Mom’s Heart: Day 10

Day 10 was positive

I received a call from Evelyn (via Liz in ICU) at 8:45am wondering when I would be down to visit. I called back, passing along the message that I would not be down for a visit but everyone else would be there. My mission was to head coastal to retrieve requested goods and reconnect with the neighbors (Evonne and Suzanne).

The reports from Kim & Lee were excellent. She was spending more time talking, wanting people to come visit, her coughing had lessened, communication skills were clearer. Swallowing remains difficult but increasing slowly. By evening she consumed fruit juice with pectin (to thicken it up) and some sort of tapioca like pudding. Ice cream is in store for day 11. Feeding tube remains in place for now.

Tom’s visit was a tad shorter than it could have been. He had to scrape out 5″ of snow in the driveway to leave the house. Then on arriving in Eugene,  he didn’t realize Sacred Heart had constructed a new facility. After visiting the old hospital by campus, he corrected the mistake and located River Bend. He visited for an hour or so.

Mike and Shannon both made it down and certainly told their tales of Blocktoberfest. I briefly talked with them via speaker phone around 5pm. They had reconvened at Lee’s house for wine and yummies, kind of a debriefing and communal sigh of relief.

I spent the morning helping bottle the Wicked Blackberry Wit beer. By afternoon the skies had cleared and we headed to our destination. The weather was beautiful, no wind on the beach and warm at 56 degrees. George got in a great ball chasing session while we walked on Patterson beach (south side of the Alsea River in Waldport). Picked up her mail, talked with Evonne, filled the bird feeder, collected requested clothing, picked a few tomatoes and the one cuke and headed back home. We did get a fabulous sunset and afterglow.