We think we are seeing the beginning of the final days. Kenny has grown steadily weaker in the past few weeks, but yesterday it was much more noticeable and today was a very poor day for him. His heart rate has slowed a bit; his attention span has dropped to almost nothing. He can barely help himself do anything and this morning he told me to call the undertaker, that he was dying. I gave him a nitroglycerine tablet to put under his tongue for chest pain and gave him an atavan for anxiety. His BP was elevated for a while (unusual for him) and each time I took his pressure I noticed that the pulse rate was slowing. He eventually calmed and went to sleep and slept all day. He had little to eat other than half a peach and half a bowl of Maltomeal for breakfast - a rarity since he normally eats a huge breakfast. I was supposed to accompany Larry tomorrow on the plane with the Coastal Carolina University football team to the Kent State game tomorrow night but in light of his declining condition, I have decided to forego the trip. My leaving tends to add to his anxiousness. Because of the seriousness of this decline, I will be giving short reports every day or two. Kenny has a history of making liars out of the docs and me so it is within the realm of possibility that he will bounce back. However, because of his strong desire to leave us for Heaven, I will be surprised if he is here in October. For our sakes, I hope I am wrong; for his, I pray I am right.
The Mercy Hospice personel have been just splendid as usual. Colleen, his nurse, came back this afternoon to give me some moral support, I think. I had begun to realize that I could not leave him in someone else's hands. I felt so much better when I got her report because it bears out what I have observed as a layperson. What a ministry it is to be a Hospice Doctor, Nurse, CNA, Chaplain, Social Worker or Volunteer. There is a real sense of spirituality and compassion for the ill and the elderly with every one of these people. The lady who runs it thinks it is just a business...I for one am glad she stays away from the patients. I know that it has to be run as a business but it is so much more. I thank God for all of the wonderful folks that have touched our lives through Papa's illness and through Mercy Hospice.
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