Sunday, part 2

I took Euan into the Centre at 5pm. Iona had arrived a few minutes earlier. Isobel had not eaten much since my earlier visit but had taken two small drinks.

Iona fed Isobel a small part, a quarter to a third, of the main course of her tea. Isobel ate very slowly but without coughing or spluttering. I was happy that she had taken some food and not too worried when she stopped eating, with teeth firmly clenched together. We switched to Isobel's soluble paracetemol that she had hardly touched before tea. Iona gave her some of this, until her mother seemed too tired to continue. Isobel did not seem to be in any distress. Iona left in order to take Euan home at 6pm.

After the children had gone, I started feeding Isobel the water with paracetemol again. Perhaps because it had been standing for a while it did not seem to form a stable, thick, form even when more thickener was added. As a consequence, each spoonful was very small and it took a very long time for Isobel to finish the whole beaker even though she did not have any special difficulty opening her mouth or swallowing. When she had finished the beaker Isobel was tired and fell asleep. While she was asleep I discussed tactics with Catherine who was again running the night shift. I would try to get Isobel to take half a beaker before I left, Catherine would again try to get her to take a drink in the middle of the night when she had rested. After Isobel had slept for an hour, I woke her. She drank half a beaker of blackcurrant squash, although she was falling asleep by the end - it was a correct decision not to try and get her to drink a whole beaker at that time.

A serious situation has been overcome today. Isobel is comfortable despite her limited fluid intake over the past three days. I will see the doctor tomorrow afternoon. I went home at twenty to nine.