As I write, it is 111 degrees, making it very difficult to go outside for anyone and in particular, hospital patients. The fortunate people stay indoors with the AC on and avoid the midday heat so long as the power is on. Power outages, however, are common in India and of course when everyone has their AC going full blast, the chances go up. A big business here is back up power generators.
Jill really enjoys the company of the other patients at the clinic who congregate daily in the lobby or out front when it cools off a little. They offer lots of encouragement, give her a break from her parents and give her a feeling being part of a social group. Also we arranged a massage for her as well as a trip back to the Dilli Haat market to buy some gifts.
On Friday of the seventh week Jill had her second intensive procedure receiving a dose of stem cells in the lumbar area. The toughest part was staying still for 5 hours and in bed until the next morning.
Jill's balance seems to have taken a turn for the worse this week with several near falls and real difficulty standing up straight.
The doctors say that it is normal to have good and bad weeks and, in an ironic twist, they were encouraged by some emotional moments this week- Jill was sad more often and for longer periods than normal. They said that that this indicates improvement in her ability to understand the seriousness of her condition.
Because the hospital is closing at the end of the month the patients are starting to thin out and there are only eight patients left with a full staff. I am hoping this results in extra attention for Jill.
We look forward to Jill's sister Erica's arrival on 5/21. She will be here for 6 days and we have arranged to take a trip to Agra (Taj Mahal) and Jaipur over a long weekend.
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