Our days are pretty normal. Bill depends on the oxygen more and more. He is talking about using it at night, though he rolls around so much that it will be a problem keeping the canula in place.

When we saw the doctor in early January he prescribed an antioxidant medication that he said would help bring up the dead cells in the lungs. It is strange - comes in small vials like insulin that must be refrigerated. Each vial is dissolved in 8 ounces of cola. Why cola and not orange juice or water, we don't know and the literature that came with the medication doesn't explain. The medication smells like sulfer, so perhaps it has a bad taste. The drink concoction is taken three times a day.

Since Bill has been taking it, we have noticed an increase in his coughing and in the amount of phlegm that he brings up. Whether that is due to the medication or is coincidence, we don't know.

Bill is getting really handy with his cane. He uses it to open drawers, to grab things that are some distance away, and for all kinds of things.

We enjoyed Christmas with all of our children and grandchildren. Bill got to see our 8 month old grandson for the first time. Cole enjoyed chewing on Grandpa's oxygen line.