My apologies for not posting more often, but the care of mom has increased significantly over the last couple of months, but especially in the last 2 weeks.  The 'dropsies' have returned and she is no longer able to feed herself or drink by herself.  She has stopped eating solid food (although she ate a banana yesterday) and drinks water. Occasionally, I can get her to drink a Glucerna, but that is about it. She is weaker physically and now has trouble formulating words. She can think them, just can't get them out easily.  It is hard to watch and I'm sure more difficult to go through.  She had become, once again, an avid reader but now that has stopped.  While she was reading I was have a hard time keeping up.  She started reading the Harry Potter series and was so in to them.  She often helped Casey with costumes of characters when he was in elementary school.

She called me 4 nights ago at 2:30 a.m. and told me: "I am going to die tonight".  Of course, upsetting to me but perfectly peaceful to her.  She told me:  "Just don't yell at me when I die, I might come back".  So, you can see she still has that wicked sense of humor.  We all prepared for the worst, but JD went in her room in the morning and she said "Good Morning, JD".  We laughed about it, with her, all day.

The pain became so bad in her legs, the doctor put her on Methadone, instead of the Hydrocodone.  That has given her much more rest and we can move her without hurting her.   

I show her pictures you send, messages you give to her and she loves them all.  Thank you.

It is hard to believe she has been in hospice for over 7 months and is now 21 days shy of being 89 1/2 years old.  She is reliving old memories, often, and the Social Worker said she was seemingly having a joke with someone not visible  She asked her about it and she said it was her mother and father (Granny and Pa to the rest of us).  She seemed quite annoyed the SW interrupted😉.

Thank you so much for your continued prayers for this journey we will ALL take someday.  Who knows, she may bounce back.  She's a tough ole Byrd.  I'll keep you posted.

Jonni