Sick Of Being Sick

This is Janessa updating my Moms blog (I'm pretty much just typing what she's saying! (:) This week Mom had visits from home care nurses, and physical/occupational therapy. She has to report every single little pain or problem, so because of that, she had to go to the UofU hospital, Thursday to have her drains checked. One of the two had slowed down to almost nothing. Friday, she had to go back to Huntsman for a CT scan. Even though she hasn't had anything to eat or drink since APRIL 30TH!, she had to drink a bottle of contrast (ICK). Even though it still felt good to have SOMETHING cold and wet to drink she was afraid she'd be sick if she drank it all. The scan showed that the lower abodomen is clear and the pancreas looked "pristine", but it also showed a little pocket of fluid under her surgery incision. So it was back to the U (Lindsey pushed Mom in a wheelchair in the tunnels from the Hunstman to the U) to take out the drain that was empty and put in a new one for the new pocket of fluid. Dr. Hwo, who originally put in the drains, took the time to see Mom late Friday afternoon. Mom and Lindsey were constantly amazed that the team of doctors always seemed to find them, even in waiting rooms and exam rooms! They think a red light must go off somewhere to let them know Moms back in the building. The new incision from the drain hurts, so its making Mom frustrated. She is very sick of being sick. She mostly feels tired and weak. She might get to have real food on Wednesday, and goes back to see the surgeon on Friday. She's greatful for all the family help and prayers. We'll try to update later in the week!

Back to Home Sweet Home

Thanks to my Chelsea for posting the last update.  I knew everyone would be panicked and would want to hear at least the bare minimum of news.
To say that the ER visit and ICU stay was horrendous and the worst pain I've ever had to endure would be sugar-coating it.  It was torture.  My poor sick body.  I'm glad that I missed out on some of it, just by being delirious.  That's a blessing when pain is so hard to wrap your head around.  When I'm stronger, I'll have to relate some of the "loopy" moments--I guess I was quite the crazy woman.
I am home, as of yesterday.  I came home with two drains and the PICC line for TPN feedings.  Things are healing, but oh so slowly.  I have not had food or drink since May 1.  What a wonder our bodies are, that they will continue to keep us alive, in spite of not being able to "eat".  I miss it.  I miss being hungry and satisfying that hunger.  The TPN food is fed to me directly through the bloodstream over the course of 16 hours.  I have not been able to manage nausea very well, but over the last few days, it has gotten easier to keep things down.
My family is wonderful.  My five children have been angels of mercy and the best nursing staff ever.  In the hospital, someone was always with me from morning until about 10:30 PM.  The many trips they have taken over the past almost three weeks to the hospital have been hard on them and their families, I know, but they have been my source of joy.  Dean and Janessa are a working team for keeping up the house and the laundry and the meals.  Our ward family has served in so many ways, it will be hard to give the appropriate thanks, but some day I will try.

I still have a road to travel to wellness.  I'm weak, my poor legs and feet are swollen like little balloons, and the drains are still draining.  But I have no more pain (have been off pain meds for a few days now) and I can shuffle pretty well between the bathroom, the bedroom, and the big comfy recliner.  I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, which was dark and scary just last week.  Thanks to everyone for your continued prayers.  I will survive this...but it will be long journey.

Bumps in the Road

After two days of being at home, Mom started to have REALLY bad pain in her abdomen.  The Surgical Oncologist told her to come into the ER. She started having more problems, like throwing up and not being able to go to the bathroom. Her stomach was filling up with fluid and her heart rate was getting really high so they took her to ICU.

They did a CT scan and placed two drains in her abdomen to get out the liquid. Test results came back to show that the liquid is Lymph liquid and not Pancreatic liquid, like we thought. Almost 5 liters of fluid was drained!! Liquid tested free of infection so we are thankful for that.

She will start PIC nutrition tomorrow instead of a feeding tube (because that was part of the problem of why she was filling up with fluid). She will have a PIC line for two weeks, and the hope is to be trying to eat solid food by the beginning of June!

We hope to be stable enough to move from ICU to Huntsman today. Not sure how long she'll need to stay at Huntsman, but hoping by the middle of this next week she can come home again.

Happy Mother's Day today, Mom! I am very thankful for you in my life. I'm amazed at your strength through these bumps in the road of life.  I pray you will recover fully so we can create more happy memories in the years to come!!! I love you so so so much!

(Blog update by Chelsea. Picture from 2008 at the Villa with Gram, Mom, Lachlan and Janessa)

Update from the Hospital

 

 My Mom has asked me (Chelsea) to update her blog for her.  I will leave all the details for her to write because she will say it so much better than I would!

Surgery went very well, except for the fact that Dr. Scaife ended up doing the longer procedure. This will mean she won't be getting back to her blog or anything normal for longer than she hoped. Drat!

She hopes to be home, in her own comfy bed, early next week.  She is really tired and sleeping a lot. She has pain in her abdomen, but that's to be expected.  She has a beautiful view of the valley and the sun comes beaming through the windows in the afternoon.

Dr. Scaife came in this afternoon and saw Mom sitting in her chair.  She cheered and gave us both high fives and told Mom that she is her favorite patient because she is not laying in her bed all day! Mom just says she has good timing! ;)

I have to go home to St. George tomorrow (sniff sniff), but hopefully we will update her blog soon. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. She is so thankful for all of you who are cheering her on.

XOXO


(Pictures: Mom before the surgery, Mom after the surgery sitting in her chair, Mom walking down the hall to the nurses station! GO MOM!!,  Sweet "HOPE" rock from Ann.)