More, more and more.

Hi, it's me Debbie Downer.  Back with more news.  On Thursday, I went to see my Mom at the Rehab hospital and she was completely zoned out, couldn't think, couldn't talk, couldn't do what the therapists were asking of her.  She was just a zombie.  The nurse told me that it was the pain meds.  Well, she had been on a lot of pain meds all week, but certainly hand't acted like that.  I knew something was odd.  On Friday when I got there, she was in the bed with lots of people gathered around her.  Then I heard one of them say "She needs to go to the hospital."  I honestly couldn't believe what I was hearing.  Again.

An ambulance came and took her to the hospital, which is actually only on the other side of the parking lot, so it was a quick ride.  When they checked her vitals, her Pulse/Ox was super low - she was not breathing deeply enough between the back brace, lying on her back sleeping so much and the mass amount of different pain meds she had been given in all the different places she had been.  Her brain was starting to be deprived of oxygen. She was also severely dehydrated which caused her kidney's to not function completely.  They rushed around and did a lot to her quickly.  My greatest surprise was when the doctor assured me that she "wasn't going to heaven tonight" because I hadn't ever even for one second thought about THAT.  

She's been in ICU since Friday night, but she is about to move to a regular room.  I asked the doctors to PLEASE make sure she is medically sound before they ship her off to rehab or any other place.  They assure me that she would be 100% (medically) or she wouldn't leave.  Plus they have therapists there that are going to start getting her going again.  Today she is anxious to sit up, stand up and do anything they want her to do so that is a good thing!  She has been bedridden for 10 days.  I can tell she is stronger with all the fluids, the transfusions and the oxygen treatments.  She has been through the ringer!  Every time they ask her medical, surgery and hospital history, we tell them that there hasn't been any.  They always say, "Well, there is now!"  I guess she made up for lost time!  

So, since Thanksgiving, she has been to one ER visit, another ER visit, an ambulance ride to Springfield for another ER visit, up to a room for four days, an ambulance ride to Fayetteville, three nights in a Rehab hospital, an ambulance ride to the hospital ER, in ICU for two days and now a regular room.  I have been sleeping on the floor of the ICU waiting room the past two nights.  We came home today for a quick shower and a hot meal, but I am headed back to the hospital to spend the night again.  As long as everything goes well, I will probably come home tomorrow night.  

While I have had lots of time on my hands sitting in the ICU Waiting room waiting for visiting hours, I have been reading your blogs and some of the message boards I frequent.  I am amazed at how many times I have been reading along about your junking finds or something fun you did and then suddenly, I see my name and my story.  I have been brought to tears many times.  I've been getting packages and cards in the mail with gifts and money.  I was really taken aback the first time I saw any money come in.  I'm the one that does things for other people!  I don't deserve for anyone to do that for me!  I told my stepfather about this and he told me to be gracious because people love me and want to show that they care about me.  And I do know that.    So, for each of you that has sent out a prayer for us, thought of us or sent me something, I thank each of you from the very bottom of my heart.  My real life support system is very small - it's just been the three of us at the hospital all the time.I will thank everyone personally down the line.  But, for now, I hope this message reaches each of you.  

I have one more thing to ask - but it's an easy one - PLEASE decorate the beejeezus out of your house and post lots of photos for me to enjoy. :) Because, I don't see my decorations seeing the light of day this year.  But, that's okay.  My Mom and my family are more important, I know that for certain.

Thanks again, everybody!  :)