Tuesday

Jamie took Mom in at around 10 a.m. to have isotope injection to check for movement in the melanoma cells. Those test didn't show any movement. I got to the hospital around 12:45 p.m. and was able to see Mom before she went into surgery. I let her call Dad before they wheeled her away. This has been harder on him than her.
We were hoping that the surgery would start earlier than planned but it actually started late. I left Jamie to hold down the waiting room while I got us some lunch. I expected her to be out of OR by the time I got back only to find that they had not even started yet.
She finally got to the OR around 2:15 p.m. The operation took about one hour. The Dr. told us that everything went fine and that the melanoma was not deep and he did not have to do a skin graft. He did take one lymph node on the upper thigh just to have it tested and be sure that it had not spread. All test show negative for advancement in the lymph system.
While waiting for Mom to come out of recovery, we got a call from the recovery nurse telling us that she would be moved to CCU because she was having some chest pain. She did not realize that the Dr. had not been out to tell us this. The Dr. appeared about 30 minutes later to fill us in. Mom's BP was a little high in recovery but the EKG was normal and they wanted to run blood gas and enzyme (or enzynine as the Dr. pronounced it) test as well as echo-cardiogram and monitor her overnight. When we got in to see her the pain was gone and she said it was more like indigestion than anything else. They did have her on a nitro drip but were already weaning her from it. All other vitals were normal so we hope and believe that this was either after effects from the anesthesia or from high blood pressure.
Mom was thankful that the surgery was successful. We told the nurse to make sure that a sterile protocol was observed because we all developed nasty infections the last time we were there and since Mom has a titanium bionic hip which attracts nasty bugs double up on the hand washing and glove wearing. She assured us that they would. Then Mom in her lovely compassionate way, told the nurse how much a blessing her broken hip was. She said, "I never would have known that I had the melanoma or sleep apnea if I had not broken my hip." I guess Mom drank the half full glass and I drank the rest. She is still teaching and I am still learning. Thanks Mom! We love you Mom. We had prayer with Mom and let her rest.
Nancy will be by to tuck her in. The visiting hours are tight so we will have to abide by them unless I can snag some scrubs and a stethoscope. I do know the Hospitalist protocol and all the questions and procedures. Jamie will stay with Dad tonight. We will play the rest by ear...we are used to it.
Thanks to Andy Hall for keeping Dad company while Tom's memorial service was being held and for dropping by to check on us at the hospital.

Thank you for your continued prayer.

God is good!