Aug 4, 09 Monday
We have the rental car (an Expedition) half packed and we are leaving in the morning for Kennebunk, ME. Val ate a little soup for breakfast, some bites of sandwich for lunch with some creemee and then for dinner some soup with salad and some bites of sandwich again. She is forcing herself to eat a little more.

By this evening the two steroids she will take daily while we are there were already kicked in and she was picking out earrings and jewelry for the trip. Her nurse Mary came this morning to draw blood and her RBC went down from 8.9 to 8.2 which is a little scary. When it gets to 7 she needs a blood transfusion. I asked Val if she wanted to request a transfusion for Tuesday..." No, let's just go." So that we shall in the morning. If her blood goes low while we are there she may have other symptoms or side effects, but we have no plans of having a visiting nurse or going to the hospital . She will get the transfusion when she gets back if she needs one.

Val's biggest problem is a new blood clot in her left groin area that has caused significant swelling in her left thigh by 5 inches and left calf by 3 inches. It is painful for her to use the leg to walk and get up and down. So, Dad pulls her up as best he can to prevent the pain in her left hip. We have the wheelchair with elevating leg rests so we will use that to wheel her to the beach when she wants to go. The dogs are allowed on the beach before 9 and after 5 so Val is looking forward to seeing the dogs and all her friends on the beach. She hasn't been there since last July. Here we come. May all the angels be watching us as we travel and keep us safe while we are there.

Love and prayers to Val always....Salynn