Phone call of relief

Yesterday was a shocker. Today was better. Actually I feel the first real sense of relief I've felt in 13 days.

For nearly 2 weeks we've tried as a family to communicate with a doctor but with little success. We've repeatedly requested a senior Dr phone the Dr in the family. We stressed it wasn't a complaint or about telling them what to do, just so two docs could speak the same lingo and ask the right questions.

With a bit of pushing (make that quite a bit) it happened today. At last we have a full and clear picture of what is going on. Most importantly we're now dealing with the correct organ (and not the left of field completely different organ I was told was involved by a House Surgeon yesterday). I haven't done 5 years at medical school but I do the know the difference between the stomach and bowel, I can even point to where they live!

Yes, it's still the word we didn't want to hear but it's where we expected it and that helps. We're also a lot clearer about what it all means, or at least as sure as you can hope to be. Surgically they did a fantastic job.

All the setbacks have a context and we understand why they're happening and what is being done to correct them. We're not so scared and feeling helpless as we watch Mum struggle.

Communication and anatomy. Neither seem to rank highly in medical training. But the Dr in the family is also convinced Mum is receiving the absolute best medical care she could receive anywhere. That means a lot.

Mum will take a long time to recover and while we're relieved we're also cautioned. Time will tell. But none of us knows or can control the future. All we have is this moment, the one you're in right now. I hope I can maintain living with that kind of appreciation.

Today Mum was closer to the Mum I saw on Tuesday this week. She's tired and weak but she wasn't as low as yesterday and I even saw the hint of a few smiles :-) Now we're doing all we can do to get her eating. The medical people are working on the various setbacks.

I'm needed for another few days. I'll fly home Monday evening and will be back at work Tuesday. I'll return to help and support further down the track when Mum is home. We expect it will be some time before that happens.

If I wasn't so tired you'd have another photo of Mum's hands today, but when I came to take the card out of the camera to download I discovered I'd forgotten to put one in. Instead you have Dad's hands as he updates my brother on Mum. It's not too bad considering the whiskey and wine I'd had ;-)

Thank you, thank you so much.