Monday Update - Day 4

Mom and Ashley continue to do great and are still on a clear road to recovery. The weekend came and went before we knew it. Much progress was made, but with each hurdle passed brings on new challenges.

Ashley's pain has subsided considerably the last 36 hours, which is a great sign that everything is healing nicely. She has been in some discomfort, but nothing out of the ordinary for mid section surgery. I feel if she can just get over this one hump, she will feel like a million bucks and be on her way out of here. The Dr actually said she could go home as early as tonight, but I think she (and we) would feel better if she could stay another day just to make sure she does everything she needs to do before she is discharged.

Mom has continued to progress wonderfully. Yesterday she was taken off all her IVs and was free of her "walking pole." Late last night we had a slight set back. Mom got sick in the middle of the night and again early this morning. This was just simply do to the bowels not quiet working yet. Everyone has said that often times the first day or two after surgery goes so smoothly, but because some some of the organs haven't quite "woken up" yet, it can be uncomfortable a few days later. Albeit a set back, the Doctors said it was normal and is nothing to worry about. Mom is still in high spirits, which is always good. We were told there would be many steps forward and a few steps back in the journey to recovery, and we are lucky this has been our only step back so far.

Yesterday, Jenny washed Mom and Ashley's hair in the shower and it instantly made them feel better. Recovery is not only physically challenging, but also mentally challenging. Sometimes its just the littlest things that can bring on a whole new feeling and emotion.

Monday at the hospital is certainly much busier then the weekend. Many more nurses and Doctors coming in and out of the rooms, and a lot of student RNs running around, but they are all very nice and helpful. While weekdays on the recovery floor are a little noisier, you certainly get faster service.

A lot of Mom and Ashley's neighbors on the "west wing" recover floor are transplant patients, most of whom seem to be recipients. We can all be so grateful they were given the opportunity to receive a donated organ that very well could have saved their life. I have learned over the months that the organ transplant recipients/donor community is a very close group. Everyone shares the same bond of being given a second chance at life, and I can only imagine how that feels. The transplant recipient community is very small, but we can do our part to help make it as big as it deserves to be by being an organ donor.