Monday, March 19, 2012

It's Monday and supposed to be stormy.  I love stormy.  Bring on the rain and the thunder and lightning.  Tornados, not so much. 

Friday I got up at 4am and left the house at 5:30.  My brother and I rode together and we reached the hospital by 6:30.  My other brother arrive a little after 7 am.  We got to visit with my mom and the doctor came in and, along with the two OR nurses, we all linked hands while he prayed.  He prayed for God to guide his hands in the surgery and also for God's will to be done. 

Then they took my mom off (around 8am) and we all went to the surgical waiting room.  It's a large room and at the time we were the only ones there.  I got out my laptop and started writing.  My two brothers went to the cafeteria to eat.  My mom's partner did crossword puzzles. 

Around 11:15 the doctor came out and said he could not remove the tumor.  It was inside the main artery that goes to the liver, which he knew and had planned to reconstruct using a vein from her leg.  But it had also invaded many other veins and he just couldn't get it all out.  There was also infection and blockage on her liver stint.  He cleaned that up and closed her back up.

My mom's partner collapsed in grief.  We all got shepherded to a smaller room and again the doctor talked to us - he said once she heals up we can try more chemo to hopefully prolong her life. 

I visited my mom again that night and also on Saturday and Sunday.  I decided against the hotel room idea due to two things - no decent hotels in the immediate area and the cost of the decent ones, which are in downtown Dallas near Reunion.  For those familiar with Dallas, the hospital is in Oak Cliff (Methodist Hospital).  I did tell my mom if I finished my word count early, I'd come up there. 

This time she will only have to stay in the hospital this week instead of two weeks, which she would if she'd had The Whipple Procedure.  She seems in fairly good spirits, considering.

Thank everyone who was so kind on Facebook.  I really appreciate the prayers and healing thoughts.

And now I have to go work.  This book won't write itself.