DAWN works

Yesterday Aelphie got into something NASTY- and had this mixture of sticky tar/gummy stuff on her back paw. I tried to clean it last night, was unable and had to leave her in solitary confinement until this morning.

She got a bath with DAWN soap at the advice of my friends and fellow pet owners, and wonders, it worked to get that gunk right out!

Though, it left a very very very angry and apple-smelling kitty for me.

I'm wondering where and when she will RagePoop.

Wash is talking this morning with the Hospice Chaplain, this time his "regular" one he's had since Jan. He likes her. I do too.

I'm not ready for him to die, for him to kill himself. I'm really not sure if he is, if he understands fully what he asks. Maybe, though, he does.

He doesn't want to exist in a world where he cannot communicate or create. He NEEDS to create to want to live. I think that part is fading, but not all gone. I think he wouldn't panic so much if it was already gone, I think though he's lost enough that even he now cannot hide from the facts around him.

His memory. That is the hardest for me. I truly dread the day when he doesn't recognize me at all- so far the very bad days he is just confused because the Tashi he expects to see is the one from 2009 and I'm very much not her anymore, physically or emotionally.

He comes and goes. He can have a few good hours, where he knows who he is, he remembers things, even tries to recite Shakespeare.

The rest of the time though, I'm asking him to repeat himself, because his language is slipping. He slurs a lot of words, mixes them up, or skips over half the conversation out loud. He's talking to me (in his head) but nothing is coming out. This often happens if he's trying to share something he read or saw on TV.

When he wants to, he can "put on his show" for 30 mins or so and seem fairly normal. Sometimes his voice is too loud and he's unaware, or he has a lot of random points to make, but he can pull off "his" normal; sort of.

He did speak to his father this past Sunday, which I'm happy for. However, he wants to avoid completely the issues with his parents and family, he doesn't want to address it, talk about it, make any decisions... which comes back on me. Unhappily.

He's getting some sleep at night, thankfully his lab results came back neg for a new infection. But, he's not going longer than about 4 hours now without waking up for some reason. Void, an itch, he's cold, leg spasms, he's suddenly awake....

Mostly it's the memory. Half the time, he can't stand to be in another room away from me, half the time I'm the "bad guy" when I don't let him act like a spoiled 5 year old "Have so many Oreos at 12pm you barf? Sure!"

It's one day at a time. It's watching this cancer take him away, further and further, day by day.

Finding the energy and memories of my own to remember why I do this, why we fell in love.

It's 1pm. Been a long day already.

-The Chaplain is having him call his parents once a week as a "homework" assignment. Maybe that will work better. I have to have hope about something.