Sweets: A Request

Barbara has gotten somewhat somnolent again and even fell asleep during her physical therapy session this afternoon. The therapist suggested that too much sweet food may be making her sleepy. Indeed, most visitors have been bringing her very rich deserts and I am at a loss to keep her from eating a lot of that stuff. Yesterday, she O.D.'d on sweets so this may be part of the problem. While I am very grateful for the kind thoughts behind those gifts, I hope that the temptation to bringing very rich foods to Barbara could be resisted. She does indeed enjoy those things but, for the reason mentioned and other obvious ones, please consider this request.

It is natural to inquire what the connection between sweets and the somnolence may be. In my profession we make up stories to go with what seems to be happening before our eyes and so, knowing that I know nothing of this business, I offer a rationalization anyway.

In my reading about tumors I have learned that they need glucose to grow and those rich foods may supply glucose to Barbara's tumor in abundance. If the tumor swells, it will press on the surrounding blood vessels and so cut off the blood supply to (at least parts of) her brain.

This may not be sound medical theory but, taken with the advice of the physical therapist, it points to a suggestion that I hope that we may be guided by.

Happy new year to all,

ed