Sunday Aug 30, 09
Fall has felt like it entered the state of VT with the temperatures going to 40's at night and high 50's during the day. Dad put the heat on and Val was wearing the white over coat that Steffan gave to her.

Since coming home from Maine, Val has been spent the mornings in her room eating a minimal breakfast and then napping/resting the rest of the morning. Dad brings Val breakfast as well as lunch to her in bed. He sits in a chair next to the bed to keep her company. After lunch, Val takes one more nap before adventuring downstairs to be in her hospital bed for her parents visit form 2-4. The other day, Rudy, Lea and Val took a nap during their visit. Rudy and Lea are extra busy and tired with the nephews of cousin Bella who are going through Bell's belongings etc.

Val abdominal pain has worsened since Maine also. She continues to wear the 100mg fentanyl patch which is changed every three days. On top of that, Dad now gives her a vicoden every 4 hours to control the pain during the day. The difficult thing for Dad is that Val doesn't really tell him when she is in pain. He has to ask almost every hour to monitor her. This may sound unusual as if you were in pain you might tell someone right away or take a pain pill yourself. Val doesn't work this way and never has. She is never one to complain during this whole cancer journey. It is not time to increase the fenatanyl patch yet until Val reaches 5 vicoden in a 12 hour period. Pain is what Val fears most. Val wants us all to make sure the end is not painful for her,
and we have assured her we could do that for her.

Love and prayers to Val always.......Salynn