End of a Nightmare...

FABULOUS NEWS!! Mom was released from the hospital this afternoon and is now home… Monica had the honor of chauffeuring her, then Jeanette and I visited with her this evening. While she is taking it easy, we were surprised to find her on top of a step stool looking for something in her kitchen cupboard! She is getting around s-l-o-w-l-y but looks SO MUCH better than the last experience of coming home… YAY!!

While she’s slowly reintroducing food into her diet, the doctor informed her she has NO diet restrictions. Jeanette asked, “What about seeds and nuts?” Dr. Zane said, “No restrictions.” Jeanette asked, “What about tomatoes, strawberries and spicy foods?” Dr. Zane said, “No restrictions!” Apparently, in becoming ‘closely acquainted’ with her colon (up close and personal), Dr. Zane found no evidence of diverticulosis. So Mom is now looking forward to all culinary delights with a sparkle in her eye! She still has abdominal staples which will be removed on April 6th and she sees the surgeon for her post op visit on April 18th so it looks like we’re in the homestretch and finally coming out of this nightmare…

Once again, we hope each and every one of you knows how much you mean to us and how grateful we are for all the well wishes, good thoughts and prayers you’ve sent Mom’s way throughout this ordeal… We wish you Blessings, we wish you Love, we look forward to the next time we see you under ‘Happy’ circumstances!!

Love and Hugs!

cRaZy, Wild Dreams...

Three days into recovery and it’s been slow going… Mom’s having difficulty speaking because of a drain they have going through her nose, down her throat and into her stomach to relieve the upper GI tract of bile and/or gas in order to facilitate the healing of her upper and lower GI tract. Her throat is really, really sore and it’s hard for her to talk.

They’ve had her sitting up in a chair and walking the entire corridor… It took longer to unhook, detangle all the wires and tubes than it did to walk all around!! Then she has this unwieldy IV ‘xmas tree’ apparatus of machines she has to push around… Mom’s feisty this time around though! When the nurse said, “You’re supposed to use and hold onto the IV tree to help stabilize you while you walk.” Mom retorted, “You try pushing this heavy thing!” The nurse did try and had trouble moving it… So there was Mom, holding onto Monica for support and the nurse pushing the unwieldy IV tree up and around the 3rd floor!! Afterward Mom apologized to her nurse for ‘snapping’ at her but that thing IS HEAVY!

Tomorrow (Saturday 03/26) they are supposed to start removing all the tubes and probably begin introducing food. Mom has not had anything to eat since Monday (03/21) and then it was only ‘clear liquids’.

When I got there this morning (Friday 03/25) Mom was dozing… about half an hour later she woke and said her night was okay. Her throat still hurts and they’re giving her Cepecol lozenges to suck on for relief. Then she asked me, “Do you know anything about the roses from David? I think Jeanette took them.” I said, “No Mom. I don’t know anything about that, I’ll text Jeanette and ask” … then Mom said, “Jeanette was here earlier and she was checking Greg’s teeth” … At that point I started thinking this might be the result of pain meds and no food!!

Jeanette replied to my text message with, “HUH? I haven’t been by yet today and I don’t know about any roses!” :-D Yep! I think, definitely the drugs… While Mom slept I spoke with her nurse. Her nurse said, “No, no roses have been delivered and no one’s been here earlier.” She confirmed my theory that this may be due to the Benedryl injection they gave her for the rash from the medical tape, combined with the pain meds… Nurse said she’d keep an eye on her!

This evening, Mom was in good spirits and looking forward to having all the tubes removed and eating again. She says the medical staff all comment on how tiny she is… She tells them, “If you weren’t being fed you’d be tiny too!” Then she told us, “I think I’ll ask for another Benedryl injection around midnight… It helped me sleep good!” OH BOY!! Let the cRaZy wild dreams begin…

The Final Chapter begins....

Finally beginning what we hope is the final chapter in the ‘Colonoscopy Drama’!

Mom’s reconstructive surgery went well… Dr. Zane (her surgeon) said there was much less scar tissue than he’d anticipated and she’ll be in the hospital for 5 to 10 days.

The three of us escorted Mom to the hospital yesterday. We waited while they prepped her and then allowed us to visit with her in pre-op… When I went in Mom looked good and relaxed. I told her, “Y’know the last time it was just myself, Monica & Jeanette with you and this time Barbara’s with us too.” Mom smiled and said, “I know. The girl who came to get me in the Waiting Room said, ‘Hello! Follow me, I’ll show you the way… I’m Barbara’”

I went and saw Mom today about noon… ROUGH night! She was still in a LOT of pain and hadn’t slept much all night. When I got there her nurse was trying to find another vein for the IV line because the one she had was no longer working and her veins keep rolling. Success this time!! However, they may have to consider a ‘central line’ in her neck or chest area if they have to change it out again. Her nurse said they need to control her pain before they consider getting her up… they gave her a morphine injection and I left her dozing…

When Monica arrived around 3:30pm she said Mom was more comfortable, dozing in and out, her vitals were good and her temperature was 98.2.

Jeanette got there after work and said the nurse had just helped Mom sit in a chair about 6:20pm. Said it was a little rough but she did it! She said Mom was pressing the ‘pain med button’ every 10 minutes. Around 7:45pm Mom was back in bed and they had to give her medication to off set the nausea she was feeling… Sitting up in the chair brought on the nauseous feeling. The nurse told Mom she will get her up tomorrow for a walk and said it was really good that she sat up in the chair tonight.

Dr. Zane said recovery would be very painful in the beginning and it looks like he was right again! Hopefully every day will be better and soon she’ll feel up to talking on the phone and/or receiving visitors… Thank you so much for your prayers and support! Hopefully tomorrow will be a little easier than today….

Barbara... Rest in Peace

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pr_c902O4ro

No Life is ‘insignificant’ no matter how long or short the time period they touch us, we are enriched by their life force & gifts they leave with us. Barbara taught us Patience & Compassion. Because of her, we grew into women who try to keep Open Minds & Open Hearts & the BEST ‘Character Gift’ our sister left us are Acceptance & Unconditional Love. Celebrate! Be at Peace & Dance Barbara, Dance!


Thank you SO MUCH for all your kind thoughts and prayers… we are stronger, enveloped in the comfort of your love and good wishes… We are blessed to have you in our corner and your presence in our lives… We take comfort in knowing Barbara’s pain is gone, she’s now unlocked from her earthly disabilities and FINALLY FREE…. Love to you all!!

I'm Free
Don't grieve for me now, I'm free
I followed the path life had for me
I fought the battle with all my might
I would never leave here without a fight

I could not stay another day
To laugh, to love, to work or play
Tasks left undone must stay that way
I've found that peace at close of day

If parting has left a void,
Then fill it with remembered joy
A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss
Ah yes, these things I too will miss

Be not burdened with times of sorrow
I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow
My life's been full, I've savored much
Good friends, good times, a loved one's touch

Perhaps my time seemed all too brief
Don't lengthen it now with undue grief
Lift up your hearts and share with me
Celebrate my life because now I'm free

Happy New Year!!

‎”2010 is almost history, 2011 is still a mystery, ring out the old and bring on the new, I am ready, how about you???” So much transpired in 2010 and much more awaits in the new year… We again, thank everyone for their support, good thoughts, kindness and prayers. You ALL are the BEST Gift we received in 2010!! While Mom’s had to undergo this misfortune, it brought us all closer and for that we are forever grateful… Friends and Family, a most precious gift… HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

November 05, 2010

Day 70… Monday Mom had her visit with Dr. Zane, the Surgeon who performed the colostomy. He formally ‘released’ her to full activity level which includes driving and resuming regular activities. “Yeeeeeee----aaaayyyyyyy!!!” Mom is still under weight, she’s lost 15 lbs and has to build up her endurance levels BUT life for Mom will be ‘somewhat’ back to normal … For a while anyway. :-/ She’s greatly looking forward to finally being able to visit our sister Barbara … She hasn’t been able to visit with her since August.

Dr. Zane also told Mom she’s been scheduled for the ‘next step’ which is Reconstructive surgery to disconnect the colostomy and ‘reconnect’ her colon to the healed colorectal area. Her surgery is scheduled for March 22, 2011… with recuperation time we’re looking at almost a year total in dealing with this entire episode, all resulting from a ‘routine’ colonoscopy procedure.

Mom wants you to know how VERY MUCH your prayers, good wishes and thoughts have meant to her… She’s loved your emails, cards and phone calls… You’ve made her feel so cared for, SO LOVED!!! She ‘Thanks You’ with all her heart and we do too!! ... xoxoxo

October 30, 2010

Wish Heaven had a phone so I could hear your voice again. I thought of you today, but that is nothing new. I thought about you yesterday, and days before that too. I think of you in silence, I often speak your name. All I have are memories and a picture in a frame. Your memory is a keepsake, from which I'll never part.......God has you in his arms, I have you in my heart! 6 years today... We Love & Miss you Dad... ♥