Sunday, June 3, 2007

Spent some time with Mom and Dad yesterday afternoon. Got Dad to eat some coleslaw and jello salad with apples. He sat at the table while Mom and I had lunch. He is talking less but seems to be more sure about not wanting to do chemotherapy. I told him that I would support whatever decision he made about treatment.

I brought some information for Mom to read about hospice care. I told Dad that if he does decide to do the chemotherapy, we will have to wait to set up the hospice care. Doing the chemotherapy is considered "treating the cancer" and hospice care can't happen until the patient has abandoned the idea of treatment and just wants end of life care. I am fairly sure that Dad will not do chemotherapy...at this point it will make him sick, open him up to other opportunistic illnesses like pneumonia, and potentially speed his death.

Mom is really having a hard time. She said it is a long day for her to sit and watch him sleep. I told her that I could take her for a drive but she does not want to leave his side.

Pamela is doing some more cooking for them this morning while I am at church. She says this is what she can do to help and both I and my parents appreciate her skills in the kitchen.

I walked around Greenlake with my friend Dan yesterday. I find it hard to talk about Dad without crying. It felt good to be outside on a sunny day just walking and enjoying the beauty of the lake.