Hanging On

I spent the night here on Friday & Saturday, and plan to do so tonight. Yesterday afternoon, the right side of my mom's face became hard, red and swollen. We think it is an infection of the lymph node or part of the disease process. She also has a hard lump on the left side of her face, near her ear. She has had two doses of antibiotics and the swelling and redness have decreased, but are not gone.

The swelling in her right elbow has extended to include her entire right arm, hand and shoulder and is painful. The swelling in her legs has gone down, but her feet are swollen, cold and her toes are purple. It looks like there is a huge tumor in her abdomen. Her breathing is agonal at times and she sometimes moans. I am giving her morphine and Ativan (to help with agitation) twice a day.

She asked about my dad last night & I told her that we will take care of him. I reminded her that she will have a heavenly body. John & I told her that we love her & she cried & said she loves us too. My dad had a dream this morning that someone asked him to do a eulogy of my mom and my dad said, "God, why haven't you taken your angel home yet?".

Will keep you posted. Thanks for the love & encouragement.

Anita