From Mom's Journal - July 10, 1979 - Tuesday (age 42)

"Feelings of pressure all day long that come & go - sometimes have sharp pain in chest. Will have numbness in an arm. Some pressure in neck - When I move around & walk sense of great pressure - took NTG (Nitroglycerin) at 5:10 - pressure in chest. pain in lower rt bk."

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"Have had some pain tonight but not bad. I do wish we did not have to go through all this -

I must come thru this in spite of it all - the bastards will not grind me down - "

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Throughout all the years of Mom's illnesses she has always maintained her sense of humor. I guess if you don't keep humor in your life then what is there really left to live for. Afterall, laughter is the best medicine. I try to remember that in my everyday life. I think mom does a much better job at it than I. Even now, with her memory loss Mom will pop off with some zingers. In the midst of her confusion at the hospital one night last week she pulled out her IV's and oxygen because she didn't know where she was and wanted to leave. Sadly she had to be restrained and sedated. But at one point she woke up just long enough to tell Dad, Camille, and me that if we believed that she did all of that then we would believe that cars could fly. Don't get me wrong, she was very angry but her comment made us giggle. Mom fell back to sleep immediately, almost as if it took every ounce of her energy to make that statement.