First update

The first update came just a day later, in response to an email from Marie asking what Schmidt needed in the way of comfort.

Not much to record except for continuing deterioration... The last two or three days, as Hosea may have told you, she pretty much stopped taking any sustenance -- not even Ensure.  Water intake has been decreasing lately as well.  Today, for the most part she has even refused water as she is tending to inhale it rather than swallow.  She has been getting crushed pain pills in (a tiny amount of) sugar water; likewise Lorazepam for agitation.  The agitation is diminishing of late -- not, I think because she's less distressed/ confused but because she hasn't the energy for it.  I started giving morphine this afternoon.  It's liquid and a quarter milliliter is little enough not to choke her.  Right now she's zonked out.  As the nurse told us the other day, without any food they can last around a week; without water, three days. 

I called my cousin today to give him a heads-up.  They have family doings this weekend (Easter dinner and the like) but he'll come up here in a couple days...

I had a job arrive yesterday; one I'd nearly forgotten about.  A water-damaged up-light that needs re-finishing and re-wiring.  I made out a repair estimate for the owner's insurance last fall and sent him a pre-packed box a few weeks ago to return it in... Then stuff happened.  Well, the box got back here yesterday afternoon so I guess I better open and inspect it soon and let the guy know what I think!