I went in to see Isobel today at mid-day, as I am teaching late this afternoon and this evening. Isobel had eaten half her breakfast, with a lot of difficulty. She had later had two pots of balanced supplement, as the nurses and carers find these easier to feed to her. They are having the same problems I have.

I fed Isobel her lunch. She was slow, and after the first half clearly became tired but she finished it all eventually. Isobel drank a beaker of blackcurrant squash, apart from a tiny amount at the end which she could not be persuaded to take. Altogether the lunch and drink took an hour and three quarters. Isobel was very tired and fell fast asleep at the end. Her eyes were sometimes open and now and again appeared to focus on something for a second or two but otherwise stared blankly at the ceiling. Isobel could not respond to questions. I left the Centre at 2pm.

Despite the difficulties of the past few days the level of nutrition Isobel is getting is not a cause for great immediate concern. I am sure she is continuing to lose weight, but not at a rapid rate. If the present level of nutrition could be maintained Isobel would get by for many months, but the tumour will change her ability to eat within a much shorter time span.