Update on the household:
MERE is performing at her Lisle Junior High concert tonight; we’re going, of course. She has been working on her flute and her new baby, a piccolo (think small, higher-pitched flute and remember what Yankee Doodle sounds like). (sound example) She was working on the material on and off all summer and steadily since then…all sorts of patriotic music for Veterans’ Day.
When Mere practices, it tends to be in rapid spurts at the spur of the moment; five minutes here and there, or ranging around for most of an hour. There’s no outside rhyme or reason as to when and what; she just roars away at it. Sometimes, she’ll use the band music; sometimes, she’ll dig through other sheet music - Neil Young, Ian Anderson/Jethro Tull, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, etc.
She’s also on the high honor roll at school; I really want to be able to help her with homework, but she isn’t that hep on the idea…I’m too slow and involved for her taste in explaining things, I gather. She goes through much of this sort of thing like she’s killing snakes - at Ramming Speed, using full blazing candlepower. I grimace, and worry that she’s not going to know what to do when she gets beyond easier stuff and has to really dig…
SUSAN has her hands full.
CONNIE is steadily declining as the cancer spreads; the pain from it is enough that she takes in quite a bit of morphine for pain and various anti-nausea drugs and dozes a lot. She’s getting congested in her left lung, her eyesight and hearing have dropped a good deal, and she’s easily anxious about all sorts of trivia. Again, just the disease process.
Old friends from South Dakota have dropped all sorts of cards and notes to her, along with emails; she’s had a few visits from folks, most especially her old pal Bruce, who was here a few times recently - and has been very helpful to us (various important handyman and outdoor stuff we couldn’t do or get to) and to her (dealing with her impending death, with lots of long religious/philosophical talks).
Of course, we all know that she’s well into the process, but it’s hard for anyone to say how long she has left - there’s been enough in the way of odd twists and turns already. We’re re-doing the usual Thanksgiving celebration; it’s going to be here, because I doubt Connie would be able to leave the house. We’re still going to have the ‘holiday’ dinner in mid-December from my family - going on since 1951 - but it will be someplace really close, because it would be too hard on Connie for us not to be at the house for very long, even with a person minding her.
Today and yesterday, Connie’s sister Marlyce has been with her during the day, looking after her; since I’m limited by my foot, and my car has been in the shop this week, the extra pair and hands and care are very helpful.