Home and It's Getting Better

Okay...where to begin or end or whatever...........

So, this was Mom's roughest, toughest, yuckest (if that's a word) hospital stay to date. This includes nursing care, luck, anesthesiologist, MRI machines, etc. BUT, God got her through it safely without tragedy. Now onto healing!!!

The infectious disease physician is seeing her for this random infection and she is receiving a VERY HIGH POWERED IV antibiotic for it. 

She restarted Home Health today so she will start Physical and Occupational Therapy back very soon and we can jump back on that recovery wagon. 

Please pray for these following things:

1.  Infection to clear with these antibiotics. 

2. Positive attitude for all of us including Mom. 

3.  Dad as he perseveres as the most awesome caregiver to my mother and is a wonderful example of love. 

4.  For Mom to not feel a burden to us because she is NOT at all!

Merry Christmas to all and Safe Travels to those. 

Now I'm headed to see my Momma tomorrow!

Love,

Rebekah 

Headed Home Again!!

Great news! Mom is headed home tonight. I will update with more details tomorrow. 

Continued prayers for healing and for the infection to clear and stay away. 

Love, Rebekah 

The "Clean Out" - Surgery

Dr. Smith was able to finally start surgery at 7:45pm (Texas time, I'm in New Mexico until Saturday) and she should be back to the room soon with Dad and Sarah.  The infection is Staph but not necessarily the "BAD" Staph as people would say.  It is VERY susceptible to IV antibiotics.  The doctor would prefer to use IV antibiotics to treat it so she is going to need to go home with IV antibiotics and she has a Central Line in place already that is a good thing.  Dr. Smith has to get the antibiotics set up with Infectious Disease  doctors which could be a challenge with the holidays, but we are praying that is not the case these next few days.

He did clean out the area that had the infection under the incision and took out a few sutures that were dissolvable and were dissolving but didn't want to leave anything "foreign" for her body to reject.  He said he was able to clean really well and said the bone looked good from what he could tell.  He has ordered a MRI for in the morning to verify there is no infection under the bone and look at the area where the tumor was also.

Dad and Sarah seem very positive after talking with him and Dr. Smith only had to open about 2 inches and shave just a little bit so hopefully her "Medicare Mohawk" won't have so much to grow back this time!  

Mom is such a trooper and strong woman!  Thank you all for praying and loving her!

I sent her this quote prior to surgery in November and I truly believe this to be her:

Please pray for healing and pray for infection to GO AWAY and STAY AWAY!!!!

Goodnight and sleep tight!

Love,
Rebekah 

Day 1 Back at the Hospital

Mom is having a rough day!!!

Mom started the day by having to have a Central Line having to be placed because her IV infiltrated (went bad) and they were unable to put another one in her arm or hand because her veins are just not good and she passed that fun stuff on to all 3 of us kids!  But now she doesn't have to worry about being "poked" again! 

She will have surgery to "clean" out the infected area at the incision site tomorrow afternoon per Dr. Smith.  His words were "This mess must be cleaned up and he will try to do it sometime Wednesday."

Mom is very nervous as you would expect but we know who is in charge of all things, please pray for her anxiety and peace of mind.  God will do all things in his time and I know he is going to take care of this quickly this time. 

Please pray for the surgeon and his team tomorrow.  Pray for my Dad, my Grandmother, my siblings, my aunt and uncle as we support her.

Thank you all again!

Love,
Rebekah

Back to The HOSPITAL - YUCK

Sorry for the delay in posting but I have been busy working and Mom has been busy getting better with Home Health doing Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy. 

She has been doing really well these past 2 weeks with no pain and improving but she had the sutures removed late last week and then the "FUN" started.  (Not really FUN).....

So, she started having a small amount of draining from the middle of the incision and then some pain was involved, maybe called soreness.  She then started being more "foggy" headed and couldn't stay awake for very long periods of time.  Then started the low grade fevers and nervousness set in. 

Last night her Physical Therapist called to set up her appointment for today, Monday, and she said, "I just don't feel right and the whole right side of my head is hurting now and I still having drainage from my incision in the middle."  Her physical therapist (LOVE HER) got busy and got a hold of the nurse on call and that nurse got to work (GOOD JOB) and got a hold of the PA for Dr. Smith the neurosurgeon and he happened to be in the Emergency Room and asked for Mom to come up there for him to assess it.

Mom and Dad went up there last night and he did a wound culture and did not like the looks of it so they admitted her back to the hospital last night!  So Mom is now back in the Neurosurgical Floor at Covenant Medical Center, Heart Center 588.  She is somewhat discouraged because it is right before Christmas and this was NOT in her plans. 

Please keep her in your prayers and Dad too!

She will be having surgery again Wednesday most likely to clean out the infection so she is frustrated right now but I am glad she is getting this done now instead of letting it go on!  She is on IV antibiotics right now and this will continue until they get the results back from the cultures

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support for our family!

We love you all!

RLH

Home - Day 1

Mom has had a Great Day Home today!

She was admitted to Encompass Home Health (the company I work for) today for Nursing and the Physical Therapist will evaluate tomorrow and then Occupational therapy will evaluate her next week. 

She is very exceptional in all ways but she is just EXCEPTIONAL!

I need to start of with a few Thank You's -

1.  My Dad - You are such a wonderful man to Mom and to your children .... your kids see such a wonderful example of a caring man to Mom and I know that Mom thanks you for being such a supportive spouse through sickness and in health!

2.  My Aunt Treva - (Mom's oldest sister) She has given up her own time to help Mom and Dad organize everything while Dad had his procedure and Mom had her surgery.  Treva has been so nice to help while us kids all work full time and she is willing to help with anything and everything Mom needs. She has been an encourager, motivator and negotiator when needed. 

3.  Thank you everyone that has been praying and continued to pray for my parents especially my Mom....all I know is that this is all God that has made this recovery what it is!

Thank you,

Rebekah

Mom is HOME!

She is smiling and home! 

After we arrived home she put in her contacts and on some makeup and wanted to go eat some food other than hospital food!

Corbyn and I are headed home now. 

Big HUGE THANK YOU to my Aunt Treva Andrews (Mom's sister) for being here through this whole process. 

She will start Home Health therapy tomorrow so pray for cooperation of her body and mind.

RLH