In a Nutshell

I arrived to see Mom sitting in a chair and waiting for me. Since my arrival here on Thursday, so many things have happened, that I will probably miss a thing or two but here is what I remember in a nutshell...
she is talking; she started eating and drinking thickened liquids and the feeding tube was removed; she is walking with assistance; moved from ICU; trach was removed; stitches removed too; catheter removed today; eating solid foods yesterday and today; starting to complain about being in hospital too long...I think that means she is feeling better. Today was not such a good day, but hey they can't all be good ones. Hoping tomorrow dawns brighter...Happy Wednesday!

Close your eyes...

...well not yet, or you won't be able to read what I am saying, but what I want you to do is close your eyes and conjure up a picture in your mind of what a gypsy might look like. You probably

imagined something like this eh...

and you would be half right.

gyp·sy [ jípsee ] somebody with nomadic lifestyle: somebody who has a nomadic or unconventional lifestyle

HOWEVER...this is what others may look like.....

That would be me...Gypsy Wendy (with good gypsy friend)

I am on the move again...leaving for Ont. in the morning. Hope to report good news when I arrive. Hope to be back before the snow flies....sigh

Have I reached the party to whom I am speaking?

I may have just dated myself, but how many remember everybody's favorite telephone operator, Ernestine?(snort, snort)

Well I had an operator hook me up to a pretty important caller yesterday...you'll never guess who....My mom!

They capped her trach, and she tolerated that very well, so I was allowed to talk to her on the phone! Pretty amazing when you think that less than 2 weeks ago it was not looking too positive. I have only been home 12 days and when I left Mom was still very "out". They had tried several times to wake her from the sedation and she just was not responding...and the few times she responded, her pressure was so bad they had to re-sedate. So although talking does not seem like a big thing..it is pretty HUGE in our books.

She has also been moved from ICU to the Critical care unit of the hospital; 6 weeks in ICU is a serious thing, and we were told that the longer she stayed on a ventilator, the less chance she would have of breathing on her own, but guess what??? she has been breathing on her own for 6 days now so that is a HUGELY positive step too.

Thanks to all of you who sent support by way of your prayers, positive thoughts, phone calls and e-mails. It meant a lot!

They are going to do a swallowing assessment today(not quite sure what that all entails) and see how that goes.

Although I am really not looking forward to going away again, I am anxious to see Mom and all the improvements she has made.