moving day (4/26 update)

Mom had a good night last night, and we both got a good bit of sleep. Then Dr. Martin came by bright and early and declared today "moving day." He wanted her up and out of bed once an hour. She could walk the halls or just walk in place by her bed. They say day 3 after surgery is the worst - maybe this is why. We both went back to sleep for a couple hours. I got up around 9:30 and went to the bathroom to get dressed. When I came out about 10 minutes later, the room was full of nurses and clinical assistants helping Mom get out of bed. She had called them. Dr. M said walking would help get her GI system moving . . . a moving GI system means she can have some water, and she wants water! After getting all her tubes and wires unhooked, she was off with the help of Dewayne, a big guy who prides himself on being the best "walker" in the unit. It was her first time up and she did great! She was up for 20 minutes!

Trix and Dewayne

Getting a virtual tour of Louisville from a waiting room window

The rest of the day she just did the walking in place thing by the bed (not every hour, but at least every couple). It's just a lot easier to do that with all her tubes and wires - she's got an epidural in her back, IV fluids running into her port in her chest, an NG tube in her nose, a heart monitor, and a catheter. We're hoping she can lose the NG tube and the catheter soon.

Today was a good day for pain and blood pressure. :) Not so much for heart rate. :( Her heart rate usually runs high (90s), but the past couple of the days it's stayed over 100 most of the time.

Her temperature was normal all day . . . until tonight when a low-grade fever popped up again. Her white count is also slightly elevated, so infection is a concern. 

So tonight (or today since I'm getting this up so late) Mom needs prayers for: no infection, GI action, pain management, and no more cancer. :)