Dear Family and Friends,

What a great day!!! Mom slept beautifully last night and was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed when I arrived this AM. The sparkle was back in her eyes and she seemed very upbeat and ready for the pace maker procedure.

We were told it could go one of three ways, because of her vein malformation in her chest and so they had several case scenarios in place. She had several well-wishers stop by for a send off and she went up to surgery on Floor 8 at 1PM as scheduled. We were given a beeper, the type like you get at restaurants and were all told we could wait in her room until the beeper went off and then we were to go up to the 8th floor to await the consultation with the surgeon. Then we waited, and waited and waited. We were told it would probably take an hour or so depending on the "plan" they chose and yet they reserved the operation room for a total of 3 hours just in case...At the 2 hr mark, we were all pacing the floor and juggling the change in our pockets. Finally, at the 2 hr 15 min time, the beeper went off and Dad and I headed for the 8th floor. Dr. Corelli greated us with no expression on his face...he's quite stoic and I couldn't read his face. I asked him if he was smiling and he said yes. Then, he proceded to draw us an intricate diagram of his re-wiring job and was ecstatically bouncing around the drawing, pleased as punch. She was back in her room in 10 mins...wide awake and hungry! She said she heard everything they said and was sooooo relieved to have this last procedure out of the way.

The timeline from here is a bit fluid. She MAY get the right drain out of her chest, along with her catheter tomorrow but Dr. Corelli said there was still a rather large pocket of air in the left lung area and he might want to wait another day or so. The right drain is still putting out a fair amount but is definately decreasing in amount. We now have to watch for fever, infection, and any other additional hurdle which COULD occur. I spoke with Linda Brewster, our angel in so many ways, and we were discussing the pros and cons of home re-hab. I would very much like to have Mom and Dad come to our house in Falmouth, where a physical therapist and an occupational therapist would visit 3 times/week, as opposed to 5-6 days a week in a regular re-hab facility. She seemed to feel, as I had hoped, that unless Mom has some nursing issues that need addressing, she would benefit as well in a home environment as in re-hab. That's what I needed to hear and Mom
agreed totally. That way, she will be close to medical care if needed (15 mins from MMC) but be in her home away from home environment, which she hasn't dared dream about for nearly 1 month! It will be a very, very exciting day when she leaves MMC. The nurses are all getting misty-eyed to think of them both leaving...they've become quite loved and vice versa. Some get weepy just seeing the tenderness the two of them share.

Well, that's it for today. I have come packed to bunk in but again, Dad is insistent that HE is staying once more. He really needs a change of venue but is very stubborn...hard to believe, I know!

Love to one and all for your support. Please keep up the prayers until she is totally out of harms way and back on the island once more...we hope before Xmas. What a glorious day that will be!!!!

Bev