Tuesday, April 15, 2014

The surgery is scheduled.

Hello, my dear, dear bloggy friends. I cannot begin to tell you how much your comments and your thoughts have touched me. All we hear about when we turn on the news or talk with others, is how bad people are. The school shootings, the stabbings, the bombings, it all begins to feel like this world has turned totally bad and there's no hope for it. Then I get your comments and they are so powerful and kind and loving and I cry and smile and thank my lucky stars that I decided to join this wonderful community.

The past few weeks have been hectic. We have been getting things together, communicating with the doctors in Nashville and trying to be sure all things are lining up. We made another trip to Nashville last Friday for an appointment with the neurosurgeon, one with patient teachings and one for the pre-op process. The neurosurgeon determined that Mom could not wait until May for her surgery so that has been scheduled for Thursday, April 17. He explained, at the appointment, the process that will be done to remove the tumor. Instead of making an incision beside her nose, he will be doing a crainiotomy and working from above it. He feels that this is the best way to make sure he gets all the tumor. We have to be at the hospital at 8 AM with the surgery scheduled for 11 AM.  It will be an 8 hour surgery + or - depending on how things go after they get started.

Mom will be in ICU for 5-7 days and if all goes well, she will be allowed to come home then. The ICU room has a sofa that makes a bed and one of us can stay with her at night. I am staying Thursday night and Friday night so my sister can go home to be with her kids and then she is coming back on Saturday so I can come home and rest. Thank goodness for little sisters and for family. I don't know how anyone manages without having family around them. My daughter has been such a help and having her close to Nashville makes it nice. We get to see them each time we go down and James is such a delight. He is definitely a mood lifter.

I have found myself, over the past couple of days, staring into space and having trouble concentrating on anything. Maybe this is my coping mechanism. I am glad the surgery is going forward sooner than we had been told but the thoughts of my 82 year old mother having to endure this lenghthy procedure scares me. She told the neurosurgeon she was bringing her own Surgeon and he told her they would be sure to have gloves to fit Him. Mom's faith is firm and I know she will be in good hands and I know there will prayers and thoughts surrounding her, but there is a part of me that is so worried, so scared and Mom won't be there to comfort me. She has been my rock through all my procedures and now it's my turn to be hers. This reversal is unnerving.

Now to things that have put a smile on my face this week.

I bought myself a bracelet this week. It is from bravelets.com and $10 of the price goes to research for your designated cause. I chose the Head&Neck Cancer one for obvious reasons.


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Photo from bravelets.com website.

It says "be brave" and it is the sentiment I need right now.

While in Nashville awaiting the doctor's appointment, I received an email from Meredith telling me I had won her April Chocolate yarn giveaway. Happy, happy, happy. Four skeins of Manos del Uruguay, Pure Peruvian Cotton Kettle Dyed yarn and a beautiful Brittany birch wood crochet hook in size J.




These pictures don't do the yarn or the other items justice.

The package came today while I was out getting some papers signed and running other errands. It was a comedy of errors! I had scheduled a package to be picked up for my Georgia grandbabies which was inside
the mailbox. UPS had left this package wrapped in plastic on one of the flowers pots beside the mailbox. Before I could get my things inside and get back out to get the package, the mail ran. Yep, you guessed it.....she picked up both the package inside the mailbox and the one beside the mailbox. I had no idea who the package was from as the Hubbs had an order he was expecting also. So I got online, got the number for our local post office (For some strange reason, the number for the local office is not listed?????) and gave them a call. I explained what had happened and asked her where I could get the package. She laughed and said she would contact the carrier and have her bring it back, which she did. She kept apologizing, but I told her it wasn't a problem. When I got the plastic off and realized it was my package from Meredith, I let out a whoop!!! See that beautiful yarn and look! Flamingo suckers! Aren't they cute!?!?! She also included a KeyLime chocolate bar! One of those suckers and that chocolate bar is going to Nashville with me. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MEREDITH!

We are going down Wednesday to spend the night since the trip so hard on both Mom and I. I need to get things done such as packing, paying bills, gathering crochet and cross stitch projects to keep me busy and other various items as the pop in my head. I have a list and I'm slowly marking things off.

So I will be back after the surgery to let you know how things went. I've not decided yet whether I'm taking my laptop with me or not. If I don't, I will be by to visit when I'm back home. Thank you all again for your comments. Please remember us on Thursday.

Hugs,
Sharon

8 comments:

  1. Oh Sharon, that is a lot to deal with, but we will all be thinking of your mom and praying all goes well. Meredith's box came just in time to bring you a little cheer. Key Lime Chocolate! Hello! I want me some of that. :) And yarn is always welcome. Cross-stitch and crochet will help you through the long hours of waiting. Take care of yourself. Sending healing wishes and good vibes, Tammy

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  2. My prayers and thoughts are with you and your family. Wonderful present you won and I love the bracelet too. Stay strong!

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  3. Thank you so much for the update, Sharon. I will definitely be praying for your mom, her surgeon, and YOU this week!

    Staring into space and trouble concentrating is par for the course. I don't know if it's a coping mechanism or just brain overload ... but don't worry about it! It will get better. :)

    Crochet and cross stitch will definitely help pass the time in the waiting room and at your mom's side. When Mr. M was having his first brain surgery, I took along my sewing machine and a quilt I was making and when the waiting room cleared out (he was in the OR for about 14 hours and we were the last ones waiting), I set up the machine and applied binding for all I was worth. It was good to have something productive to focus my attention on! And while my dad was going through his recent surgeries (craniotomies, by the way), I crocheted like the dickens. Busy fingers can sure help calm a worried brain.

    A tip - your mom may not be aware of very much the first night after her surgery (coming out of that long a period of anesthesia can make people pretty woozy), and the nurses will probably be doing neuro checks every 1/2 hour to every hour all night. You may not get any sleep - and she may not be aware of your presence. (But then again she may. Everyone responds differently.) So just a thought - you could ask if there's another spot you can lie down and sleep but still be close by. Or if you have family near, you might want to consider staying there the first night after she gets settled in the ICU. (I just want you to get what rest you can - you can support your mom better if you are rested yourself.)

    Hang in there, dear friend, and know that we are with you. Get lots of hugs and sunshine from that sweet little James! And tell your mom that many prayers are being lifted up for her. God bless you both.

    P.S. Wow, what a gorgeous prize from Meredith! Perfect timing too. Chocolate makes everything just a little better.

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  4. I'm so glad you posted to let us know what is happening. I will start praying for your Mom, you and the family right now. It is so hard when the roles are reverses-I know from experience. Hang in there and take your fears and cares to The Lord. He loves your Mom even more than you do.

    Oh how I was hoping to win one of those packages from Meredith, but just looky there!! It was meant to be for you to get it. Chocolate yarn, real chocolate and suckers. Just what you need to comfort you over the next little while. Busy hands will occupy your brain. I know when I've sat at my parents and other relatives bedsides it was much easier with yarn in my hands.
    Blessings and peace to you.
    Betsy

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  5. I will definitely be thinking of you all tomorrow. I'm sure everything will go as expected and your mum will be home again before you know it. What a fabulous giveaway win, and it's come at just the right time too. Sending my very best wishes for a speedy recovery for your mum. Stay positive. x

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  6. Will be thinking of you and your family over the next few days Sharon and wishing your mother a rapid recovery and back within the loving embrace of her family as quickly as possible.

    Amanda x

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  7. So glad the package arrived and you finally got it even with all the mix ups. Hope all went well with the surgery, you are all in my thoughts and prayers.
    Sending you a big hug,
    Meredith

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  8. So sorry I was not able to contact you, till now, Sharon, so I did not know about when your mom's surgery was.

    In the midst of this difficult time, I'm so glad you won Meredith's gift! xx

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