Subject: 12/30/97 Brian update #9

Dear Family and Friends,

      Days and nights are indistinguishable as Brian struggles to catch a few
hours of sleep here and there.  His noon sleep on Saturday lasted for 6 hours.
This was wonderful for him.  He still itches and has throat and stomach pain.
His interest in food has returned but after each bite his stomach hurts;
consequently, he eats very little.  Stan went to Santa Rosa today to spend
time with Steven and check on his business.   Steven is excited about going to
work with his dad for two days- Susan, Sara B., and Diane will be sure that
Sara is never alone.  It is definitely a two- person job to care for Brian in
the hospital.  It's the only way that food and sleep are possible.
    Brian's comfort is our number one concern and his care is comlicated by
the constant need to lobby doctors and nurses on his behalf.  Sadly, nothing
is automatic or gauranteed.  As care givers, we must anticipate or at least
recognize his needs and try to do what we can to help him.  
    Bacteria was found in his bowel movements. He has bacteria in his colon
and is being put on antibiotics for that.
      The pain is so bad that now he must be kept practically out on
morphine--every 6 minutes he must get morphine to receive any level of relief.
His stomach and neck are in pain and he moans constantly.  All of this
morphine has slurred his speech---it is hard to understand him when he talks
now.  The morphine also makes him feel like he's going to throw up.  

Suday Night 12/28

      Mucousitis was so bad that he spit up blood and flesh from the sores
that line the inside of his mouth, throat, and esophagus.  He also has blood
in his urine and bowels----High fevers all night.  He received 2 pletelet
transfusions to stop the vomiting of blood.

Tuesday 12/30
   
     He has continued to have high fevers every night.--6 hours of sleep since
Christmas night---He just can't get any sleep.  His morphine dosage was
increased from 4mg on Thursday, to 6mg yesterday, to 8mg today, in an attempt
to relieve his pain and get him to sleep.
    Mucouitis is still very bad----Antibiotics---he gets new ones every day
and none of them have been able to kill the bacteria.   That is why he still
has fevers.  Now they think he has an internal fungus---will try new
antibiotics today.  
     He is very sick and we have not seen any  improvements in his condition.
His white blood cell count is still zero.
       Brian has throat and stomach pain nausea---He has body tremors and
restlessness so bad that he can't sleep.---His hair has begun to fall
out---His speech still slurred by the morphine.
    Chemo was stopped on Saturday.   He now trying to recover from the 16 days
of chemo---he is struggling to do this.   He still talks a lot and urinates
into a urinal.  He still can't eat and his weight has dropped from 37 lbs. to
30.

     Susan is staying with Sara while Stan is in Santa Rosa- Sara B. and Diane
spent last night with Brian so Susan and Sara  could go sleep at Happy House.
Both days and nights are difficult because he never rests-- he needs constant
care.  Our goal remains to keep him comfortable, but we haven't been able to
do that as much as we'd like.
  Thank you for your prayers--we need them more and more each day.  Your e-
mailed letters of support are taken to the hospital each day.... Thank you so
much..