Sleepy Smiles...

Mom and my sister Holly both went to visit Dad today at 11am.  When they arrived, Dad was being given his shower.  Holly had noticed someone had signed in to visit Dad, and they found out later it was a male CNA from Hospice who visits Dad twice a week.

They took Dad out front and Holly showed him the pansies and other flowers thriving in the warm sunshine.  Dad loved it.  He seemed very happy to see them but called both Mom and my sister by my name, Donna.

The nurse had asked them if they would like to see Dad's pinkie toe after his shower before she bandaged it up.  Mom did not want to see it, and my sister didn't either, but she felt she should take a picture for my records.  Later, she told me it looked like an alien.  When I looked at her picture, I could see his other toes are looking swollen and red now...

She took a picture of Dad as well.  His right eye with the skin cancer is completely closed now.  Dad will not allow the wound care nurse to clean it.  The melanoma on his temple is larger, blacker and more misshapen.  The skin cancer on his upper lip was red, like he had picked the scab and the caregiver did not want to scrap it any further, so he left stubble around the wound when he shaved Dad.

Dad had a cough.  My sister said it seemed "fake" or "like he could not get up the force within his chest to make it a productive cough".  Dad would form his mouth to cough and then tried to make the effort to cough.

I am not going to post any of the pictures Holly took.  Dad looks gaunt and thin, despite his smile...

Mom said she missed hearing about Dad's imaginary adventures, as Dad was happy but quiet...Holly tried to call me on my cell, but I was not feeling well this morning and had gone back to bed with ear plugs in my ears.

When the lunch carts were being pushed down the hallways, Holly pushed Dad in his wheel chair back into the lunch room.  The server gave Dad a chocolate Ensure supplement to drink and he took it and drank it all down.  He drank his milk, coffee and a full glass of water.  He picked at his hamburger patty, taking a few bites.  Mom fed him a couple bites of peas and carrots, before he told her he was full.

Both of them attempted to get him to eat a bit more, but Dad was not interested.  He told them he was tired.  My sister said it seemed the shower wore him out.  He kept closing his other eye and seemed very tired.  Dad has RA and his hands are very distorted and curled making it very difficult for him to feed himself.

I can tell Dad is getting fuller faster, or losing his appetite.  He is sleeping in later and if he is eating breakfast that late, he is probably too full for lunch.