Replied: Sun, 24 Feb 2002 08:10:42 -0500 Replied: "foxdial" Return-Path: foxdial@btinternet.com Delivery-Date: Sun Feb 24 05:12:17 2002 Return-Path: Received: from round.uits.indiana.edu (round.uits.indiana.edu [129.79.1.72]) by grids.ucs.indiana.edu (8.10.2+Sun/8.10.2) with ESMTP id g1OACH609370 for ; Sun, 24 Feb 2002 05:12:17 -0500 (EST) Received: from rhenium.btinternet.com (rhenium.btinternet.com [194.73.73.93]) by round.uits.indiana.edu (8.12.1/8.12.1/IUPO) with ESMTP id g1OACERT008364 for ; Sun, 24 Feb 2002 05:12:15 -0500 (EST) Received: from host213-1-140-113.btinternet.com ([213.1.140.113] helo=default) by rhenium.btinternet.com with smtp (Exim 3.22 #8) id 16evdd-0000DS-00 for gcf@indiana.edu; Sun, 24 Feb 2002 10:12:14 +0000 Message-ID: <002501c1bd1a$14e90760$718c01d5@default> From: "foxdial" To: Subject: Our Mother Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2002 09:59:35 -0000 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0022_01C1BD19.F71587E0" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4133.2400 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4133.2400 Content-Length: 5237 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0022_01C1BD19.F71587E0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Geoffrey, I regret to report that our Mother has taken a turn for the worse. I would say that there was one of those sharp declines just before = Christmas and yet another happening now. Recently she is hardly ever awake when I visit and verbal communication = is close to none. I am not sure whether she recognizes me at all; = certainly, if I ask her, she cannot tell me my name. Another recent = change was that she can hardly feed herself at all. Very recently though it is a more physical decline. Arthur and Susan = went to Cambridge yesterday and reported a whole catalogue of woes , = having quizzed the carer - severe urinary infection, bed sores, shallow = breathing...... . I had been there 10 days ago and understood from our Father that the = urinary infection had cleared. I asked about bed sores and he did = indicate an incipient problem meaning they would have to get a special = mattress. Whilst Arthur and Susan tend to look on the gloomy side, I would concur = with their estimate that our Mother could go and any time, and probably = within the next 3 months. However nothing is certain, and she has = surprised us with her resilience to date. I have come to terms with the = fact that it would not be a sad thing fo her to die now (sad for us but = not for her). Thankfully she has not been in much pain to date; it would = be much the best for her to go peacefully rather than linger with = escalating problems. I am not sure our Father would see it this way. His = devotion to her is magnificent. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I am sure you would want to = know. On Thursday I plan to take the day off and go to Cambridge for a = bit longer than I can usually manage. I will perhaps ring you after = that. Should I try your mobile - say at around 6 pm your time (I assume = 6 hours difference between us). Best Regards, John. ------=_NextPart_000_0022_01C1BD19.F71587E0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Geoffrey,
 
I regret to report that our Mother = has taken a=20 turn for the worse.
 
I would say that there was one of those = sharp=20 declines just before Christmas and yet another happening = now.
Recently she is hardly ever awake when = I visit and=20 verbal communication is close to none. I am not sure whether she = recognizes=20 me at all; certainly, if I ask her, she cannot tell me my name. Another = recent=20 change was that she can hardly feed herself at all.
 
Very recently though it is a more = physical decline.=20 Arthur and Susan went to Cambridge yesterday and reported a whole = catalogue of=20 woes , having quizzed the carer - severe urinary infection, bed sores, = shallow=20 breathing...... .
I had been there 10 days ago and = understood from=20 our Father that the urinary infection had cleared. I asked about bed = sores and=20 he did indicate an incipient problem meaning they would have to get = a=20 special mattress.
 
Whilst Arthur and Susan tend to look on = the gloomy=20 side, I would concur with their estimate that our Mother could go and = any time,=20 and probably within the next 3 months. However nothing is certain, and = she has=20 surprised us with her resilience to date. I have come to terms with the = fact=20 that it would not be a sad thing fo her to die now (sad for us but not = for her).=20 Thankfully she has not been in much pain to date; it would be much the = best for=20 her to go peacefully rather than linger with escalating problems. I am = not sure=20 our Father would see it this way. His devotion to her is=20 magnificent.
 
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but = I am sure=20 you would want to know. On Thursday I plan to take the day off and go to = Cambridge for a bit longer than I can usually manage. I will perhaps = ring you=20 after that. Should I try your mobile - say at around 6 pm your time (I = assume 6=20 hours difference between us).
 
Best Regards,
John.
------=_NextPart_000_0022_01C1BD19.F71587E0--