I went in to see Isobel at five o'clock. She had eaten very little at all yesterday. She was awake when I arrived and within a couple of minutes three nurses and carers had told me how well she had been eating today! She ate all her breakfast, all of the first course of lunch and almost all of her yogurt dessert. She had also drunk well.

Isobel was awake when I arrived. She was able to give a few yes/no responses and confirmed that she was comfortable and not in pain. She was able to focus on objects briefly with her eyes. She was obviously hearing and understanding what was being said to her. I believe she hears and understands a lot, even when she is unable to make a response.

Her tea arrived about a quarter of an hour later. She ate all the first course with no problems even though her head was turned very much to the left, a position that usually causes difficulties. For dessert I mashed up some trifle by hand into a more or less homogenous mush and Isobel ate that also without any problems. She was tired by the effort of eating and fell soundly asleep immediately after. She had taken some thickened grapefruit juice with the meal but most of the beaker remained undrunk.

Isobel slept until after half past seven, then awoke of her own accord. I helped her drink the rest of the grapefruit juice, she was slow but had no especial problems. After a few minutes chatting we moved onto a pot of the balanced supplement which Isobel ate with no problems. Isobel was very tired but remained awake. After a few minutes chatting she became unresponsive but kept her eyes open. This has happened for short periods before and is usually the precursor to sleep. On this occasion Isobel showed no sign of going to sleep but just stared into empty space. I continued talking to her for some time with no response, although I believe she may have heard and understood what I was saying. I finally left at a quarter to nine, Isobel still had her eyes open and I do not like leaving her when her eyes are open.