The swallowing test Mother was given yesterday showed she has no medical reason for the choking and coughing observed by the speech therapist. Being passive-aggressive like she is, my guess is she feigns choking and coughing rather than saying, "I don't want any more to eat." She was not allowed as a child, nor would she allow her children, to say, "I've had enough," before all the food on the plate was eaten. She still can't say it. (Neither can I, most of the time.)

The 15 minute out-patient procedure at Baptist Hospital took 2 hours from time of admission to discharge. It was made more stressful by my husband who insisted on tagging along because he didn't want to eat lunch alone. He can pick the most inopportune times to need my company. My options were to walk very slowly, so he could walk with us, or put him in a wheelchair so we could navigate the halls of the hospital more quickly. Thank goodness there were enough volunteers around to help me. I couldn't figure out how to push two wheelchairs at once.

Mother did not balk when asked to swallow the different substances. She smiled and talked some, but was mostly disengaged, like she had been tranquilized. Her condition seems to worsen by the day. I just don't see how she can last much longer.

Benji says my blog has sounded "pissy" for the last several days. Maybe that's why my readership has dropped off, especially among my Republican friends and family members. Please don't take my grousing personally. Elections do tend to put me on edge, especially when we Democrats have to "whistle past the graveyard" for the next few weeks.

Happy Birthday to one of my very favorite Republicans, Mary Ann. God blessed us by adding you to our family.