Friday morning

Isobel's condition is only a little weaker than 24 hours ago. She was seen again by the doctor yesterday afternoon. Her mix of medications has been adjusted and increased; her syringe driver is now attached to what I call a horse syringe. She remains unresponsive, although I believe she sometimes still hears sounds as very slight reaction to noises sometimes occurs. The increased medication is doing a good job of keeping fits at bay - the increased tendency to fitting is a result of ever increasing brain damage as a result of tumour growth.

Iona was greatly buoyed up during Thursday afternoon by a long chat with Martha, the former Ellenor nurse standing in for Dawn Dark who is on leave. Martha confirmed that there was no hope of survival for more than a day or two. Euan and I went into the Centre just before 7pm last night. The increased medication has also controlled the tremors of left arm and leg, these are now rarer and much less intense. Iona went home at a quarter past eight, taking Euan with her - he has had a worrying problem with his hands swelling up and ran a fever overnight so he has not been getting too close to his mother even when he was in the Centre.

Isobel had a restful night. Some laboured breathing took place during the evening but breathing was relaxed and steady throughout the night. Isobel was washed and had a change of nightdress before 7am. After, her breathing was laboured for about twenty minutes but then settled down again.

Iona arrived at 8am and I went home for some sleep a few minutes later.