To the Primary Kids:

Sister Grow wants you to know how HAPPY she is to have your pictures!!! She LOVES seeing all the beautiful drawings of happy faces and sunshine! Each picture the kids drew is accompanied by a darling poem, "A smile is like a sunshine; it brightens up the day, it gives the eye a twinkle and chastens frowns away!" Thank you for brightening up the smile on Sister Grow's face! She is much much happier now! She looks forward to seeing you all again soon!

A Hospital Bed

Yesterday the hospital bed arrived! Last night mom was able to get a better night's sleep than the night before. Every day gets better as she is able to get up and down out of bed and a chair with only the slightest bit of help. She clutches her pillow to her chest since she is unable to use her arms for anything other than eating and brushing her teeth. It's so reflexive to hold your hands up when you start to fall, grab the wall or chair rail. But, all of this is not permitted. Doctors want her to allow her musculature to heal before starting to use them. She is missing a few muscles in her upper chest region and abdominal area now, so physical therapy will help her to learn to use the muscles she has left. She has been eating and re-reads the cards and well wishes she has received!

We still are guarding her from infection, so please don't make us have to tell you to talk to her through the window if you've been sick or have kids with you :) sorry! Coughing or vomiting is the worst thing that can happen right now.

One cute little story was when her little granddaughter who has had many hospital stays came in (she is the one exception to the child rule since she lives in a bubble of health too) she saw her grandma lying in bed with the nurse working on her and she said, "It's gonna be okay grandma, don't worry, it's gonna be okay". The concern in her voice and the compassion Of "been there, done that" touched all of us. Each day brings more healing.

Please continue to pray for pathology to come back showing no remaining cancer.

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One day at a time.

Mom has been much happier at home and has been reconnecting with loved ones and friends a little bit at a time and mostly by phone. We're trying to get a hospital bed in so sleeping will be a bit more comfortable. She still can't use her arms for anything but sternal support using a pillow. She had home health here and should have visits two times a week. Physical therapy won't start for another little while but they are helping to get the bed in which is what we need the most right now. Having had her hair washed, mom is feeling a bit more human. Dan picked a few zucchini from the garden and moms excited to eat them. Their first fruits! If you want to call and say Hi, feel free! We will tell you if mom is resting.

Next week we will get the pathology results from surrounding tissue. This will let us know if they were able to "get it all" or not. Still taking one day at a time, we are thankful for every day!

She's Home....

Grateful, grateful, grateful! For family that never fails, friends who are always willing, and neighbors who watch and guard! The trip home was probably much more grueling than mom will admit. We only had 1 pit stop pillow change! Never the complainer. I had to laugh when as we passed through the toll bridge I mentioned to her that I thought Dan was still behind us somewhere...I slowed down and watched to see if he was coming up behind us (he has been the "grandpa" driver at times). I couldn't see him and decided that in order to go slow and let him catch up to me I would pull behind a large 18 wheeler. I made a few calls to his cell phone but no reply. After a few minutes mom asked what in world was I doing going so slow. I told her that Dan was somewhere behind me, and he must be going really slow, because we were just creeping along. (I'm thinking...geeze Dan, pick up the pace!) Mom, anxious not to spend one extra minute in the car than she absolutely had to says, "Just leave him"....so, off we go. Well, I guess he knows the way, he has the GPS with him! Pretty soon Dan calls, " Where are you guys? Are you still dragging behind me"? Hahahaha....mom says,"You catch up with him so I can scold him for leaving us behind"!.... Hahaha

When we got home we were greeted with a darling sign in the yard saying, "Welcome Home Karen"! What a delight! So, we are all happy to be home and on the mend. Mom still has 3 drains in and still struggles to get comfortable, takes her medications and still has a long road to recovery, but it is so much better than the hospital.

AWAY WE GO.....

I'm not taking too much time to write because we are SO EXCITED to be leaving! TTFN...we'll continue to keep you posted. XO Karen's family

Private room

So today when we heard that Drs were in agreement we could leave and we just had to hear from the lead thoracic surgeon ( within the hour) we checked out of our hotels and loaded the cars, ready to go! He never called. But, on the bright side, we were moved into a private room, have an excellent nurse, Andrew. So, we will be sleeping in the room. We're allowed now since it's private! So if any of you want to join the sleepover....come on up! Mom is doing fabulous having made 2 laps around the nurses station today! She ate food that isn't clear fluids and is looking forward to ice cream!

:( ugh

It's a good thing that God knows what we need before we do, and even better, He meets our needs before we even know to ask. It's not fortunate, it's not luck, it's not circumstantial. It's a direct result of good, honest, faithful prayers. Prayers from everyone, everywhere. Praying that quick prayer as they rush through the door, the fleeting thought that flickers through our brain as we drive down the street and the ones offered on bended knee. ALL of them. Each one He hears. I thought things would go much differently than they have....I expected mom to come out of the OR practically comatose, tubes threaded every which way, monitors bleating off their incessant cries for responses. I was dreading it. But it wasn't like that. Sure there were tubes and monitors, sounds and smells, but she was breathing on her own and able to speak. She hurt, and she was scared. Heck, we all were. But everything went better than we planned. Better than we dared hope for. But, God knew. As she went into ICU we were grateful she would receive good care. As she remained in ICU we were surprised, she seemed to be doing so much better, we kept expecting her to be moved out within a few hours, but that never happened. She stayed, almost tube free and waking the halls, God knew. Even when Satan whipped her around in the bed (see earlier story), we were reminded to be grateful for GOOD nursing staff!
Here we are now on the thoracic floor and a semi-private room. Privacy is out of the question, as is peace and quiet. Mom had a horrible night. Barely responded to and full of pain for most of the night I am fighting off feeling of frustrated rage. Krissy, Dan and I were sick having to leave her alone last night. They refused to let us stay. She couldn't reach her water because they moved her tray. She is unable to use her arms to push, pull or lift anything and can't get out of bed. She was trapped in and by her pain. She asked for help and it was VERY slow in coming. The TV blared all night without stopping on the other side of the curtain...you know the routine. We want her home. Some might say, "where's God in that!" But we know where He is...He is here, with us, He always is.

SHE WALKED!!!

Sometimes the things we get excited about are the same things we got excited about when we had our first child. In a way, I guess, we are experiencing all of the same emotions that we did way back when....it's not exactly in the same way but, noteworthy none the less. My mother is a remarkable woman. She has determined that the nausea she was experiencing was due to the pain medications in the PCA, so she decided that Tylenol would be a better option. Taking a leap of faith, combined with all the prayers you continually offer, she is making HUGE strides in her own recovery. Dan coaxes her along continually, yet gently, reminding her that she needs to do her breathing exercises. With each step taken in the right direction, it is becoming increasingly easier to get up to a chair and now walk! Exhausting as it was, those first few steps are miraculous! She will be moving to another room, probably still here on the thoracic/cardiac floor, we just don't know what room yet. I am not sure if it is because there isn't room or if the Dr. Just hasn't made the order yet. Regardless, we are grateful for your continued prayers and good wishes...they TRULY make all the difference. Don't stop! Our hopes now are concentrating on preventing infection and continued pain control and wound healing. Thank you everyone! Some of you have asked about flowers and cards....please send them to their house rather than to the hospital...let's hope we will be there soon!

Stabilizing in the ICU

Mom is improving...her BP is up and she has continued trying to eat another cracker, a bit of broth and juice. She was up in the chair again for an hour. Doctors are very pleased with the surgical wound sites, they are healing nicely.

A little about the surgery...the cancerous growth, sternum and bone that was removed was approx 14 cm x 6 cm. Abdominal wall muscles were cut and "threaded" up through to her chest wall to help cover the hole left behind after removing the cancer. They also removed an area of tissue and skin at the same spot, like a skin graft, to cover the muscle. They did not have to collapse a lung, however they did have to remove some muscle tissue, under the major pectoral muscle, which by building other muscles she will eventually be able to overcome most of the loss, all of which is truly an unexpected blessing! They did find and remove a small benign lump in her breast, which they removed as well. They checked out her lungs and surrounding tissue for any signs of cancer and found none.

It is expected that she will have a about 6 weeks of no pushing, pulling, lifting ANYTHING. A little physical therapy to help with her regaining and building muscle...soon she will be able to open a catsup bottle (something we girls have always struggled with :)

Up and Moving

Today has turned out to be quite eventful! Mom unwillingly but cooperatively was moved from her bed into a chair. This is difficult to do when "Satan" (otherwise known as Timothy another ICU RN)who is lacking in compassion, comes to fling mom out of her bed! (mom's grandson, Jake was in ICU a few years ago fondly named some of the hospital staff that worked with him Satan, hence the new name for him!) I promptly told our nurse that "Satan" was no longer allowed to be in mom's room or I would personally throw his hiney out! She was able to fight off the nausea and drink some juice, take some oral medications, and a cracker!!! She endured the chair for an hour and a half before being moved back into the bed and is now resting and trying to sleep. She was given a spirometer to exercise her lungs, help break up any pockets of fluid, and prevent pneumonia from settling in. After all her exercises she fell fast asleep. Dan has been very dutiful taking care of her and remains by her side most of the time. We expect that later today she will be moved from ICU onto the floor for regular skilled nursing.

We're moving in the right direction

Just a few minutes ago mom took her first few sips of water and juice! Her bed has been elevated to a more upright position and she is more alert and talking more :) soon we are hoping that if holds the fluids down, she can actually sit on the edge of the bed and with some physical therapy help, maybe standing later today. She is very cautiously taking small sips hoping to keep it down...nausea is NOT her friend considering all her sutures. Please continue to let people know about the blog so we can keep the good thoughts and prayers coming in on her behalf!

Here we go to the ICU

Just received word that due to her nausea and uncontrolled pain, the thoracic and pain management teams have made a decision to move mom to the ICU. They are considering placing an epidural for better pain control and feel that she will receive closer supervision and care in the ICU....we agree. Her lab work is improving and she is resting better. Dan is comforted knowing she is receiving quality care. He has been so very worried about her, he loves her so much,we are so grateful he is part of her life...

Recovery Room

Doctors have determined that she will not need to be in the ICU, which reflects the good outcome of her surgery. :) A pain management team has been called in to evaluate her pain since her PCA isn't effective enough. She has a great nursing staff currently another :) !!! She is in good spirits asking about her littlest granddaughter, Cate and smiling at the iPhone pictures Krissy showed her. Thank you to Giovana who is taking care of Cate and supplying the much appreciated photos!

All surgery is now complete...

Without getting into the details of the surgery, we want you to know that both the thoracic and plastic surgeons have completed their respective surgeries. There was both boney structures and muscles remove and skin and muscle grafts performed. She has drains in place and hundreds of internal and external stitches, mesh and a plaster-of-paris type material that covers the holes left behind in her chest wall and abdomen. Overall, she tolerated the procedures well, breathing tubes were removed, and she is breathing on her own. Next we move on to pain control and stabilization. Thank you everyone for your kindness and willingness to help. Please pray for pain control, no infections and rest. We love you all.

THE MAJOR SURGERY IS OVER....

Everything went well. Though she is still in surgery, the plastic surgeons are closing the wounds, she tolerated the process well. They removed 14cm of sternum and surrounding rib structure. We will not have pathology results for about 7 days. She will be moved to ICU in the next few hours and we will be able to see her. Please continue to pray for her comfort and no infection. We will continue to keep you posted.

Surgery has begun...

Upon arrival at the hospital, we were literally herded by groups into the pre-op area and assigned a station to finish filling out some final paperwork and change. The training anesthetist missed her vein on the first try...annoying mom a bit. We had a chance to meet the various surgeons and we again went over everything that she had already been told, but it gave her a chance to ask any last questions she had. The thoracic surgeon came in last and we told him that we were all praying for him and the entire team. She went into the operating room at just after 8am. She was a little bit anxious as they took her in and she was given Verced (most patients are given this before surgery) and she relaxed. Although they took her in at 8, the surgery actually started at 9am. We just checked on her progress and there hasn't been any word. We decided not to bother the surgical team to ask for further information. Dan is anxiously awaiting word as we are sure you all are too. We will keep you posted. Love to all.

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Getting Ready

Today we prepare to head to UCSF. First, we want to say, "THANK YOU" to everyone for your thoughts and prayers. We know that every prayer and good thought is heard and responded to! Mom truly can feel the calming presence that comes as a result of your efforts on her behalf. So many of you have offered assistance, we are very grateful! Mom and Dan have asked that you continue to pray for them! You can post your messages here on this blog (we will share them with them daily) and TELL OTHERS so that they can be kept up to date on her progress via this site rather than calling our cell phones or hospital room. ICU does not allow phones and some cardiac and surgery units won't either. In addition, many people in similar circumstances have said that cards and pictures of loved ones and friends who are recovering from traumatic events do better and feel encouraged from the well wishes from those they know and love. Please send cards, stories, well wishes via this site and or by mail to them. We will have pictures in her hospital room and at home for encouragement, feel free to send a photo, card or note to their home: 12404 Oak Mist Lane, Auburn, Ca. 95602.