Upcoming Week

Mom had an eventful (and not really in a good way) day.  First thing we had to change her dressing.  She really anticipates that each time and has to prepare both with meds and mental preparedness.  Then we were off to the surgeon to discuss the installation of the port.  It seems like an easy procedure, though she is quite done being cut into.  The port will be put in on Friday morning.  Please pray for that as she will be knocked out and have a tube put in her veins.

Then it was off to some other small errands and home for a nap.  Then we headed down to Salt Lake to meet up with the first surgeon again to talk about closing the incision - again.  She again anticipated the removal of the dressing and him poking around in there.  Unfortunately, he was unable to close the wound, in fact, he had to open it up a tad more to reveal a sizable "cave" in there.  There is no more infection at all, this is a good thing.  But she needs more blood supply to the area in order for it to be closed again.  He had to repack (not close!) and send us on our way.  She will see the wound care people tomorrow (currently waiting for a call about that) to discuss putting the wound vac back on for a few days in order to increase blood supply to the area. Ideally, that would then come back out on Friday and they can close the incision again.  Mom was not happy about this news - like at all.  And she was very much not happy about all the poking in there during the appointment.  Hopefully we can have this thing closed up again by end of week.

She is pretty low in how she is feeling right now.  She has to take pain meds to deal with the messing around in her belly and that makes her feel nauseous and tired.  Hopefully once the wound vac gets put back on, she'll feel a little better and not have to take too many pain meds. And then hopefully things can be healed up enough to be closed.

I'm in need of a few things from the community.  Mom gets the port put in on Friday and we have some obligations to attend to in the evening.  She needs to be attended to for 24 hours after the placement.  If anyone is willing and able to come over on Friday night to watch mom, make her dinner and generally care for her, that would be great.  I need from about 4:30 to about 9pm.

Also, I'm pretty tired and getting a bit overwhelmed.  If anyone is willing to do a meal or just come hang with mom so we can go out, that would be amazing.  Thank you!