Tuesday Aug. 18, 09
Val had a 10:30 am appointment at chemo today. She received her steroid, the benadryl and anti nausea as well as her general fluids by IV. Followed by the 75% dose of the Gemzar chemo drug. She was sleepy in the recliner when I arrived to chemo today. She began by saying to me that she had had a dream about me last night.... didn't' know I was coming to see her today...and she closed her eyes only to say she thought it was a SIGN that I showed up.

Well, she ate better at lunch time and at dinner today. She ate 4 Hershey kisses, five yogurt covered pretzels, three bites of Jane's blueberry cake and a half a grinder of ham and tomato. She only drank when I actually put the water in her hand. She did say...if I eat any more I won't be hungry for dinner. For dinner, she ate a medium bowl of fresh yellow beans with potatoes as well as more of Jane's cake. She is temperamental in her eating. Some days she fights Dad with everything he offers and other days she is more willing to eat. Eating and drinking are of such importance for val at this time. It may not seem like a big deal, but it is. She is really weak and to keep all systems going she needs nourishment.

Since Maine, Val has had a change in her status. Meaning, she has had a great deal of confusion daily and has less stability on her feet. Today as we walked out arm in arm, I was actually frightened she would loose her balance and would fall despite me holding on to her. She seems much weaker to me as well. Dad says she sleeps almost 75% of the time. Dad and I think two things could be causing this. A build up of her pain medication within her system now making her appear actually drugged. A metastatic tumor has to be ruled out so Dad scheduled a CAT SCAN of her brain for 9:30 am on this Thursday.

Val's blood markers are fine, but within the acceptable low. Her hemoglobin remains at 9.2, platelets 130, white blood cells 12, 000. Val's CA 125 cancer marker was 33 last month and now is 40. I asked the doctor why Val got this new blood clot. Other than he can't tell me exactly why, chemo patients are prone to blood clots.

Love and prayers to Val always....Salynn