Day 3

The human spirit is stronger than anything that can happen to it.  ~C.C. Scott

Today, Mom was disconnected from all her tubes! No more catheter! No more IV! No more oxygen! No more epidural! Now, if she could only pass gas...

When we got to the hospital today, she was in a chair by herself without all her little gadgets attached! She showed off her Frankenstein scar to the kids (it runs from "bone to bone" as Dad said-- sternum to pelvis) and would be guaranteed to set off any metal detector with all the staples they've used. She had better color, was able to have a sponge bath for the first time and have her hair washed. I think she even got more hours of consecutive sleep than she's had for a while. She's on oral pain killers now- after surviving the tape/spray on adhesive ripping associated with unhooking her epidural line. She was able to walk 1.5 laps around her floor last night, too! All good signs that she's recuperating from the surgery.

Still no word on when she can leave or when she starts chemo or, most importantly, what type of cancer we're facing. We're a little concerned that she doesn't have an appetite or can't complete all the bodily functions that indicate her intestines are healthy.