Healing and resting

Mom is continuing to improve and regain her health. She looks better now, having shed much of the fluid and swelling she had a few days ago. She also had a yellowish tint to her skin and eyes which has cleared up considerably.

Although she remains on the respirator, they have adjusted the mode and O2 levels to the minimum necessary to assist her. We all want her off the vent so she will be more comfortable and need less sedation but they can't take it out until after her surgery.

They gave her some more blood this morning. She has been getting some food through a tube but it goes very slow and in very small amounts. This is helping her get better and stronger and we hope they continue but with surgery upcoming they stop. We don't have a time scheduled for surgery tomorrow but I think it may be in the morning.

They still haven't intalled the vein filter. Not sure when but hope it will be soon so there is no longer a risk of that blood clot in her leg getting to her lungs or heart. It needs to be done before the surgery. They may do it first when they take her to surgery.

This neck surgery is a serious procedure and it is an absolute miracle that she is alive to get it. I'm so thankful that the first people on the scene did not move her and the EMTs and/or trauma people put the neck brace on right away. We have been told that the majority of people with this type of injury don't survive or become paralysed because the bones are not supported and press on the spinal cord. She still has ligaments there but they are too weak to do the job well. They said her injury is a level III. The docs are very confident that she will be fine and only lose a little mobility in her neck.

John and I are still with her as much as we can be but not so much in her room as just in the hospital. They keep it very cool in the ICU. I can't stay too long and just let the nurses to what they do and Mom get her rest.

Thanks for the lovely prayer poem.