking and ability to communicate and move.
There has not been a problem with pain or nausea for quite some time now, but there does not seem to be any shortage of other problems to take their place.

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Chocolate milk and jello for breakfast today. And then she said she wanted another hot tub this morning.
She is really liking this hot tub thing. She waited patiently until noon when Mom and Dad showed up and gave me a hand with it. She got to float for an hour and a half. The rosy cheeks are quite a contrast to the jaundiced pallor of a week and more ago.
Having a visit with Tanya, and struggling to stay awake at the moment.

Today was a pretty good day.

Friday, October 20, 2006

Friday again. Wednesday we were both sick and slept all day. Then she spent most of the night sitting up in bed leaning against me, just to be in a different position. Thursday was not a good day for Penny. Having a tough time finding a comfortable position and abdominal pain. Not bad enough to get breakthrough meds, just enough to make life miserable. She is finding it difficult to speak, and seldom says more than a couple of words at a time. She has lost a lot of muscle tone and does not even have the strength to even shift her position in bed. Some days are better than others, but she is feeling worse daily.

A few people have written lately and asked if they could come for a visit. Thank you for asking but we have requested that just immediate family be allowed to visit for the past few weeks.

Michael