throughout the year his condition worsened. his legs swelled, making it difficult to walk. at times his hands swelled so much he could barely move them. if the pain was too intense, his mother would massage his fingertips, so he could continue working on the album. sometimes he'd wake up in the middle of the night and ask his mother to move him from his bed to the instruments. according to kelley l. carter of "detroit free press", j dilla told his doctor he was proud of the work, and that all he wanted to do was to finish the album.