Ruth and I started our day at 4:30. Bud & Beth slept in the bedroom and came in about 5:15. Ruth stayed on the couch last night, me in my recliner. After replacing her bedding and giving her bunches of water swallows, I began a MS Word document pulling out info from this blog that shows what she physically could/couldn't do so far along our journey. It's been a roller coaster...
She willingly accepted her last PB covered Doxy this morning. But, she wouldn't have anything to do with the canned food. I smushed several chunks in her mouth, but she would spit it out. A very little amount pushed inside I could get the water in to wash it down. She would lick off my finger several squirts of the "tasty" supplement.
She's breathing more through her mouth today than other days, a shallow panting like action.
When Bud moved her from the couch to the pad, we put her in the Sphinx position with a folded pillow underneath her rib cage area. She held her own for at least 5 minutes! At one point, Bud gave her some water (via bottle) and it's the first time she would drink anything while in this position. She's resting now after a job well done!
We got her up on the ball again, this time she pooped!
I gave her more "tasty" squirts... she even licked them off my finger!
I tried giving her more food... she wouldn't swallow it w/o pouring water in her mouth.
2:45 ... we got her up on the ball again. She was doing well, at first, holding her head up, looking around (although dazed like) then her head dropped abruptly onto the ball. She couldn't hold her head up any longer. First time this has happened. But, she hasn't eaten hardly anything today... many squirts of "tasty" here and there... I'll try some peanut butter and see if she'll eat that after she rests for a while.
She licked off my finger the peanut butter covered Prednisone, then had a little more peanut butter. I smushed about 1/4 cup of canned food into her mouth, with her swallowing after each one. The last bite, she did lick off my finger. She eagerly licked the several squirts of the "tasty" off my finger.
She's been sleeping a lot today. More so than any day/night since this journey began. She also has been pottying a lot... not a full emptying of the bladder, but a drip now and then.
After I ate my usual half of a chicken pot pie, several times I finger-dabbed the leftover juice and Ruth licked it off my finger... at one point, she tried licking the plate, but just couldn't hold her head up off the pillow enough. I baked some chocolate chip cookies after supper and while Bud & I were eating a few, and Beth was in front of Bud getting her "usual" tiny bites, Ruth suddenly woke up from a sound sleep and looked around, her nose working overtime sniffing the air. I immediately knelt down by her and she actually took what I offered! This was the first time she'd crunch anything for days! I thought maybe leaning her up on her elbow would entice her to eat more (her tongue keeps hanging out toward which ever side she's laying on) so I got her ready for when Bud was down to his last cookie. She had no interest in the piece of cookie. In fact, whenever she sits up, or we have her in the Sphinx position, she stares off as if in a daze, or maybe she's dizzy and is trying to stay focused on one object.
Before turning her over, and settling her in for the night, we did the Sphinx again and put a pillow underneath her chest area rather than the ball. She managed to hold her head up this time the full 5 minutes, but her blank stare and her labored breathing returned.
No kisses today. We haven't gotten a kiss in several days now.
She's sleeping, like she's done for the most of the day today. Dear God, May she rest peacefully tonight.
.
Our Ruth Girl
(She is 10 1/2 years old)
This is our baby girl, Beth
(She is 9 1/2 years old)
