A not-so-good day

One day at a time. Some days are better than others. A good day. A not-so-good day. These are the platitudes one is told when leaving treatment. Well, today was one of the not-so-good ones. Jim is very weak and listless, can't stay awake for more than about an hour, and is uncomfortable and in pain. I am not sure why but it is very worrisome. We went to see his doc this morning to get further treatment for the binding problem. He sent us over to the X-ray lab to get an abdominal picture, thinking there may be some sort of obstruction. I also noted that Jim looks a bit jaundiced. No obstruction but we don't have the blood results back. (Note: Modern medicine is quite amazing. By the time we left the X-ray, walked down the hall and got back into the doctor's office, the results of the X-ray were up on the computer screen. This was a lapse of about 15 minutes. There, in front of us, was a picture of Jim's guts, full to the brim!) He prescribed the medication that is used by patients undergoing a colonoscopy; polyethylene Glycol. Jim has dosed himself seven or eight times and, so far, no results. If there is no action by Wednesday we have to go back and they will do some sort of "procedure" in the office. I didn't ask.

This afternoon I went to the dentist for a cleaning. When I left home Jim was asleep. When I got back, he was asleep. He was up about half an hour, very weak and almost unable to walk, and is now back in bed. This behavior is something new. He has not been this weak before and I am afraid it has something to do with the gut issue. Morphine is a wonderful invention but is causes havoc everywhere it goes. It will be another watchful night for me.

On the bright side he did say today that he thinks he is clearing out his throat a bit less. If so, that means he will sleep for longer periods of time. Perhaps he will be less fatigued during the day with more sustained sleep.

Had we been able to go, we would have been in Cuidad Jiminez tonight at our favorite hotel, Las Palmas. Cd. Jiminez is the first stop after crossing into Mexico at El Paso. Let's plan for February.