11/08/10 - Update

The past month has seen a continued progression for the worse, with the wound's stubborn refusal to heal essentially preventing mom from resuming the high-dose anti-tumor regime. As a result, it appears that the tumor has regained the upper hand. We remain (even more so) focused on doing our best to give mom as good as quality of life as possible under the circumstances, and continue to be extremely thankful for all the love and support we receive from friends and family. I will provide a little color (in the form of an email from Dad over the weekend) to help put things in perspective. Love, Ted

Justin and I have been monitoring Mom's increasing invalid condition during the last twenty four to forty eight hours. We have both spoken to some of you already. From my optic these are the portents that seem to be the most worrisome: 1) Mom has no repeat no use of her left leg. She cannot move it, stand on it. The leg is considerably colder than the rest of her body. As a result she is really unable to walk even a step without full support, and she cannot move the left leg forward - we have to move it forward for her. This has developed during the last 24 hours; 2) Mom is mentally acute for short periods, but does not seem to respond to even simple guidance for almost all items: moving her right arm; looking at something; etc.; 3) Mom has frequent instances of incontinence; this is no longer simply a night time phenomenon; 4) Mom is no longer reading more than for a few minutes at a time. She is immersed in some of the VHS films and opera, but even here she drifts in and out; she sits for long periods apparently oblivious to what is going on around her and cannot sit upright unless propped with pillows, etc.

Balancing this: 5) her appetite remains good; 6) for brief periods she is very focused and articulate and her speech shows no signs of slurring; 7) she responded to the idea of shifting Thanksgiving here by saying that she could not possibly do the cooking, thus suggesting that she is still very sensitive to the way things should be done; 8) she does fairly well on the phone, if the conversation is fairly brief; 9) she is sleeping very well and longer and longer (this may or may not be a positive sign); 10) she is as appalled as ever that anyone would vote Republican; 11) she is still very keen on her pills schedule; 12) her toilet routine is good; 12) Mom is not in pain, nor does she seem to suffer any stomach upsetness from the daily chemo regime.

We have decided that Thanksgiving away from Charlotte is now simply not feasible. The participants are willing to come this way, and I am convinced it is for the best.

Love, Dad