It seems my parents are basically the same, with same or very similar challenges.
Dad is weaker again, perhaps due to a cold that he has been fighting. The cold seems to be breaking up, but he is weakened. His back was also bothering him for an unknown reason.
The nutrition supplement drinks they have are very helpful, but it would be good for Dad to eat more healthy regular meals also.
Mom likes the drinks also, even though she does not need them. They seem to have replaced her water bottle as the thing to reach for when she is thirsty (or perhaps just wants to stick something in her mouth).
Mom recognizes that Dad has lost a lot of weight. It worried her for a minute or two today, and got her thinking of going to make him a nice meal. However, then she got distracted a minute later, forgot about it, and did not do anything about food.
Later, she did ask Dad if he could stomach some dinner, but Dad said no, that she should eat by herself. Thankfully, Dad is starting to realize if he is going to get any food, he'll have to get it himself. Before he had this cold and nausea, he had plenty of strength to prepare food. As long as the sickness does not wear him out too much, I trust he'll start eating better.
Dad and Mom seem to be getting along fairly well. The main source of conflict today was Dad being grouchy when getting up (and feeling sick to his stomach), or trying to convince Mom yet again that if Dad takes a taxi it is not because Dad does not value Mom.
Getting Dad to daily chemo treatments is a challenge. Mom sometimes now understands that it would be very hard for her to drive. When riding in a car, she knows that she would not be comfortable driving. She also resisted when Dad suggested taking a test drive to a close store for some milk a couple days ago. That made it clear to Dad that she could not be trusted to drive him when he needed (regardless of the safety level concern). It frustrates Dad that she is not dependable to even try to drive, but will not let him use a taxi.
At one point Dad was ready to take a taxi as a last resort even if Mom does not approve, if the two drivers Mom has approved so far (Cousin Sean and myself) could not take him. However, today on the way from chemo he threw up in the car, so he was very glad that he was not in a taxi. I am sure that just adds to his hesitation of taking a taxi.
At the end of the day he was sick and frustrated with being unable to do anything other than, in his mind, be a bother to others. I trust a night of sleep will help improve his mood, as his mood seems to track closely with how well he is feeling.
Mom's memory still seems terrible at times. She has a hard time placing things in the correct time frame in the past. (An event four hours ago became, to her, yesterday; someplace she visited last month she feels she hasn't seen in a coon's age.)
She was irritated that the doctors did not fix Dad's bad cough from the cold. I mentioned to her that the cancer was very serious, so Dad's cough was not as big of a concern to the doctors. She said she thought the cancer was pretty much cleared up. I had to tell her that, no, the doctors do not know yet. It is a consolation and a challenge that I think she by now has already forgotten how serious Dad's condition is.
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