Sue here … resident nurse …

I want to thank you all so very much for your ongoing thoughts and prayers!! It is so evident as we travel through these days that we are continuing in God’s gentle hand.

However … with our human eyes we’re not sure of our next steps. It’s frustrating!! I want answers … I want health ... I want it NOW! But hospitals and doctors move at their own pace … “one thing at a time”! (Amazing how I wasn’t so aware of that as a nurse … but from the patient’s perspective I wonder why it takes so long.) Our day today as been spent with tests and more tests. (For which we have received no results yet) ... chest x-ray … bladder scan … chest/abdomen/pelvic CAT scan. The CT was to verify that there is a safe path for the PEG tube (for stomach decompression for now … eventually for feeding if needed). We also hope that the contrast study will show evidence of where there are more tumors or what else we might be dealing with. It seems to me that mom is still recovering from anesthesia yesterday (increased trouble breathing) and low protein intake (swelling) … and fatigue/debilitation (lots of naps, not much appetite, 2.3 expressions of selfish thoughts)

The good news is that she is feeling no pain. She is going for walks with me and Dad to the family waiting room. She drank all of her contrast for the CT … ate about 50% of each meal today ... and has not even had the urge to “toss her cookies”. She’s expressing preferences for food, She’s getting annoyed with the slow pace of answers ... so is obviously feeling better.

I know she feels bad that she’s not able to entertain more visitors … isn’t always able to talk on the phone … doesn’t answer every e-mail & letter. But your love and support are sincerely appreciated by all of us!

Daughter Sue