We’re putting in a request with a hospice service. I need more care than I’m getting as just a nursing home patient, and there’s one service that works in both Blair and Centre Counties (a couple, but we can only talk to one service at a time). And the hospice has an Orthodox priest on staff as a chaplain.

Marci, my youngest brother’s first wife, and their daughter Danielle, have been here for a couple of days, and it’s been a blessing because I have been declining fast. It began with the speading in constriction to the lower halves of my lungs, and the accompanying pain, and has steadily gotten worse. Breathing is difficult, and I just get weaker.

Danielle leaves for basic training (USAF) on 1/5.

I don’t think I have long. I could be in a temporary downward spiral, but I doubt it. I think peace is close.

Ever since the paralysis, I’ve had a “constriction band” of pressure right above the line where the pins and needles starts. The constriction has expanded upward across the lower halves of my lungs.

Deacon Alexander and his children were here earlier. Danielle and Marci (Erin?) are the daughter and first wife of my youngest deceased brother, and they’re on the road, with an ETA of about am hour.

lights out, tv till I fall asleep.

for my compny and lunch …

Bonanza!

I have no idea what this was going to be about (I typed in the title, then they came to take me down to therapy).

Oh well.

I woke up in this ungodly twisted to one side slumped way to the bottom of the bed posture which was causing my left leg to cramp. It took a while, but they finally came in and fixed me (so far). New aide: Jody. I remember one of the others from the wing I was originally on, and not positively.

Meds are here (fortunately, they don’t shuffle the nurses like they do the aides). Methadone, vitamins, protein supplements, stool softeners, high blood pressure, nausea, that sort of thing. Done with the steroid, thank God.

Fr John called yesterday. He was knocked out by allergy meds, so he’s bringing me Holy Communion today. Christopher should be here early afternoon, and hopefully stay a bit longer than usual. But we’ll see.

Note that I haven’t mentioned the Steelers game.

it may be a good game, #2 ranked Stillers (6-4) play the #3 ranked Ravens (5-5) in Baltimore, kickoff at 8:20 on NBC. Then, there was some seriously bad mojo in that Chiefs game, so let’s hope it doesn’t spill over. I’ll try to watch all of it, but my pain meds may knock me out.

I’m in a bad position to type, and if I raise the head of the bed, it puts pressure on my hip and creates lots of pain, so I won’t post what I’d intended. Not tonight.

I just noticed I have the TV tuined to a basketball game (hi, Lisa), uh, Texas AM and Minn. I’m not sure why. It just is. The stations are numbered confusingly and seemingly at random here, and they’re nearly impossible to figure out.

The leg is acting up again, so good night, and see you tomorrow.

From Pam and Rex, who left about an hour ago.

IU:90
NW ST: 72

DVDs.

My brother and sister-in-law are getting us lunch at Sheetz. Dn Mark just left a few minutes ago. Any other arrivals will be surprses to me.

One of my brothers and his family came the night before last, and are still here, but they’re leaving tomorrow morning (they went to eat; they’ll be back later this evening). My other brother and his wife got here a couple of hours ago, and will leave Monday. And April, who has been here for a couple of days, will leave the day after tomorrow, then, it will be back to Christopher and the folks from Holy Trinity, until next weekend, when yet more family comes from Indiana.

Dark place or not, I have people who love me, and I’m not sure that’s the case for everybody here.

I’ve been in a dark place, and I can’t seem to shake it.

A Christian ending to our lives, painless, blameless, peaceful, and a good defense before the dread judgment seat of Christ, let us ask.

Add one cheap usb keyboard, and bingo! it works. Plus it’s a full-size keyboard, which ‎while awkward in my lap, is much eaiser for me to type on with my big fingers.

Chris DiNote is back from Iraq, and came to visit yesterday. At one point, he said, “This is the St Christopher’s medal my parents got me for my confirmation. I’d lkke you to have it now.” Touching, and much appreciated, and another indicator of the quality of friends I am fortunate enough to have here. Oh, he’s blogging again here.

I’m down to 187, not that it’s a great way to lose weight. I am eating a little, just not much. However. you don’t want to be bored by the details of my appetite.

More later.

i got up, raised the top of the netbook, and saw moisture. how it got there i do not know, but the keyboard is shorted (i’m using the onscreen keyboard). if it is just moisture, it should get normal as it dries. or an external keyboard may be the best.

anyway, not muuch from here till it’s solved.?