There were pluses and minuses today. First (as always) the sleep report. Dad slept well for 8 hours, then was awake from 3 AM - 5 AM. Dave finally got him back to sleep, but he did his sleeping-talking routine until he was up again at 9 AM. At that point, he ate almost half a package of Instant Cream of Wheat, which was more at one sitting than he's had in 3 days. He had a couple hours nap, then Nurse Beth arrived. She usually comes on Tuesday, but since we had called Hospice about Dad having trouble swallowing, she came to see him.
We're going to change his morphine pills to a patch, and she said we could crush the rest of his pills, and put them in pudding, or whatever he can swallow.
Although Dad did sit up today with his legs hanging over the side, he did not get out of bed except for a minute. He insisted upon standing up, and we thought he wanted to get on the commode. (As an aside, I always hesitate to write all the details, as I do not want to forsake his privacy, so please know I am sensitive to his privacy yet I also want to explain what is going on.) Once he was standing up, he could not get his legs to move where he wanted to go, and he would not let us move him, so back on the bed he sat. Fortunately, there was no commode issue, but there will be at any time now.
I went out with Mom to buy paint today and stopped at McDonald's to get Dad a hamburger. Dave fixed him a malt, and he drank all the malt (about 4 oz.) and two tiny bits of burger. I don't think he can use his dentures any more. We tried them today, but even with a tube of Fixodent, which he normally does not use, they were flopping around. He was getting sores on his gum, which is why we left them out for a few days. He may not be able to use them again.
Dad has a new lump on the back of his neck. I showed Beth and she agreed it is probably another tumor. He often has a sore throat we think comes from sleeping with with his mouth open. He sounds hoarse and probably is very dry, but he does not want much water. He has trouble coordinating his mouth and swallowing. What I mean is, he lets me put water in his mouth, but then I have to tell him to close his mouth and swallow. Sometimes he chokes a little bit. At other times, like with his malt tonight, he swallowed just fine. He ate 3 bites of pudding (with crushed pills) and swallowed, but didn't want any more.
He was asleep before 7 again tonight. I'd better get my beauty rest, as I assume I'll be up, as Dave was last night, for a few hours in the very early morning!
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