March 24 – glioblastoma multiforme progression

Today seems to be another good day for my dad. He is sleeping more than he has been…but is still awake off and on… and calm. He doesn’t seem to be having any pain…although…I wonder from time to time whether he could express it if he were. The hospice nurses say that if he were in pain, we could tell by agitation and facial expressions. Yet…when he was experiencing extreme agitation…they assured us it was not due to pain.

I think that…even though they are healthcare professionals… and absolutely have a greater knowledge of what is happening than we do…there are still areas where they are guessing as much as we are. After all, when the patient becomes non-communicative… responding only with one word answers (that don’t even relate to the question or situation most of the time)…who can possibly know what is going on inside their minds? Who can guess whether a period of agitation or a facial expression indicates pain…or whether perhaps the patient is experiencing an emotion from a fleeting, past memory…or frustration because they can’t communicate properly… or any of a dozen other possibilities?

Tomorrow is dad’s 80^th birthday. I did not think that he would see his birthday…but barring any issues between now and tomorrow (which at this point…are totally possible), he will. He doesn’t appear to be aware of much…and still doesn’t recognize anyone…so sadly…he most likely won’t know that he has hit this milestone.