My mom is a trooper...

The day started off a little bit interesting this morning.  Dad and I arrived at 11 to visit (the earliest we're allowed) and mom glared menacingly at us, "where were you guys?!" I was confused and explained to her we weren't allowed to come before 11am.  She glanced around suspiciously "you weren't hiding behind the curtain?"  Ummmmm noooo mom....  "I think I'm hallucinating - I'm quite paranoid."   Once I reassured her we had just arrived she seemed to snap back to reality.  The pain medications, which are working very well, are also causing her some minor troubles.  The pain doctor visited shortly after and we all agreed that things seemed to be working well and we'll just watch and wait.  We spent most of the day with her today and she was completely with it.  

SIX laps today (each about 250ft) - and one of the rounds was 2 laps in a row!  She's doing great - considering she's only three days out today...

She is one heck of a determined patient as we all knew she would be.  While the other three patients in her room sleep, she is up sitting in the chair and trying to cough and clear her lungs as much as she can.  Mom's cough is a little weak - but everyday it gets a little stronger.  She has a very aggressive physio therapist that comes in to beat (quite literally) on her chest to help loosen the mucous that she can't cough up.  Right now she has a leak in her left lung with some air in it and half of her right lung is filled with fluid - all to be expected with this surgery.  Nonetheless she is compensating really well - her oxygen saturations are just fine.  I'm pretty sure my mom could live on one lung if she had to!  

It's a very small world at the hospital.  One of her nurses was my camp counsellor for 4 years, one of her physios was my classmate in Kinesiology at UofC and a member of the Winter Club, the anesthesia resident went to high school with Geoff and today the chronic pain doctor was good friends with my mom's friend and teaching partner Rebecca.  It is kind of nice because you feel just that extra small connection might be an incentive for those people to care just a little more.  For the most part mom is getting good care - she of course has her favourite nurses and physios and others she's not quite as fond of.  She's really looking forward to moving into her own room.  Today she came off the oxygen which is a good first start. Once some of her other tubes get pulled she'll be able to move rooms.  Right now she has a nasogastric tube, a neck drain, 2 chest tubes, an abdomen drain and a j-tube - it's quite the process to pick them all up and walk around the ward.

Progress is slow - but everyday she gets a little bit better.  Hopefully she has a good weekend...

Come monday they will likely do a swallowing test and if all goes well they will likely pull the nasogastric tube and try her swallowing some clear fluids.  Poor mom has had NOTHING to eat or drink since last Sunday night.  She says she doesn't have any appetite but she is quite thirsty.  She says swallowing feels the same which I think she is happy about.  I think she'll be happy to have shed some of the pounds she had to put on since Christmas.  As much as she joked about the weight gain I do think it really bothered her.  She likes to be fit and I don't think her body quite felt like her own these last few months....plus - this puts her one step closer to a fabulous bikini body for Mexico ;) ahah.

Have a good weekend everyone - will continue to post.