Slowly getting weaker

Yesterday I spent most of the day in my recliner, sort of watching TV but mostly dozing. Ann was with me all day as Marty had a number of errands to run, including finally getting grocery shopping done which he's been trying to do all week. The weather has turned hot and muggy (yesterday it rained hard a good part of the day and it's less muggy today, but still hot), so I'm very grateful for the air conditioning--without it I'd have real trouble breathing.

In the morning I took a stab at the Times crossword puzzle, but didn't get very far (the Friday and Saturday puzzles are the hardest of the week), but I kept going back to it during the day and each time was able to fill in a little more, and by evening I had completed it. It's very strange that you can find yourself completely stuck, but when you pick it up an hour or two later there is often something new you can fill in. So I guess later I will try today's. Marty is out again all day today to be with Donna--today's the day her brother's ashes are being scattered at sea down near Plymouth. Ann is with me all day today as well. Yesterday she finally got the sweaty sheets off the bed that I'd been wanting to be changed all week (Laurel couldn't do it because of her wrist, and it's too much for Marty--I had been expecting Susan to do it, but she never showed up). Ann took the sheets, the duvet cover, the pillow cases and shams and got them all washed and the bed freshly made up, and it felt so different and so good!

On Thursday hospice sent over a home health aide (I forget her name) who was supposed to give me a bed bath and change the sheets, but when she got here and discovered I had cats she said that she was very allergic. She didn't want to touch my bed and gave me a sponge bath in the bathroom, and brushed and combed my hair till all the tangles were out. Lauren is working on getting me another aide, who will come weekly to bathe me and change the sheets (and who won't be allergic to cats).

Right now my worst symptom is coughing (again). It really tires me out. The new medicine doesn't seem to be helping and I've been coughing up blood-tinged gunk all day. I just took some cough medicine and if it doesn't stop soon I will call hospice and talk with whomever's on call. These coughing fits start everything vibrating inside my chest and make me feel incredibly weak.

Late in the morning Caren stopped by and she, Ann, and I chatted for awhile. I asked her to work with Ann to fold the sheets (I have king size sheets which are hard for one person to manage), so now those are put away. Caren said she'd check with Marty to see how things are going with keeping track of the people who have replied that they are coming. I think this week we will send out reminder invitations and encourage people to let us know that they're coming, as we need an accurate count.

My stomach is pretty much back to normal and I'm eating a wide variety of foods again. Karen brought me some muffins from Quabrada Bakery (she knows how much I like them), and for lunch I had Ann go out to a nearby Italian place for one of my favorite sandwiches--grilled chicken, pesto, fresh mozzarella, and tomatoes.

I napped a bit during the morning and will probably sleep again during the afternoon. I have no energy at all.