As some of you know, I moved to the family farm in August to be nanny to my niece and take of my mom. In early September, I drove mom to the dentist, so referred her to an oral surgeon, who took a biopsy off her right cheek.
It turned out to be mouth cancer. We met with an oncologist, a reconstructive surgeon and had pre-op at the hospital. Monday, Oct. 15th, she was operated on at Baylor Regional Medical in Plano. The surgery took 5 hours most of which was to attach new blood vessels which had been grafted from her left arm. The surgery went well and the doctors said she came through like a champ.
Now, my mom is 76 and has become a little old lady. She's a fighter and loves pulling the doctors and nurses chains when she can. Today is the third full day in ICU and it seems like she's back sliding. I found out this morning when I walked into ICU, she had been asking for me since 4 AM and when I walked into the room, she was so drugged up, she slept while I was there. Mind you, the day before, she wasn't that drugged up and I had her nurse for the day replaced because she was too rough and jerking mom around whenever she came in to attend to her.
I'm just worried. The doctors had planned on moving her out of ICU today and she's still in there and had planned on her only being in the hospital a week, plus or minus a day, which turns out it's going to be longer. She, of course, can't eat and to date isn't allowed to drink water. Before surgery, the nurse weighed her in at 130. In July I know for a fact she weighed 165 and from the end of September to her surgery date could only eat soup.
I'm back online at night now after a long drive to and from the hospital and have Christie Ann to sleep for the night. If any of you have any suggestions or thoughts, please share them with me and say a little prayer for mom for she is in the Lord's hands. Thanks.
It turned out to be mouth cancer. We met with an oncologist, a reconstructive surgeon and had pre-op at the hospital. Monday, Oct. 15th, she was operated on at Baylor Regional Medical in Plano. The surgery took 5 hours most of which was to attach new blood vessels which had been grafted from her left arm. The surgery went well and the doctors said she came through like a champ.
Now, my mom is 76 and has become a little old lady. She's a fighter and loves pulling the doctors and nurses chains when she can. Today is the third full day in ICU and it seems like she's back sliding. I found out this morning when I walked into ICU, she had been asking for me since 4 AM and when I walked into the room, she was so drugged up, she slept while I was there. Mind you, the day before, she wasn't that drugged up and I had her nurse for the day replaced because she was too rough and jerking mom around whenever she came in to attend to her.
I'm just worried. The doctors had planned on moving her out of ICU today and she's still in there and had planned on her only being in the hospital a week, plus or minus a day, which turns out it's going to be longer. She, of course, can't eat and to date isn't allowed to drink water. Before surgery, the nurse weighed her in at 130. In July I know for a fact she weighed 165 and from the end of September to her surgery date could only eat soup.
I'm back online at night now after a long drive to and from the hospital and have Christie Ann to sleep for the night. If any of you have any suggestions or thoughts, please share them with me and say a little prayer for mom for she is in the Lord's hands. Thanks.
, and prayers for you. And I'm sending all your way.
