Mom is home

Quick note to let everyone know that we brought Mom home from the hospital this morning.

We're getting situated right now and Mom is happy to be home.

More details later.

A Small Dose of Reality

I want to start tonight by making sure everyone understands that there won't always be good news.

Today was a little rough for Mom. She was a bit more confused today than usual, which may indicate something, or may indicate nothing. Such is the information that you get on the weekends in the hospital. It may just be that her mental faculties ebb and flow as she deals with this disease.

Other than that, she was okay. She was up and about again today and we watched some football this evening.

We are still hoping to be able to go home tomorrow. The decision is pending the results of the CT angiogram that she had done today. The doctor believes it won't show anything, but they want to be sure there is nothing going on with her lung.

There's not much else to report at this time. She's still fighting, still has her sense of humor, laughs, and makes sure to tell Dad and I not to worry about her. But we do. And we will.

Here's to tomorrow and the hope that we'll be able to get her home.

Lazy Saturday

Mom did not have to go home today. Instead, she had a nice, relaxing day only broken up by physical therapy and her own walking around. She was doing fine, and up and about without much assistance at all.

The fill-in doctor (weekend duty) came in this evening while I was there and I made sure that I mentioned that Mom had a little shortness of breath every now and then. Especially when she's walking and sometimes when she's visiting on the phone.

The doctor (Dr. Patel) took a listen to her lungs and said everything seemed okay, but he would order a chest x-ray for tomorrow morning just so they could be sure. He said it was likely just an artifact from the collapsed lung that Mom suffered last week. And, this might just keep her in the hospital until Monday for sure.

Mom is ready to go home, though. No question about that. She's wondering if she'll be able to get back online and resume that part of her day to day life. I know she misses it. Up until today, though, she hadn't really expressed that much interest in it.

Here's hoping that tomorrow is nice and relaxing as well.

Happy Friday

Mom had another pretty good day today. I think she was tired from all the walking around that she did yesterday. Her confusion comes and goes, but overall, she's got it together pretty good.

She's doing so well, in fact, that the hospital case worker who oversees Medicare patients wants her discharged. The sooner the better. Like tomorrow. Mom's doctor, Dr. Aurora, would prefer that she stay until Monday and is fighting the case worker for that. Doctors are the only ones that can admit or discharge patients, so the decision is ultimately his, but I don't know how often they win these kinds of fights. When I was leaving this evening, Mom said she would try to do good tonight, but not too good. Gotta love that.

We also spoke with the hospital social worker about some support programs and resources that are available. It was a good conversation and I learned some things that I did not know.

We are going to go ahead and get a wheelchair ordered just to have it, in case Mom needs it going forward. Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.

I saw the giant get-well card that the folks from ESC Region XI put together. Very nice. Mom was really happy with that. Thanks.

So, she may go home tomorrow, or Sunday, or Monday. We just don't know, yet. But in any case, it will be pretty soon.

Closer to Going Home

Mom had another good day today. She's up and walking around the floor and Dad mentioned that "she walked my ass off this afternoon." The doctor has indicated that we will likely take her home on Monday. This gives us some time to get a few things organized and meet up with the hospital social worker about some things.

Dad said that mentally, Mom was sharper than she's been in a while. That really is encouraging to hear.

We did hear that once she is done with radiation, she has seven more to go, then they will get going with the chemotherapy. According to the doctor, she will have chemo every three weeks, with each treatment occurring over a three-day period. One day for the actual treatment and then two days for tests and blood work. I don't know much more than that right now, but intend to try and find out.

Thank you to everyone for the comments and suggestions. I am going to talk to Mom about an iPod for use with audio books to see if she would be interested in that. She has been reading a little bit while in the hospital, but I don't know if she is going to want to get back to the level of reading that she was doing prior to all of this.

All in all, another good day. We'll take it.

Small Steps

Mom is making small improvements. Today was more physical therapy and radiation. I noticed today (and Dad did, too) that she is more lucid and not as confused as before. It's not a major difference, but it is enough to notice if you have been with her on a day to day basis.

I took a robe up to the hospital tonight. This was a gift from her sister, Joveta (my aunt). Mom had bought Joveta a robe when she was in the hospital last year and so Mom was "owed one". Mom liked it very much. So, thanks to Aunt Jo for that.

Mom and I spent a good deal of time talking tonight about school districts in Texas and how they are governed. We discussed this at length. I am now fully versed in the ins and outs of the Texas School Board Association. Thank goodness for that.

We also talked about the Education Service Center, where Mom works. She told me several things about it that I did not know, but was glad to learn. It's an interesting place doing good things for continuing education of the teachers in the area. She is very proud to work there and happy with what she has accomplished during her career.

Overall, I would say that today was even better than yesterday. I would imagine that is a result of the treatments that she is receiving, plus being able to get up and around. The white board was correctly updated today, so that bit of direction to the staff apparently took hold.

I believe her memory is slowly improving as well. She was able to tell me that Donny Osmond won Dancing With The Stars. Fortunately, she didn't make me watch it.

As far as I know, we are still on course for a possible release from the hospital this weekend. I know she wants to get back home and is tired of the walls that don't change in her hospital room.

I did mention that there were several very nice comments here and that I would print them off and give them to her to read. If she gets to the point where she can get on the computer again, and has the desire, then maybe she'll even post here. We'll see.

Thanks for all the kind comments. I know Mom will appreciate them.

Another Pretty Good Day

Mom had a pretty good day today. She started physical therapy and had a good session. The physical therapist was impressed with how good a shape Mom was in and Mom was able to do everything that she was asked to do. They did some exercises and walked around the floor.

Her mental state seems to be holding steady, or maybe slightly improving. Tonight, she told me that she was getting interested in watching TV again and we watched President Obama's speech about the Afghanistan plan. Mom was paying close attention and seemed very interested in what was being said.

She's concentrating hard on keeping herself organized while in the hospital room. She's already chewed out the staff (in a good natured way) about keeping the white board updated with the correct date. I think part of her disorientation comes from not having a good sense about what day or time of day it is. I can understand that. Not much changes inside that room.

The doctor is talking about possibly going home this weekend. We'll see how that goes.

I've told her about the blog here and she made me promise that I wouldn't write anything that she didn't want to read. I'm okay with that. Beth said that Mom just wants to control her press.