swallowing not really working

Hi again to our faithful prayer supporters!

We are here at home in Sanger, 4 hours away from Mom. So hard to be so far away! I have been calling Mom's nursing staff, and Ed has been her nurse yesterday and today. Ed says Mom is actually getting weaker, as far as he determines, and she cries when she cannot swallow.

He feels that the oral rinse, prescribed for the yeast infection in the back of Mom's throat, is perhaps not working as hoped.

I called Theresa, the hospice nurse, and she was disappointed to hear that the treatment is not really working (yet). She explained that with Mom's stroke of 6 years ago, Mom's swallowing was affected at that time. When Mom was first in the hospital for her stroke in 2003, she had a feeding tube in her tummy. Gradually she became stronger and we all rejoiced when she graduated to being able to swallow again and eat and drink normally. Now she is on the downward side again and without adequate strength, she is not able to sustain her ability to work her swallowing muscles. At least that is how Theresa explained it to me.

Tears again. We had hopes that Mom was going to swallow again but it seems she is struggling.

This is so hard on everyone and I especially cannot bear to think of Mom wanting to swallow, as Ed says, but she cannot. I did talk also to John, a CNA, who said Mom asked him for some hot chocolate and he was able to help her drink a little. A little is good.

Today Brian went to see Mom and the only way he could help her get a bit of liquid was from a spoon, but he had to wait at least half a minute between the tiny sips she was able to take.


Thank you again for praying for Mom and all our family.