Thursday, part 1

I spent a large part of the morning on the phone sorting out the position regarding organ and tissue donation from Isobel. Unfortunately because the blood:brain barrier was breached during the debulking operation in January 2008, her organs cannot be used for transplants. After further investigations in appears that most of her tissue is excluded on the same grounds and the last possibility, her corneas, are excluded as a result of the long term use of steroids. Not entirely a wasted effort as it inspired me a few weeks ago to sign up to be recycled and the Blood Transfusion Service now takes a different view on sufferers from hereditary guttate psoriasis so I can begin to donate again for the first time in twenty years.

I went in to see Isobel at a quarter past twelve. Isobel had eaten and drunk nothing today, nor did she drink anything last light after I left. She was asleep when I arrived. Lunch was produced a few minutes after I had arrived. I concentrated on getting Isobel started on a beaker of high energy drink, not easy as her teeth were firmly clenched for the first ten minutes. After I had managed to get her to take a little drink, I tried the food and she ate about a quarter of the main course. While she tried liquidised carrot and greens there was no real problem apart from the teeth not fully opening. However two or three spoonfuls of mashed potato triggered some coughing. I did not try to get her to eat any meat as we have discovered from previous experience that this triggers coughing (even when mixed in with vegetables). Isobel finished the beaker of high energy drink over the course of another half hour. The final mouthful was not swallowed at once but held in the mouth for ten minutes. Isobel then fell asleep and I left just before half past two.