The doctors noticed Monday or Tuesday that she was developing fluid around her lungs. They decided the best option was surgery to remove it. It was too thick, they thought, to remove with a needle.
So Wednesday morning she had a little procedure done where they put a filter below her heart to try to filter out any more clots from moving into her lungs or heart. They needed to re-thicken her blood so that surgery would be possible with out her bleeding too much. After the filter procedure, she was transfered down to UVRMC. It was a long day for her and by the end of the day we were all wiped out.
Her surgery was originally scheduled for Thursday morning but was moved to Friday because of an open heart surgery that went long. So yesterday (friday) she had her surgery. The doctor told us it might last 1-5 hours. It took 4. He was also trying to do it with a scope but they ended up opening her up because, it wasn't just fluid around her lungs there was a big abscess on her right lung. The abscess was big and hard to remove. The picture the Dr. gave us measured it at about 2 inches. They only did the right side. The doctor thinks that the little fluid that is on her left side will clear up on it's own. But there is still a possibility they will need to go in in a few days and do it on the left. We are all praying that doesn't need to happen!
It is so hard to see her laying in that hospital bed with tubes and IV's coming out from everywhere. They were trying to get her up and sitting, maybe walking, soon after the surgery. Meaning hours...not days...I joked with her a little that she has so many tubes ect. coming out of her that she could be Frankenstein for Halloween. She laughed and said I think I'll just be a patient :-)
She is in ICU again after the surgery, but that could change today. They are hoping to move her to a regular room today. So much depends on how she is recovering. There are so many things that are making her so sick that it sounds like one layer after another will have to be peeled away in order to get her back to "normal". From what I understand, once they see that she is recovering from the surgery they will put her back on blood thinners and keep the blood clots away.
I think she has a LONG road ahead of her. I sometimes wonder if the new "normal" will be a mom that has to take things a little slower and not do as much as she is used to because she just can't keep up. But she surprises me so that might not be the case :-) I also miss her. Even though for most of my married life I have not lived so close, it was still a daily, if not couple of times daily, phone call to her just to check in. I just hope she makes a good recovery.
My deepest scariest thoughts come back at night and sometimes I have to stop my self from imagining the phone ringing to give me the news (we got the phone call at 2 am with Dad) and I worry beyond anything about my baby that has a little fever. Where a month ago I would have given him Tylenol and not worried about it until morning. I make sure I tell her I love her every time I walk out of the room...just incase and because I do. In all honesty I am scared. I worry and worry and worry until my stomach is sick. I love her and I am so blessed to her have her as my mom. She has taught me SO much and we have grown very close in the past 10 years. One of the doctors was reviewing her medical and somewhat personal history and stopped and one point and said "You are a great lady! Look how much you have accomplished in the past ten years!" And that she has and is. A Bachelor degree, a Masters degree, 5 grandsons that love her dearly, and much more...
She is a fighter! I have had so many prayers answered through this whole thing, big and small, that I know Heavenly Father will keep answering them!
4 comments:
I don't know what to say, I don't know how you do it. You are strong and I believe you are supposed to be there with her living there with her for a reason. I believe the good relationship you have with her is very special and important. Life is too short. I really hope she can come home soon and recover. Stay strong woman!!
All I keep thinking is it's probably a good thing you moved in with her. Now she has someone there all the time in case she needs something after she gets to come back home. She is lucky to have you and I'll be keeping you guys in my prayers!!
I'm glad she is starting the recovery process. I've been thinking about you a lot...hang in there. We'll add you both to our prayers!
We will keep her in our prayers as well. I hope that the recovery goes well for her. I think it is so hard to see your parent(s) get sick, age, etc. We like to think of them as invincible sometimes. Hang in there - she is blessed to have you there for her!
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