More news -- and not too good. Tom's throat was closed up, but not from swelling. His prosthesis was all right, and did not need changing. Had it changed anyway and there was no improvement in his swallowing and not much improvement in his speech. So we assume that the tumor is growing and closing his throat.

Dr. Krause, the ENT, wanted to do another esophagus stretching -- although none of us think it will do any good. He is scheduled for that Monday, the 1st. At the same time, another surgeon will be putting in a G-tube (stomach feeding tube). I called Dr. Cawley and told her he was too weak to stand any kind of a procedure. He can barely get out of his chair to go to the bathroom. She insisted he needed it done, especially the G-tube. So she is admitting him tonight (Sunday, the 30th) in order to build him up a little before the surgery.

I have him on a four-times-a-day feeding schedule with the Ensure. Each feeding, he also gets the Vicodin. The last feeding is at 7:00 p.m. He also gets more Vicodin at 11:00 p.m. and the alarm is set so I can give him more pain medicine at 3:00 a.m. Then he eats and has his meds again at 7:00 a.m.

I told Dr. Cawley that his pain seems to be getting worse exponentially. She said that is what happens. And then she starts talking about Hospice Care. Oh, shit, I surely wasn't thinking about that yet. It was only a few weeks ago that we got such a good report, and that the cancer had slowed down by half. I guess we had all gotten complacent and really forgotten that this was going to happen -- at least had buried it in the far reaches of our mind.

Someone in California will need to help me get this to all the sisters and brother. I am in no shape to call every one of them. Sorry to have to do it this way. Anyone feel free to call me whenever. My cell number is 740-236-3121. I will be at the hospital all day tomorrow, but it should be a same-day release thing unless he is in worse shape than even I know. Will need to get him down to Camden-Clark, where the surgery is, by 7:00 p.m. this evening.

I know I don't need to ask -- but all please pray for him.