Sept.19, 09 Saturday
Val with help from Dad was able to walk downstairs and to the car with several rests. Dad borrowed the wheelchair at the hospital to wheel her in to her lung/chest x-ray. The written report comes back Sunday when Dad drives up to the hospital to pick it up while Rudy and Lea sit with Val. Dad asked to see the x-ray and said the fluid surrounding the right lung looks worse than before. This is no surprise as Val's oxygen has been raised to 3%, and she has a persistent cough over the past three weeks. The sad reality of this, is that the cancer in her lungs will continue to fill the pleura sack which surrounds each lung until they both collapse. Val had a collapsed lung on the right in May which was treated with a chest tube and powder to re inflate.

Val had the hospice nurse Carrie for the first time on Friday as Baine drove Dad to the eye doctor in Burlington. Val reported she talked a little bit to her as this woman is a trained Raike therapist. The report from Val was that she like this person and felt safe and comfortable with her. Dad has a form that Val needs to sign to allow him to get more help from hospice. The subject has been difficult as Val doesn't want to hear the word. Dad has been saying it though, and so has the VNA nurse Mary.

Val is resting and thinking all the time, and I hope having sweet dreams. She asked Dad what he FELT about the what the doctor said. DAd said he agreed that she is too weak to continue chemo at this time. He told her again that he didn't want her to have that last chemo, but knows how imortant it was to her and supports her in all her decisions.


The nurse didn't draw blood today while Dad was gone. The orders from the doctor had the wrong date on them. This worries Dad as her Hemoglobin was 8.2 on Monday. He called to ask the supervisor of VNA to make a note to have Mary check that the order is correct for Monday.

The egg crates for both their beds are in place. Val is sleeping almost 90% of the time and eating very little. Her legs are both swollen again. Her skin condition is very fragile as we are trying to avoid any bed sores, by rotating her bed position as often as possible. Val complained of a new weird sore on her eye lid which the nurse will look at for Dad. Val continues to be weaker every day, but still is making it up and down the stairs to her bedroom with help form Dad.

Val is confused more frequently. There was a new photo of a baby at the end of her bed and when asked by Baine who this was she said " I don't know who that is either. I have been looking at him for days now." This more frequent episodes of unclear thinking and forgetfulness is a combination of the medicine, the low oxygen levels at times, and I believe Val's way of escaping reality of her dire situation.

Love and prayers to Val always....Salynn