I went in to see Isobel at 5pm. The observation on Tuesday by the speech and language therapist apparently fell flat, immediately after I left they were not able to wake Isobel and she did not therefore demonstrate any swallowing. Nothing has been heard regarding the stomach tube. Today Isobel has eaten breakfast and lunch as well as a pot of the balanced supplement. I don't think there is any risk of her not eating enough even if she misses the odd meal or two - she is lying in bed all day.

When I arrived Isobel was asleep but she woke easily when tea arrived. Tonight Isobel was able to say "yes" and "no" rather unclearly but no other speech. She confirmed she was not in any pain. Isobel ate the main course without undue problems; part way through Jacquie appeared, she is back from the Isle of Wight for a month. After last nights saga with thickened tea I had decided that struggling with rather unappetising thickened tea was not worthwhile, better to give what could be consumed easily and make up the fluid volume with squash later. Today Isobel managed only 50ml of tea. There is a particular problem with tea, it loses thickness as it cools and the addition of further thickener only works for a short period of time. After giving up on the tea, Isobel ate a bowl of yogurt with no major problems, although she was on the verge of falling asleep for much of the time. At the end of the meal she fell soundly asleep.

When the carers arrived at half seven to change Isobel's pad and get her ready for the night, Jacquie and I went down to the Chequers pub at the end of the drive for a drink. When we returned I massaged and manipulated Isobel's right arm, the hand was more swollen than usual. I woke Isobel and began to give her a drink of thickened blackcurrant squash. Part way through this the nurse came to give Isobel her last medication. All medications (except paracetemol) are now in liquid form and tonight were squirted into her mouth. The paracetemol was dissolved in the blackcurrent squash, producing an interesting colour change to a rich aubergine colour. Isobel had no great difficulty with the blackcurrant, apart from being very tired and starting to fall asleep on several occassions. After finishing the drink Isobel soon fell asleep. Jacquie commented on the great change in Isobel's condition since she had last seen her. I feel certain that the beneficial effect of the increased steroid dose has only deferred a further decline in her condition by a couple of weeks. I came home at 8.45pm.