A number of issues started arising over the weekend which have lead to Catherine returning to hospital this time in Kingston. She was here last Wednesday for the radiation consultation which she participated in fully. When we brought her in for the second radiation treatment on the left neck and clavicle she had become short of breath and was developing an infection on her life leg where fluid had been leaking. Dr. Best also found her leg strength had dropped off in a week as well which we could see as she needed more support getting to a standing position. She had an MRI which ruled out a reoccurrence of the cancer on the spine and a chest Xray to look at fluid on the lungs...part of the edema profile. At any rate, Dr. Best felt a few days in hospital would allow them to chase possible diagnoses and address the edema while monitoring blood pressure.

She is still eating well but the fatigue from the last chemo is now joined by that from the accumulating radiation as well as the shortness of breath. So it requires someone like Elijah to lift and support her while moving from bed to chair or commode. We're hoping that as lung function improves with edema fluid reduction she'll return to more activity.

Being back in a hospital setting means we are pursuing air mattress options so we don't lose ground on the bed sores but, on the positive her room mates are more copacetic than those in the past.

If she's still here Friday she would be moved to Belleville General following the fifth radiation treatment. Obviously we'd prefer a full discharge back to home but we'll see how the next few days progress.

Love,

Jon and Elijah

Friends of the Heart