The Morning Report

Hello All,

Thank you so much for all the well-wishes, prayers, good energy, and love.  I just got off the phone with Mom and Dad, and they sound very chipper and up-beat.  Dad said Mom was feeling "spunky" this morning, which was especially good because last night she was not so comfortable.  His exact words were, "She feels like she got hit by a truck."  So today she has already walked to the bathroom and back.  Nurses are still on hand to steady her.  She is a little wobbly on her feet, but the fear that she might need rehab in order to walk again after the surgery has at least been laid to rest.

As for the surgery itself, Aunt Cindy reported that Dr. Theo came into the waiting area with a big smile on his face.  "Surely he can't be delivering bad news," she thought.  And he wasn't.  Everything went better than expected-- a nice change from the previous surgery!  He did less cutting than he thought he would have to.  The suspicious "spot" appeared to be all necrotic tissue from her gamma knife surgery last year.  Aunt Annie compared it to a bruised apple-- once bruised, it continues to bruise and get bigger.  The initial reports from the microscope matched Dr. Theo's observations-- all dead tissue.  So we are waiting for pathology to give the final confirmation. That should be back in a day or two. 

There is an outside chance that Mom will be discharged tonight.  She will probably be ready, but some of the doctors are hesitant because of the long drive.  So sounds like if not tonight, tomorrow morning at the latest.

She has her breakfast ordered and is getting "good rest," in her own words.  And she says she can't wait to see everybody!

Thanks and thanks and thanks again for all your love and support.  Right back atcha.

Love,
jk

Surgery Tomorrow

Hello everybody,

So the spot in the cerebellum that they had been watching was growing enough that the team decided it was time to take action.  All agreed that surgery was the best route, even Dr. Rixe, whom mom and dad consulted in Georgia, despite the fact that she has zero symptoms (no loss of balance or coordination) and is doing very well clinically.

Mom has been a little anxious leading up to the surgery, as we all have been, but she is eager to have it done.  One great benefit of doing the surgery is that the doctors will be able to biopsy the "spot" and then we'll know what it is.  Today she was more calm and very focused on getting everything done so as not to delay surgery.  There was a problem with the MRI machine at the place where it had originally been scheduled, but they were able to reschedule at a different location.

MRI was achieved this afternoon.  Mom and Dad will spend the night in Cincinnati, where they will be joined by Cindy (mom's sister) and Tom and Melinda (dad's brother and sister-in-law).  Surgery is scheduled for 7:00am tomorrow morning.

I plan to light a candle at that time and keep it burning until the surgery is over.  Feel free to join me in my little vigil if you'd like, or just send light and love in any form that you wish.

I will post again as soon as I know something tomorrow.

Thanks for reading,
jk