Monday, May 10, 2010

05-10-2010

entry by Kurt: Long day today. Started out ok but Mom couldn't eat anything as she prepared for a surgery to put the med-port in. We had amazing doctors and nurses at Waukesha Hospital. We were all VERY impressed.
It started in the waiting room but we did not have to wait very long at all. They took mom in after about two minutes of waiting.

She weighed in and has not lost weight yet which is critical. We're actually trying to get her to gain some which she fights because she has done sooooo well at loosing a LOT of weight. But we're feeding her as much as she can take.

after visits with the nurses and the doctor and the anesthesiologist they administered the "knock you on your ass" drug and Dad and I quickly kissed her and told her we loved her as they wheeled her down to the O.R. It's never easy on either party participating in that ritual but we got through it.

Dad and I ventured upstairs to the grill and ordered a chicken salad sandwich. Two sandwiches and 2 coffees came to just under $13.00 so during lunch we agreed that we'll be packing lunches for us on our longer days.

The whole procedure took about an hour and they came and got us. Mom didn't mind her picture being taken as she was all wrapped up in a cacoon of warm blankets fresh from the "toaster oven".
The two nurses on duty were amazing. They answered all our questions and attended to mom very well. Unfortunately we weren't able to get pictures of everyone but this is one of her RN, Dawn. Dawn ROCKS and gave us all hugs as we left. Kim wheeled mom out and did an incredible job, too, but we didn't get a photo of her :-(

The trip home was pretty rough. It takes about 45 minutes and mom was not enjoying the ride at all. She is pretty nauseus and once we got home we were able to get some crackers and some soup broth in to her.
We'll take a photo of the med port on another day. It is pretty amazing and for mom it means no more IV needles! It is a small metal disk placed just under the skin near her right collar bone. Inside there is a tube connected to an artery. There is also a tube outside right now to make her first chemo go smooth with no pokes! Eventually the outer tube will be removed and in the future they simply insert a needle in the skin directly in to the port.
We leave tomorrow morning around 7:00 a.m. to get to the hospital. We will be there most of the day as mom has her first chemo treatment. she's pretty nervous about it as any of us would be but she is still in a very fighting mood. We all have our moments of tears being shed.
We can't thank all of you enough for your prayers and support and I know you'll keep them coming during her treatments. Please invite your friends and family to follow her blog. she absolutely lights up when people decide to follow it.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Barbara, Bruce & Kurt,
Thanks for the updates. We keep all of you in our thoughts & prayers and are thankful for good memories of times past and look forward for more to come. We know you can win the battle! Aunt Barbara says HI. She is recovering from her second operation. It was nice to see her a few days ago. Love to all!
Keith & Sylvia

Roxanne said...

Thanks for all the updates! I will try to check in as often as time allows. Hugs to you all & you are in our thoughts daily.

Jamie S said...

Barbara, Bruce, Kurt, Terri,
Please know that my prayers are with you all through this difficult time. Barbara just know that God has you in his keeping and will see you through this please never give up and lose hope. Terri, you know I am here for you, you know I know what your going through having gone through losing ,my Grandfather to cancer. Stay strong and take care of your Mother she needs you, shes a beautiful women who needs your love and support. Just want to leave you with this thought someone once told me...When your down to nothing God is up to something!!! Best of wishes...Jamie S.