Two fingers

Since the last post I have been up at the hospital.  Heidi went to the doctor and found out she has a serious sinus infection.  She is on a z-pack and some other things, but should be somewhat better by the morning.  

Mom is doing very well.  I told someone today that I just don't know what to expect each time I go to the hospital.  Sometimes I think - today will be a great day for Mom.  On those days it seems like something is a bit off and then they sedate her and tell us to be quiet.  Other days I think I will see no improvement and feel sad.   It is on those days I am pleasantly surprised by Mom's progress.  

Daddy was the first one to see Mom hold up two fingers for the nurse.  Mom held up two fingers when asked on her right hand and then two fingers when asked on her left hand.  I heard the story many times, but it wasn't until Ethan came to the hospital that I asked her to show me her two fingers.  I was holding her left hand and that is the one she showed me first.  I was excited and jumped up and down and clapped.  Mom was not finished.  She decided to hold up her right hand and show me two fingers on that side as well.  Ethan told her that she must just be showing off.  

Mom looks a lot better, too.  The swelling in her face and hands has begun to go down.  

Daddy talked about the breathing tube to me today.  The doctor said that they would leave it in for a while longer because of the pressure in her head.  (This was talked about on Friday.)  Mom is mostly breathing on her own now.  The machine is on a setting that will kick in if Mom doesn't breathe as often as she should.  The nurse is also watching her oxygen levels.  We HOPE that they will take out the breathing tube on Monday.  We all feel that this would be a great step along the road of recovery.

Mom's skull pressure was anywhere between 10 and 20 today.  Mom gets medicine to help her control her skull pressure every 6 hours.  After getting the medication her pressure could be as low as 10 - it happened twice today.  Most of the time it was between 16 and 20, though.  I still think of this as progress.  Little by little they are taking her off some of her sedation medication and also the medicine that helps control the pressure in her head.  Sometime in the near future she will not need those medications at all.  

I am doing my best to update the blog.  I have decided that I will post once in the mornings (before noon) and once in the evenings (before I go to bed) unless there are changes or updates.  I am finding during this time of healing things are really uneventful and not very exciting.  I am fine with uneventful.  I have had enough excitement in the last 12 days to last me the entire year.  Uneventful also means that Mom is healing normally.  These things take a lot of time.  

Thank you for your continued prayers and help for my family!  We are very blessed to know each one of you and call you our friends!