Day 15

Again, please, NO VISITORS today. Joanie was very tired yesterday and had requested no visitors. She's always happy to see friends and feels obligated to keep up her end of the conversation. She is not able to end a converstaion easily and it is very tiring. Yesterday Beth had brought her a baked potato for lunch and planned to eat with her. She ended up leaving the potato with the staff and never saw Joanie. Carole brought her tomato soup and was turned away. She ended up bringing it to me. When I took it over, Joanie was asleep so I also left it with the staff. She enjoyed both meals, alone. Two of the four times I stopped to see her, she was asleep.

Her cough continues and she doesn't sleep well at night. They brought her a recliner to sleep in but were concerned that, because it had wheels, it might not be safe for her.

Please don't be upset with the staff when they don't let you see Joanie. They are required to do that when Joanie or I request it. You are welcome to call or email me if you have questions. We have even unplugged her phone.

Joanie's physician, Russ, came by to see her yesterday. He also was questioned to determine if he was there as a friend or her primary care physician. He got to see her. He later told me that he'd been out of town since last Thursday. In examining her, he was amazed at her progress! It was nice to hear that because, since I see her multiple times per day, I tend to see tiny changes and can lose sight of the overall progress. I've not even been able to share his observations with Joanie yet.

Joanie is looking forward to again enjoying visits.

"To the soul, there is hardly anything more healing than friendship."
Thomas Moore (1779 - 1852)