November 2009
Thanksgiving Vacation Photo Album
29 11 09 19:37
I just posted a new photo gallery of our Thanksgiving vacation visiting family in Massachusetts. Enjoy!
Ruth's Condition Worsening
20 11 09 13:41
Last time I left, a harpist was playing 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' to Ruth and she was smiling broadly...
...now I stop in and she is struggling to even breathe. She is not responding to anything Carl or I say or do. I think she is nearing the end of her time on the planet. She may have already left, actually: it's possible that only her body continues to struggle.
...now I stop in and she is struggling to even breathe. She is not responding to anything Carl or I say or do. I think she is nearing the end of her time on the planet. She may have already left, actually: it's possible that only her body continues to struggle.
At Hospice with Carls' Mom
18 11 09 10:57
I am at hospice with Carl's mom. She is completely aware. I can tell from her eyes that she understands everything said in her vicinity. I can ask her questions and she nods or shakes her head... but she has a hard time speaking. Every word is a struggle. Once I said 'you must be so damn frustrated like this' and her eyes got smile wrinkles and she nodded her head vigorously.
She dozes a while, then wakes up and tries to talk a bit, then gives up in frustration and dozes some more. Every once in a while she'll reach for my hand. I am trying to sit where she can find my hand easily when she wants to.
I went outside and called a friend to chat a bit. They have gardens here with savia all over the place. Hummindbirds are in heaven buzzing around all the salvia bushes, then sitting in nearby branches and squawking in their almost electronic sounding high pitched chirps. I picked a piece of salvia and went back inside to give it to her.
Ruth became animated. She held the salvia to her nose several times. She pulled my sleeve and I bent over and she quite clearly said 'I want you to have a good time.' I could tell the 'you' was Carl and me.
I grabbed my coffee off the table next to her bed and walked out to the nurses station to chat and take a break. I told them she could talk. They seemed surprised.
I went back in to grab my laptop so I could do some work. She seemed to want to talk again. I leaned over with my ear to her and she laboriously whispered 'I can't believe that this is happening,' then 'I can't believe ------...' she struggled with the last word several times then gave up in frustration, saying 'OK, apparently that word is not in our language.'
She dozes a while, then wakes up and tries to talk a bit, then gives up in frustration and dozes some more. Every once in a while she'll reach for my hand. I am trying to sit where she can find my hand easily when she wants to.
I went outside and called a friend to chat a bit. They have gardens here with savia all over the place. Hummindbirds are in heaven buzzing around all the salvia bushes, then sitting in nearby branches and squawking in their almost electronic sounding high pitched chirps. I picked a piece of salvia and went back inside to give it to her.
Ruth became animated. She held the salvia to her nose several times. She pulled my sleeve and I bent over and she quite clearly said 'I want you to have a good time.' I could tell the 'you' was Carl and me.
I grabbed my coffee off the table next to her bed and walked out to the nurses station to chat and take a break. I told them she could talk. They seemed surprised.
I went back in to grab my laptop so I could do some work. She seemed to want to talk again. I leaned over with my ear to her and she laboriously whispered 'I can't believe that this is happening,' then 'I can't believe ------...' she struggled with the last word several times then gave up in frustration, saying 'OK, apparently that word is not in our language.'