Hospital (4)

Mom went to the bank to clean up some money business with aunt Y and cousin O. (Giving back the money aunt Y kept at mom's to cousin O.) Then as usual, we went to see dad and aunt Y in the afternoon.
Dad's stroller was fixed. The staff would keep it outside his room at night since it was when he takes things apart. A nurse showed me the "details" of the dismantled lamp. It was horrible! Dad had taken all pieces apart, right down to the smallest ones. (T_T)

Hospital (3)

Apparently aunt Y is not dying. It was just miscommunication. Cousin D --> aunt L --> mom --> me. Mom especially likes to add to stories. Sigh...

Anyway, her lungs finished draining so the lung tube was pulled. Her blood potassium level became stable so she didn't need IV anymore. In other words, she's doing better. She's given oxygen and has been on low dosage morphine for aching bones. But it is true that she's been taken off that lung cancer drug. She now receives comfort care instead of active treatment.

The fact that she's dying has not changed. It's only been put off. She will be kept in the hospital for another 2 weeks, and then move to a hospice. Probably the same nursing home as dad's, just across the street. This would be ideal as mom can visit them both at the same time.

Hospital (2)

Usually it would be eat-out day with brother's gang, but he went to some sort of church camp. Instead, sis-in-law came after lunch and pick us up to see aunt Y. She was doing well. Cousin Y must have gone out for lunch. (Actually with cousin D.) 2 groups of church friends came visit so we went to see dad.

Yesterday's walker parts were gone, including the screws. A staff member said it was moved to the 5th floor for repair. I hope dad didn't discard the screws. His electric razor has officially gone missing. Another staff member promised to look for it.

We finished early and went to brother's place. Mom got to play with the guinea pigs while niece N clean the cage. It was a rare occasion that sis-in-law was free and we could go farther away. After checking their coupon book, nothing good came up. We ended up going to the night market. I finally had a chance to try that spiral potato. It was surprisingly good!

Came home around 9, and found out from aunt L that aunt Y had gone much worse. All the tubes including the IV had been pulled around 4. We were at brother's. Mom said she kind of felt something weird. (It's easy to say that afterwards.) But my cell phone never rang. Meaning cousin D never called me. Turns out aunt Y was on morphine. Sis-in-law said that people on morphine would not be so alert. She used me as an example (when I had that accident). And yes, I can't say I was exactly alert. By 8, aunt Y was drying up. She may not make it through the night. If she does, mom would go see her again in the morning. The rest... is up to her family.

At least aunt Y got some time to meet the people she wanted to see. But it doesn't feel right to pull everything when she looked so good.

Edo Pack Chocolate Soft

2008 March again. Yikes... "Strawberry flavour". I would have checked the ingredient list but back then I didn't know better. This didn't seem to be "real". But again, without being able to recall any details, I can't say much. The only thing I'm sure is, I didn't buy a second box. Don't take me wrong, though. It could have been expensive.

Hospital (1)

Set my alarm at 11 but mom came woke me up at 10. Aunt Y was dying. So we went to the hospital ASAP. Picked up aunt L on our way.

Aunt Y looked surprisingly good. Early this morning the doctor told cousin Y (who had spent the night in the room) that she might not make it. The situation was explained to the patient and she requested to see mom. Her heart beat was kept in check with drugs. (Otherwise it was too fast.) Her lung fluid vacuum machine was turn off, yet the tube was kept connected to her body (meaning, there's a hole to her lung, doesn't sound good).

Cousin D suggested that we eat lunch and then come back. So we all went to a Chinese restaurant in the area. His wife ended up treating us. They made an announcement that there's been food at home, and aunt Y had not been eating them. She also refused takeout when the couple ate out themselves. (Hmm... I find it hard to believe, but aunt is not 100% creditable either. Complicate.) According to mom, even if there's noodle, there's nothing to go with it, side dishes like meat or veggie.

Aunt and cousin C also came visit. Cousin C had to go home to take medicine, so only aunt C come with us to see dad. It was the first time they (the 3 cousins, one cousin-in-law, and aunt C) to visit dad. He was doing fine, except he's taken apart the stroller... a gift from cousin B. Plus, a lampshade. What's left was temporary stored in the tub room and perhaps there's a chance for repair. Dad took all the screws from the stroller and hide them in his drawers. Now that I look back, I didn't see one of the handles. I sure hope he didn't throw it away as it cost cousin B $150. She's coming to visit next month too! Sigh...

Then with 3 senior ladies in my car, I took them grocery shopping. Aunt C bought raw meat so we dropped the stuff (with Vietnamese ham mom bought) off to her place before going to another Pricesmart. (The closest one happened to be closed due to fridge repair.)

We ended up going to the mall for air-conditioning. Sat down for a ice-cream (I had grape drink which dyed my tongue completely purple). Mom had her watch strap replaced, finally. She's been putting it off because she want to make sure she gets the absolutely lowest price. (But she hadn't even look around.) Now we went for the first place we encountered. May not be smart because we didn't not look around. How ironic that she's been trying so hard to aim at the cheapest, and ended up buying form possibly the most expensive. (It cost just under $17.)

Then Pricesmart. Aunt C wanted blueberry but sold out. We had to get raincheques. She treated us to dinner at a nearby Chinese restaurant specialized in free-range chickens. Some day... some day... I'm gonna treat them too.

Came home and kept dosing off at the desk... Failed to write Japanese mail again... Time is running out... (T_T)

Aunt Y has aching ribs on the opposite side of the cancerous lung. More CT scans were done. Turns out the cancer had spread from her lungs to her bones. This is a know side effect of her super expensive cancer drug. I guess the outcome was already written the day she started taking the drug. In her fragile old age, she wouldn't stand surgery or radiation treatment anyway. It was only buying time... and it's been 3 years since she was first diagnosed.

Haircut (2)

Why do I always shred so much hair after getting a haircut? Especially when I let them shampoo my hair? When I wash at home first and don't use their shampoo, it's much better! Is there something wrong with their shampoo???

Haircut (1)

Thanks A for lending me your bus pass. Thought I got plenty of time but still ended up late. (T_T) Finally got a haircut (a month overdue). Finally went to Bookoff. Well, I did find a book or two that I could buy, but didn't feel like it. At $2 a comic book, no wonder the buying price is $0.01. At this price, I might as well give my books to friends.

However, on the other hand, it can be a way to help a business survive. So maybe I'll still sell them my used books after all.

Dad had destroyed another piece of clothing. Sigh... Luckily it can be mended.