January 28, 1996.  It's hard to believe I let 4 1/2 months pass without an entry. That evidence of my sloth, I believe that's just a venal sin!  The missing period even included Christmas and a fine visit from Jerry.  He is excellent with mother.  I'm sure she will miss him when he leaves.  It was his visit and Dave's present of a flight ticket to Phoenix that made possible a 4 day visit with Gert, Elaine and Janis.  Really enjoyable.  In that 4 1/2 month hiatus in this log there wasn't much change in mother.  Somewhat less responsive and an increased inability to stand, ending the use of the shower and toilet.  Now bathing is done on the bed and a bedside commode is used instead of the toilet.  0f course such an extended period couldn't pass without an aide problem.  Anne has been here for 6 months and continues to shine.  I'm grateful.  The aide that quit, Carolyn Hankey, was OK (?), but was absent more then 1/3 of the time.  There was a big response to the ad. With the help of Diane and Dave a young, divorced mother with one child moved back to her home in Wenatchee.  She has had some training and seems caring and serious.  I met her father, he also seems like a very fine person. Her name is Laura Lewis and I think she is an indian!  But two days on the job and she does very well.  We'll see in a month or two.  I could not care for mother if it were not for the help of Dave and Diane.  Dave is here frequently, visiting and feeding mother and checking on me.  Today he took me to Cashmere for breakfast.  Diane comes over almost every night to put mother to bed;  I'm lucky and thankful.  I plan to record more faithfully in the coming months.

March 20, 1996.  It's been 2 1/2 months since the last entry.  I'm happy to say that Laura is working out very well.  She is patient and understanding with mother, has care giving skills and works well.  Mother's condition hasn't changed.  There does seem to be more days when she is unable to eat much of her dinner.  We supplement with Ensure.  I've held back on that as long as possible;  it seems such a final procedure.  Dave and I went to a Children's Museum open house.  It's clearly a going operation, it's taken on a life of its own.  The person most responsible for this is Laura and the World gave her a three page spread.  She has also started her new job;  director of Camp Fire Kids.  She's a natural for that.  We're looking forward to a visit from Dan, Sarah and family.  I've mentioned it to mother a number of times and sometimes there seems to be a recognition.  We'll see.  The other day we had fish and cole slaw for supper.  When Anne brushed her teeth she said, "We've got to get the cabbage out of your teeth." Mother replied, "cole slaw".  Her only words for days,  they indicate much more mental activity going on than we are aware of.  She's an angel.

April 6, 1996.  Back to aide problems.  Laura, as the previous notation indicates, was doing very well.  But in the last week an a half she came to work once.  Some of her absences were legitimate, others were not.  Then a call from COPES informed me she had not passed the criminal background check.  They would not give the particulars other than it was not a case of being abusive to her clients.  Part of the problem I'm sure was thievery, as she has stolen a number of things from here (mostly food items).  Too bad;  I could accept the thievery but her absences made her dismissal necessary.  I've hired two new aides, one worked 2 1/2 hours today;  unfortunately she's far from being as good as Laura.  Mother continues increasingly to have problems eating.  Eats less and less, sleeps more and more.  It looks as if mother will solve the aide problem.  It is so sad.

We had a fine visit with Larry and Rachel and twins Charity and Victor.  The twins have grown a great deal in the 7 months since we saw them last.  They're a wonderful family.  We also had a short but great visit from Dan, Sarah, Joanna, and Robbbie.  They, too, are leaving the childhood state (I mean Joanna and Robbie) for Dan and Sarah it's a pleasant but distant memory.  Dan has obviously made great strides in his profession.  Feel too down to write any more tonight.

May 8, 1996.  It's been a month without a second aide. Thanks to Anne working above her scheduled hours, everything was managed very well.  Diane's continued help is also a big boost.  A new aide will start on the 10th.  Her name is Tammy Killian we all agree she should work out very well;  we'll see.

Anne has been here over 10 months and mother has never said her name.  The other morning Anne was feeding mother her breakfast and she had eaten very well;  juice, fruit and an omelet.  Anne tried twice to get her to eat the last bite of the omelet but mother kept her mouth shut and shook her head.  When Anne persisted a third time, mother loud and clear:  "I said no more, Anne."  What a WONDERFUL sound.

June 5, 1996.  Tammy has been here almost a month (she works Friday and Saturdays) and is so far OK.  There was one disruption in her second week. She was 30 minutes late;  her ex-husband beat her and smashed windows in her house.  That's the fourth time;  he's now in jail and Tammy is with her mother.  Despite this upsetting experience for her she continues to show improvement.  If she stays I will be satisfied.

Mother continues the same;  uncomplaining and pleasant, a pleasure to take care of her.  Dr. Kjobeck said the growth on the base of my neck (that concerned me) was only fat;  no need to be concerned.  Dave and Diane have been gone for 5 days rafting on the Rogue.  They are missed;  summer has arrived.

NOTE:  After this log had been printed and bound I found these two pages, 20 A & B, in the computer under a different title.  From the vantage point of 6 months, including 8 weeks of chemotherapy, I find Dr. Kjobeck's comment of June 5th interesting.

December 20, 1996.  Eleven months have passed since the last entry!!!  Laura Lewis did not work out;  she borrowed things, mostly food items like T-bone steaks and wine.  In her place we have Tammy Killian.  She has been here since early May;  almost a longevity record.  She is very good in taking care of mother and is always willing to do whatever is necessary.  So, we continue with Anne and Tammy as aides.  A good team.  But Anne is going on Social Security in 1997;  she will continue as an aide but with reduced hours.  Kandy Strong will pick up the hours dropped by Ann.  Sometimes I feel like I'm a spin off of Manpower.

The reason for the big break in recording:  (1) mother continues on a plateau;  there has been no significant change in her pattern of response (perhaps somewhat more time spent sleeping).  (2) in mid-August I went to Kelowna, B.C. for R & R.  I wasn't feeling well just before leaving and came back feeling much worse.  Kelowna was having an invasion of cryptosporidium when I was there;  it helped make my stay more miserable.

While in K., and for days after, I was in intense pain.  It was difficult to locate, it seemed to spread over the left side of my face, acting much like the tic douleureux I had in January but it didn't respond to treatment.  Finally, Dave decided to check with the dentist.  It didn't act like an abscessed tooth but it was.  Never was I so glad to get root canal work done;  the pain ended.

Within a few weeks, by late September, I began to lose weight from 172 to 151.  A multitude of tests failed to disclose the cause.  Then my doctor, Dr. Kjobech, left for a convention.  Dave arranged a number of tests and a biopsy.  My lymphoma (after 7 years in remission) had returned.  He managed to get Dr. Notter to lay out the chemotherapy program.  Dave and Diane monitored and gave me shots almost daily.  When they had to leave for a convention in New Orleans, Jerry came and took me to the frequent visits to Dr. K. and made sure I was taking the proper amount and kind of pills;  there must have been almost 30 daily. After two months the lymphoma is again in remission and Dr. K. says I don't need to see him until Jan. 15, 1997.  I've regained about 10 pounds and some energy;  hair is still just a memory.  It was a relief to have two good aides here, Ann and Tammy, when I wasn't feeling well.
That accounts, to a large extent, for the hiatus.  Mother is still much the same;  sleeps, it seems, a bit more (perhaps 23 hours per day).

MERRY CHRISTMAS and A HAPPY 1997!!!!