Sunday afternoon, June 3 2007

Just back from Mom and Dad's apartment. I took them stuffed pork chops, asparagus, green salad, potato salad and few other items for them to eat early in the week.

Dad made it to the table on his own, but needed help adjusting his chair close enough to the table. Once I got everyone served, I sat down and starting feeding him pieces of meat that I had cut up, bits of stuffing, and some salad. He loved the asparagus...partly because he can pick it up and feed himself. I fed him jello for dessert and cut up some fresh strawberries for Mom.

Dad seemed really quiet today...not really wanting to talk much. To see if he was listening to me I started listing off his options for dessert and snuck in a 1964 convertible Mustang as one option. That made him smile...and I finally got him to place his order for jello.

Mom ate most of her dinner but also seemed pretty quiet.

After dinner Dad and I went to the bathroom so he could go and also so he could rinse his mouth out. I learned how to take his partial out today so he could fully rinse his mouth. I brushed his teeth and sponged down his face, arms and neck. Once he was done he went back to his chair and sat down.

He told me that his doctors had a rough job...knowing how sick his was and having to do all those tests. It is typical of him to have empathy for others.

I reminded him again that I would be taking him to his doctor's appt. on Tuesday morning.

As I left Mom cried and told me that she just couldnt believe all of this was happening. I gave her hug and kissed them both goodbye for the day.

They are both really miserable...Dad because he is not able to do anything and has to stay drugged up all the time, and Mom because she is losing Dad day by day. I am sad because there isn't anything I can do to really make this situation any better for them even though Mom acknowledged that I was doing everything I could to help them.

Cancer is an awful disease. It saps the essense out of a person and leaves them unable to defend their lives.