Choices!

I went to the hospital and was surprised to find Mom sleeping very well despite the noisy room with bustling nurses and under no sedation. I let her sleep.

She looks so much better without tubes in her nose and mouth. She still has an IV in her neck. She also still has the shunt from her skull. We will have to get the shunt out before moving out of ICU. I have not heard when that will be. Daddy thinks she might get it out sometime early next week.

Mom has a TV, thanks to Dad's request of one. At home she would have the TV on all of the time. I think the noise makes her feel good. She smiled today when she opened a gift from her best friend and college roommate - Aunt Cheryl. She is not supposed to keep anything with her in ICU, but I did hide a book under her sheets. She likes James Patterson so I brought her one of those.

Mom is able to eat whatever she wants. She quickly sent me down to the cafeteria in the hospital to get her homemade vanilla Blue Bell ice cream and a large iced tea.

Mom doesn't talk much. I asked the nurse how long it would take for her throat to heal after the breating tube. The nurse said it could be 5 - 10 days from the time they take it out. We are just on day 3. Mom did say, "I love you, too." It was a response when I told her I loved her. This was the first time she said those words in weeks! It really doesn't take much to make me happy right now.

Heidi is coming in tonight. (5 pm). I think she feels better after a week back home in Nashville. Daddy will pick her up and then head to the hospital. Heidi will also be at the hospital early in the morning to spend as much time as possible with Mom. Ethan and I are going to do something fun with Avery before I go back to school on Monday. I expect to be at the hospital in the late afternoon or early evening. I am not sure when Dad will get there.

As much as I have tried to publish the blog twice each day, this may not be possible every day. I promise that either Ethan or I will write at least once each day to let you know how Mom is, though. I am going back to work starting Monday, so the update may be written before I go to bed.

Thanks for all of the comments, calls, cards and prayers. The prayers seem to be working!