Another update from Dad
"The plastic surgeon was more personable today. We had a short but informative session with him. He examined the hole and pronounced it "unchanged" (which I now think is good news, because it means that surgery can proceed). Mom was pleased to hear that her brain surgeon will also be on hand on Monday.
The surgery is scheduled for noon (August 2) at the hospital. If all goes well, and the plastic surgeon was quite sure it would, she will be released back home during the afternoon. There is no particular post-op ritual except changing the bandage and probably a visit back to the doctor a week or so later. The plastic surgeon did say that the aperture is large so that it will take some time for the wound to heal. I do not know what this might mean in terms of resumption of the Avastin treatment, but we will worry about that agenda down the road.
We were out of the office by nine thirty and Mom was home and back in bed at ten, and she went to sleep immediately.
We had some old friends for lunch yesterday and it was about the most pleasurable time Mom has had in a long time. She was quite sprightly. She did not take a nap yesterday and we watched the conclusion of the Adams PBS DVD last night. Mom woke a couple of times but in general slept until seven this morning.
Love, Dad"
Love to all,
Ted
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
7/26/10 - Update
Another one from Dad
"It is eight-thirty on Monday morning as I start this. Mom has not slept well the last three nights but every morning has compensated by getting about three hours of extra sleep. This has allowed her to declare that she got a good night's sleep. (Not so easy a declaration for the master caregiver!).
Mom has eaten well, and is comfortable. I find her physically weaker, but only marginally so (although yesterday when we went to the Great Smokies she had trouble walking short distances inside the restaurant in Morganton). She speaks very slowly, pauses from time to time to find the right word or to reconnect with a train of thought, and her voice level is often so low that it is hard to follow. And yet yesterday evening, when friends brought a delicious dinner (much appreciated in this ferocious heat) she perked up and seemed much stronger.
We are scheduled to have a pre-op on Wednesday for plastic surgery the following Monday (August 2). We hope to be clued in on Wednesday as to what the procedure will be. The wound has remained clean and the perimeter of the inflamed area has very, very gradually contracted each day. We seem to have a system in place whereby the headband apparatus remains secure during the night.
Mom has tried to be more active in the kitchen, and has succeeded. But she is very easily frustrated because her left hand is of very little use. I think it is more swollen now than was the case a couple of weeks ago, and I will spend more time massaging it this week. We have gotten out each day to go shopping and to get some walking in an air conditioned environment. Mom particularly enjoys a rural market-farm place, and we are eating very healthily as a result. The outdoor temperatures have stayed pretty close to, or above, 100 degrees for almost two weeks.
Please do call - late afternoon is the best. Love, Dad"
Love to all, Ted
"It is eight-thirty on Monday morning as I start this. Mom has not slept well the last three nights but every morning has compensated by getting about three hours of extra sleep. This has allowed her to declare that she got a good night's sleep. (Not so easy a declaration for the master caregiver!).
Mom has eaten well, and is comfortable. I find her physically weaker, but only marginally so (although yesterday when we went to the Great Smokies she had trouble walking short distances inside the restaurant in Morganton). She speaks very slowly, pauses from time to time to find the right word or to reconnect with a train of thought, and her voice level is often so low that it is hard to follow. And yet yesterday evening, when friends brought a delicious dinner (much appreciated in this ferocious heat) she perked up and seemed much stronger.
We are scheduled to have a pre-op on Wednesday for plastic surgery the following Monday (August 2). We hope to be clued in on Wednesday as to what the procedure will be. The wound has remained clean and the perimeter of the inflamed area has very, very gradually contracted each day. We seem to have a system in place whereby the headband apparatus remains secure during the night.
Mom has tried to be more active in the kitchen, and has succeeded. But she is very easily frustrated because her left hand is of very little use. I think it is more swollen now than was the case a couple of weeks ago, and I will spend more time massaging it this week. We have gotten out each day to go shopping and to get some walking in an air conditioned environment. Mom particularly enjoys a rural market-farm place, and we are eating very healthily as a result. The outdoor temperatures have stayed pretty close to, or above, 100 degrees for almost two weeks.
Please do call - late afternoon is the best. Love, Dad"
Love to all, Ted
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